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☆ Israeli defence minister calls for halt to judicial overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, March 25 (Reuters) - Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday called on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the bitter dispute over the measures poses a danger to national security. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Netanyahu to fire Gallant, who he said had caved to opposition pressure. Israeli media said around 200,000 Israelis rallied against the plan in Tel Aviv on Saturday, with tens of thousands more across the country. I will do everything in my power, to prevent my country from becoming one," said Tel Aviv protester Janna Gur, 64. Additional reporting by Rami Amichay in Tel Aviv; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Two Israeli soldiers wounded in Palestinian shooting in flashpoint town
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 25 (Reuters) - Two Israeli soldiers were wounded on Saturday, the military said, in a drive-by shooting claimed by a Palestinian armed group in the flashpoint town of Huwara in the occupied West Bank. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP) said in a statement that it had carried out the shooting. On Sunday, as Israeli and Palestinian officials made commitments at a meeting in Egypt to de-escalate violence, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on an Israeli couple in their car in Huwara, wounding the man. Settlers responded to that attack by setting fire to Palestinians' homes and cars, killing at least one Palestinian. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose recent comments about the Palestinians, and earlier about Huwara, have drawn widespread criticism, said Israel must not let attacks from the town become routine.

☆ As the Fed meets on Wednesday after bank runs, a market analyst shares 4 key questions investors desperately need answered — and his prediction for how stocks will react
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Investors should pay attention to whether the Fed sees the bank collapses as deflationary. The fallout from Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse crises could result in a credit crunch. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has officially added Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank to the failed bank list after swooping in to save depositors. There's a growing view that the fallout from the Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse crises could result in a credit crunch and create a deflationary environment. The bank expects rate hikes to resume in May, June, and July at 25 bp each for a fed's fund rate of 5.25 to 5.5%.

☆ Xi promotes China as peacemaker on first trip to Russia since Ukraine invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Jennifer Jett | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In this grab taken from video, China's President Xi Jinping, left, speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Monday, March 20, 2023. Russia, China and the U.S. are not members of the court. "I am pleased to once again set foot on the soil of our friendly neighbor Russia," Xi said in a statement after arriving in Moscow on Monday for the three-day state visit. Xi said his Russia trip was intended to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries in a world faced with "damaging acts of hegemony, domination and bullying." The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not confirmed reports that Xi may hold a virtual meeting with Zelenskyy after his trip to Moscow.

March 13 (Reuters) - Euro zone government bond yields tumbled on Monday as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) sent investors rushing into safe-haven assets and caused traders to bet on a smaller rate hike from the European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday. SVB's collapse sparked a massive rally in European and global bond markets on Monday. The German 2-year bond yield was last down 34 basis points (bps) at 2.746%, on track for its biggest one-day drop since 1995. Market pricing showed traders thought a 25 bp hike is now the more likely outcome, despite 50 bps appearing almost certain last week. The European Central Bank is not planning an emergency meeting of its banking supervisory board on Monday after the collapse of SVB, a senior source told Reuters.

