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☆ ECB's Centeno says interest rate close to peaking if no new shocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LISBON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank's key interest rate is nearing its peak amid efforts to bring down inflation, unless new external shocks emerge, ECB Governing Council member Mario Centeno said on Friday. He told a conference that interest rates will rise until the ECB considers that the inflation can be brought down to its medium-term target of 2% as quickly as possible. "We are on the way to achieving it...but we cannot hesitate in this process" of controlling inflation, he said. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, writing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Bolsonaro, a far-right nationalist, left Brazil for Florida on Friday after losing to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil's most fraught vote in a generation. Bolsonaro's U.S. trip insulates him from any immediate legal jeopardy in Brazil, where he is under investigation in at least four criminal probes. Under Brazil's constitution, a sitting president can only be arrested if he is convicted by the Supreme Court. From September, Lula will be able to install his own prosecutor general, who has the power to charge Bolsonaro if his cases remain with the Supreme Court. Bolsonaro also faces 12 requests for investigation at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for baseless claims Brazil's electoral system is liable to fraud, as well as alleged abuses of power for granting economic benefits to win votes.

☆ Germany says EU decisions should not be blocked by individual countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LISBON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Wednesday that the European Union could no longer afford to have decisions blocked by individual member states. "Qualified majority voting can lead to fairer...results for all of us," Baerbock told a conference in Portugal's capital Lisbon. "We must be capable of acting efficiently and swiftly." Baerbock said that EU countries are often not even able to draft a press release "because they cannot agree on the same wording". Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Inside DCG, the crypto conglomerate led by billionaire Barry Silbert that's come under fire from the Winklevoss twins
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gemini cofounder Cameron Winklevoss blasted Digital Currency Group CEO Barry Silbert for "bad faith" tactics in an open letter. Both executives' respective companies have locked horns over a business disagreement, where Winklevoss alleges that DCG owes Gemini nearly $1 billion. Gemini cofounder Cameron Winklevoss blasted Digital Currency Group (DCG) founder and CEO Barry Silbert in a public letter on Monday, accusing the billionaire of "bad faith" business practices. Winklevoss says that DCG and Genesis owe the crypto exchange and its customers $900 million. How did DCG, Genesis and Gemini get wrapped up in the alleged debt-based scandal?

☆ Japan's 'anti-Russian course' makes treaty talks impossible - TASS
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Japan's "anti-Russian course" makes peace treaty talks impossible, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said in comments published by the state TASS news agency on Tuesday. "It is absolutely obvious that it is impossible to discuss the signing of such a document (a peace treaty) with a state that takes openly unfriendly positions and allows itself direct threats against our country," Rudenko told TASS in an interview. "We are not seeing signs of Tokyo moving away from the anti-Russian course and any attempt to rectify the situation." Russia withdrew from its talks with Japan in March last year, following Japanese sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Japan reacted angrily to the talks, calling Moscow's move "unfair" and "completely unacceptable".

☆ Pro-Putin operatives in Germany work to turn Berlin against Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +17 min

Now the main Russian Cossack organisations are loyal to Putin, and they are fighting alongside Russia’s forces in Ukraine. He is regularly pictured on his and other social media pages at Cossack gatherings, often wearing Cossack military uniform. Felk has worked as a security guard and has run a logistics firm, according to posts on Felk’s OK social media account. Photos shared by Kharkovsky on social media show him and other participants standing in front of a Great Don Army flag. Eremenko confirmed to Reuters that he worked for Russian military intelligence, the GRU.

☆ NHL roundup: Hurricanes top Devils in shootout, extend historic run
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Antti Raanta made 24 saves before stopping all three Devils attempts in the shootout. Jesper Bratt scored twice, and Jack Hughes and captain Nico Hischier added a goal apiece for the Devils, who are 2-7-2 in their last 11 games overall. Tim Stutzle scored twice, and Claude Giroux had two assists for the Senators, who won for the third time in their past four games. Zemgus Girgensons scored for the Sabres, who had their six-game winning streak snapped. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

☆ Spain's 12-month inflation slows down again in December to 5.8%
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Still, core inflation, which strips out volatile fresh food and energy prices, was at 6.9% year-on-year, higher than the 6.3% recorded a month ago, the INE data showed. In November, Spain had the lowest inflation in the 27-member European Union with a rate of 6.7%, after peaking in July at around 11%. Core inflation is taking longer to come down because it took longer to go up," Economy Minister Nadia Calviño said in an interview with broadcaster SER. Spain's European Union-harmonised 12-month inflation was 5.6%, down from 6.7% in November and below the 6.0% expectation from analysts polled by Reuters. Reporting by Joanna Jonczyk-Gwizdala and Belén Carreño, Editing by David Latona and Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ NHL roundup: Wings escape 4-goal hole, top Pens in OT
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Dylan Larkin, Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren and David Perron also scored and Lucas Raymond had two assists for the Red Wings, who won their second straight game. In Tampa Bay's fifth straight home victory, Alex Killorn and Brandon Hagel tallied while Victor Hedman had two assists. Flames 3, Kraken 2Jonathan Huberdeau scored the tiebreaking goal with eight minutes remaining as Calgary won at Seattle. Adam Henrique scored two goals for Anaheim, the 25th multi-goal game of his career, while Terry and Zegras each assisted on both goals. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton scored for the Golden Knights, who lost consecutive road games for the first time this season.