☆ FTSE 100 hits two-month low as banks stretch losses in SVB aftermath
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies HSBC falls after taking over SVB's UK armBritish American Tobacco down after JPM downgradeBank sector index hits over two-month lowFTSE 100 down 2.4%, FTSE 250 off 2.9%March 13 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 fell on Monday, with banks extending losses as shock waves continue to reverberate through financial markets after U.S. regulators closed Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) lost 2.4%, falling to an over two month low. UK banks (.FTNMX301010) slid 4.3%, hitting an over two-month low and extending last week's declines of over 6%. The focus is now shifting to UK's spring budget due to be unveiled later in the day. Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Dhanya Ann ThoppilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK stocks slip as investors gauge prospects of U.S. rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Susan Mathew | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) fell 0.6%, and the mid-cap index (.FTMC) lost 0.7%, extending losses for a third straight session. Strengthening the case for hikes, data showed U.S. job openings fell less than expected in January. The FTSE 100 is up more than 6% so far this year, but is off more than 2% from all-time highs hit last month as investors try to assess the impact of rising interest. Among individual stocks, Rio Tinto (RIO.L) dropped 0.6% as the miner traded without dividend eligibility. Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sonia CheemaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK's FTSE 100 kicks off week on grim note; miners fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The export-oriented FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.2% and the more domestically-focussed FTSE 250 (.FTSE) was flat by 9:25 GMT. Copper prices were in the red as top consumer China set a lower-than-expected gross domestic product target of 5%. Flutter Entertainment Plc (FLTRF.L) rose 2.4% and Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc surged 17.8% on price target raises by brokerages. Clarkson Plc (CKN.L) added 5.1% after the shipping services provider reported a strong annual profit. Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Germany also wants Switzerland's Leopard 1 tanks - Swiss newspaper
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ZURICH, March 4 (Reuters) - In addition to Leopard 2 tanks, German armaments company Rheinmetall wants to buy 96 Leopard 1 tanks from Swiss defence firm Ruag to send to Ukraine, the Swiss newspaper Tages- Anzeiger reported on Saturday. The deal involves used and non-operational Leopard 1 tanks, which Ruag bought in 2016 in Italy and which are still there. The deal could however still go through and is likely to be discussed by Switzerland's Federal Council. The predecessor to the Leopard 2, Leopard 1 tanks are lighter, with a smaller engine and a shorter firing range than their more modern counterpart, but are said to be able to hold up against Russian T-72 tanks. The Swiss and German governments said on Friday that Germany had asked Switzerland to sell back some of its mothballed Leopard 2 tanks, in a deal that could allow Western countries to increase military aid to Ukraine.

☆ North Korea says US causing international arms control collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, March 4 (Reuters) - North Korea on Saturday blamed the United States for what it said was the collapse of international arms control systems and said Pyongyang's nuclear weapons were a just response to ensure the balance of power in the region. Recent moves by South Korea and Japan showed that a military build-up by the United States and its followers was crossing the danger line and this could not be tolerated, it added. The comments follow the United States and South Korea's announcement on Friday that they plan to conduct large-scale military exercises from March 13-23 to strengthen the allies' combined defensive posture, including focusing on what they called North Korean aggression. North Korea says such joint military exercises are proof that the United States and its allies are hostile and bent on regime change in the North. Reporting by Jihoon Lee, editing by Giles Elgood Editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tunisian union holds biggest protest yet against president
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Supporters of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) protest against President Kais Saied, accusing him of trying to stifle basic freedoms, including union rights, in Tunis, Tunisia March 4, 2023. REUTERS/Zoubeir SouissiTUNIS, March 4 (Reuters) - Tunisia's powerful UGTT labour union rallied in the capital on Saturday in what appeared to be the biggest protest yet against President Kais Saied, staging a show of strength after his recent crackdown on opponents. Many thousands of protesters filled Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main street in central Tunis, holding banners that read "No to one-man rule" and chanting "Freedom! Hamma Hammami, head of the Workers Party, said protests were the answer to what he called Saied's "creeping dictatorship". Saied has denied his actions were a coup, saying they were legal and necessary to save Tunisia from chaos.

☆ British supermarkets confront their German discounting demons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

And the discounters' supermarket sweep still has a long way to run, industry executives say, with Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley pledging Britain's lowest prices "no matter what". "Over the Christmas period alone shoppers switched 58 million pounds ($70 million)(of purchases) to Lidl from Tesco and Sainsbury's," Lidl GB CEO Ryan McDonnell told Reuters. Tesco and Sainsbury's are now matching Aldi prices on hundreds of key items and using customer loyalty schemes, while they have accepted a profit hit to keep prices down. Sector executives, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the further rise of Aldi and Lidl is inexorable. "Nobody's going to take Tesco out but at some point somebody might take Sainsbury's out," the sector veteran said.

☆ 'Markets moved too far too fast,' strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Markets moved too far too fast,' strategist saysGiles Keating, board member at Bitcoin Suisse, discusses the outlook for equity and bond markets.

☆ How Paramount+ is punching above its weight with Stallone, Showtime, and reinvented library shows like CBS' 'Criminal Minds' and MTV's 'Teen Wolf'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold. "The shows with rich, deep libraries are the ones that get a lot of consumption," said Paramount+ streaming chief Tanya Giles. But Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold — rebranding both the Showtime cable network and the streamer as Paramount+ With Showtime. Paramount+ is also building upon its library with originals: The streamer recently revived "Criminal Minds," which aired on CBS for 15 seasons. In anticipation of "Criminal Minds: Evolution," viewership of the original CBS "Criminal Minds" jumped 46%, a Paramount+ spokeperson shared with Insider.

☆ Orca whales were discovered with a toilet paper chemical in their livers and skeletal muscles. It's just the 'tip of the iceberg' for one of the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The scientists also discovered PFAS — known as forever chemicals — in the bodies of the killer whales. The amount of 4NP found in the killer whales, which tended to be higher in the blood-rich liver tissues, reached exceptionally higher in one calf. "So we are here talking about contamination that is harmful to the environment and harmful to this species of killer whales." "And those females that are losing their calves are nutritionally deprived which of course works to increase the impacts of chemicals," Giles said. And scientists like Giles are continuing to pay attention to what other unknown chemicals killer whales may be holding in their bodies.

☆ A 300 million-year-old fossilized fish has the world's 'oldest preserved vertebrate brain.' It offers new clues about evolutionary history, say scientists.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Scientists discovered the fossilized brain of a vertebrate in a 319-million-year-old fossil. The rare finding offers new insights into the evolution of extinct bony fish related to the salmon. The finding suggests a more complex brain evolution pattern, allowing researchers to define better "how and when present-day bony fishes evolved." Researchers believe the extinct ray-finned fish would have been about six to eight inches long, and its brain and associated nerves are roughly an inch long. The ancient fish is on loan to scientists from the Manchester Museum in England.

“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.

☆ Islamic Bank Fined in U.K. for Anti-Money-Laundering Violations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

Al Rayan Bank, the U.K.’s largest Islamic bank, will pay £4 million, equivalent to about $4.9 million, for failing to maintain sufficient money-laundering protections, regulators said Wednesday. The regulator on Tuesday imposed a £7.6 million fine on Guaranty Trust Bank UK Ltd., the U.K. subsidiary of Nigerian bank Guaranty Trust Bank PLC, for failing to undertake customer risk assessments. PREVIEWAl Rayan is a subsidiary of Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar’s second largest bank by market value. After an inspection by the FCA in 2017, Al Rayan agreed not to take on additional high-risk customers. Al Rayan received a 30% discount off its fine for agreeing not to dispute the regulator’s finding, the FCA said.

☆ Resources lift FTSE 100 to mid-2019 highs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 adds 0.4%Game developers fall on bleak outlookAstraZeneca down after $1.8 bln CinCor Pharma dealResources shares rise on China reopening optimismJan 9 (Reuters) - UK's exporter-heavy FTSE 100 hit a more than three-year high on Monday, led by commodity-linked stocks, as China's reopening of its borders reinforced hopes for a rebound in the world's second-largest economy. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.2%, hitting its highest since July 30, 2019, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 mid-cap index (.FTMC) rose 0.4%. Industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) gained 1.4%, while oil majors Shell (SHEL.L) and BP (BP.L) also advanced as oil prices climbed on China demand prospects after Beijing opened on Sunday borders that have been all but shut since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite surging inflation and risks of a global recession, the FTSE 100 outperformed major global markets last year due to high exposure to commodity prices. Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia blames its soldiers’ phone use for Ukraine missile strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Rhoda Kwan | Rhoda Kwan Is A Taipei-Based Journalist. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The defense ministry's public stance appeared to do little to quell the criticism from nationalist bloggers and pro-war voices within the country. Semyon Pegov, a war correspondent who was recently awarded an Order of Courage by Putin, cast doubt on the official explanation for the attack. The missile completely destroyed the school building where the Russian servicemen were based, according to the British Defense Ministry. “This incident highlights how unprofessional practices contribute to Russia’s high casualty rate,” the ministry added. Workers clear rubble after a Ukrainian rocket strike in Makiivka, Ukraine, on Jan. 3, 2023.

☆ Nexperia and Elmos cases show how the US-China chip war is spilling over to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Last week, the new owner of Britain’s biggest chipmaker was ordered to unwind its takeover, just days after another chip factory sale was blocked in Germany. “These decisions mark a shift towards tougher stances regarding Chinese investment in critical industries in Europe,” said Xiaomeng Lu, director of geo‑technology at Eurasia Group. A worker in a clean room for silicon semiconductor wafer manufacturing at the Newport Wafer Fab, owned by Nexperia, in Newport, Wales on Aug. 18. A company sign of Elmos Semiconductor, seen on Nov. 9 in the German city of Dortmund. Both Britain and Germany have recently added rules that expand government oversight over such decisions, making outcomes harder to predict.

☆ Novak Djokovic gets visa for Australian Open, a year after deportation over Covid vaccination status
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Kriti Gandhi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has been granted a visa to compete in the Australian Open in January, the Australian government confirmed on Thursday, a year after he was deported from the country over his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Djokovic’s visa was canceled on arrival in Melbourne last January when his vaccination exemption was questioned, and he was deported 10 days later after losing an appeal. Djokovic has subsequently been granted a temporary visa to enter Australia,” Giles said in a statement. Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, said he received the news on Tuesday and was “very happy.”“Australian Open has been my most successful Grand Slam. Djokovic last won the Australian Open in 2021.

☆ Instant View: UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt outlines budget
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Much of Hunt's budget had been widely expected, meaning markets offered a muted reaction. Sterling fell against the dollar, while UK government bond prices also eased, but remained clear of the day's lows. FOREX: Sterling fell 0.9% against the dollar to $1.1809 from $1.1845 prior to the budget. MARCUS BROOKES, CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER AT QUILTER INVESTORS, LONDON:"Today’s Autumn Statement has painted a bleak picture for the UK... Markets originally reacted well to the steady hand of Jeremy Hunt. SIMON HARVEY, HEAD OF FX ANALYSIS, MONEX EUROPE, LONDON:"The austerity’s going to be welcome (to the Bank of England) purely because there’s going to be less support for UK consumers.

☆ Ukraine dismisses push to compromise with Putin after Kherson retreat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

“Ukrainian servicemen accept no talks, no agreements or compromise decisions,” Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny wrote on Telegram late Monday after a telephone conversation with Milley. Lavrov attended the G-20 leaders' summit in Bali instead of Putin. “They clearly have plans to keep the offensive going,” said Rajan Menon, a director at Defense Priorities, a Washington-based think tank. “It makes perfect sense” for Ukrainian forces to reach the Kinburn Peninsula south of Kherson, gaining a tactical advantage around the Black Sea, he added. “Hard fighting does remain for Ukraine as they seek to liberate occupied territory,” a senior military official said, adding that the U.S. and its allies would “ensure that they have what they need to succeed on the battlefield.”

☆ Novak Djokovic Set for Australian Open Return After Visa Ban Overturned
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Rhiannon Hoyle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Novak Djokovic will be able to compete at next year’s Australian Open. ADELAIDE, Australia— Novak Djokovic will be granted a visa to Australia so that he can compete at the 2023 Australian Open, drawing a line under an episode that made the tennis star a lightning rod in a debate about Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has agreed to overturn a three-year ban that was imposed when authorities deported the 21-time Grand Slam champion on the eve of the tournament in January, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

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