☆ How much money YouTubers with 1 million subscribers make
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Eight creators with 1 million subscribers or more shared how much money they make on YouTube. This is the latest installment of Insider's YouTube money logs, where creators break down how much they earn. YouTube creators earn money a number of ways, but money from the ads that play in their videos usually constitutes a big chunk of their income. Finance YouTuber Andrei Jikh earned $1.6 million in ad revenue in less than three years, he told Insider in 2021, when he had 1.7 million subscribers. To start earning money directly from YouTube, creators must have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year.

☆ Spain announces $10.6 bln package to ease inflation pain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Spain on Tuesday announced 10 billion euros ($10.65 billion) worth of measures to ease the pain of inflation in the third major package this year, bringing total aid to 45 billion euros since early 2022. Spain, like other European countries, has been grappling with a cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices. The package follows similar announcements in March and June that included direct aid, tax cuts, soft loans and rental controls. Inflation for the past 12 months slowed to 6.7% in November, the lowest rate in the 27-country EU bloc. Slowing inflation has been aided by a sharp fall in electricity prices, which decreased by 22.4% from a year earlier in November.

☆ Russian rouble falls to 70 vs dollar as sanctions weigh
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The rouble lost about 8% against the dollar last week and is on course for a monthly decline after an oil embargo and price cap came into force. "This week, the rouble is expected to fluctuate in the range of 68-71 (per dollar)." Against the euro, the rouble lost 1.1% to 74.35 . Now, with exports and revenues falling, a weaker rouble is more beneficial, the TASS news agency quoted First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov as saying on Tuesday. For Russian equities guide seeFor Russian treasury bonds seeReporting by Alexander Marrow Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here’s a list of Putin critics who've ended up dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Jeremy Wilson | Taylor Ardrey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here's a list of people who have been critical of Putin and the Russian president is suspected of assassinating:Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Anna PolitkovskayaAnna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist who was critical of Putin. In her book "Putin's Russia," she accused Putin of turning his country into a police state. She specialised in uncovering human-rights abuses carried out by the Russian state in Chechnya. Sergei YushenkovSergei Yushenkov was a Russian politician who was attempting to prove the Russian state was behind the bombing of an apartment block.

☆ 'Fat One' lottery spreads Christmas cash and joy across Spain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The top prize, known as "El Gordo" (The Fat One), rewarded many winners across several regions, as the same number was sold multiple times. As Spain, like other European countries, faces a cost-of-living crisis and stagnating wages, the Christmas lottery draw has taken on added significance. Commotion erupted in the theatre when Perla, a Peruvian-born unemployed mother of two sitting in the theatre, realised she had a winning El Gordo number in her hand. [1/5] People celebrate winning numbers in Spain's Christmas lottery "El Gordo" (The Fat One), in Madrid, Spain December 22, 2022. The best-selling ticket, dubbed "decimo" (tenth), costs 20 euros and its holders can earn 10% of the prize money awarded.

☆ Rouble slumps to weakest vs dollar since May
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Alexander Marrow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

By 0939 GMT, the rouble was down 2.5% against the dollar at 70.60 , after hitting 70.7550 earlier. The rouble has already lost more than 8% this week against the dollar and around 12% since a cap on Russian oil prices came into force. FALLING REVENUESThe rouble has been catching up with the weakening of Russia's balance of payments, said Rachel Ziemba, founder of Ziemba Insights. "In recent months, Russian export revenues have fallen as it sharply reduced gas exports and the EU oil embargo is limiting oil revenues." The rouble-based MOEX Russian index (.IMOEX) was 0.6% higher at 2,131.8 points, rebounding from a near eight-week low hit in the previous session.

☆ Spain approves banking tax, excludes most foreign bank units
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The banking tax imposes a 4.8% charge on banks' net interest income and net commissions above a threshold of 800 million euros ($849 million). For energy companies with a turnover of at least 1 billion euros, excluding the domestic regulated business and foreign operations, the rate is 1.2%. Lenders and companies have opposed both the bank and energy taxes, and have threatened to challenge the new tax regime in court. The vast majority of Spanish units of foreign banks, such as Deutsche Bank , will not be taxed as opposed to a previous version of the draft that was passed in November. The energy proposal was meant to raise 4 billion euros but the Bank of Spain recently estimated it would just raise 2 billion euros after their domestic regulated activities and foreign operations were left out of the levy.

The Spanish government estimates that the EU grants and loans will on average add 2.6 percentage points to gross domestic product annually through 2031. Calvino said the EU soft loans would be channelled through state-linked investment vehicles so as not to inflate Spain's debt burden. In total, Spain is seeking to mobilise 160 billion euros. It has so far received 31 billion euros from the pandemic package, deploying around 22 billion, Calvino said. However, a recent study by consultants EY and the ESADE business school estimated that just 9.3 billion euros had reached the real economy.

☆ Elon Musk was spotted with a sanctioned, pro-Putin Russian TV presenter at the World Cup final in Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk was photographed at the World Cup final with a sanctioned Russian TV presenter. "Argentina beat France on penalties in the World Cup final. In addition to Asker-Zade, Musk was also photographed at the game on Sunday with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Jared Kushner and Elon Musk look on during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. Dan Mullan/Getty ImagesTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) chats with Elon Musk (R), Founder of Tesla and SpaceX at Lusail Stadium.

All 23 analysts and economists polled by Reuters on Monday predicted that Russia would keep its benchmark rate unchanged (RUCBIR=ECI) again on Friday. There is no intrigue surrounding Friday's rate decision, said Dmitry Polevoy, head of investment at Locko Invest. "The 7.5% rate is unlikely to be changed and the neutral signal maintained," he said. Annual inflation slowed to 11.98% in November, partly due to the strong rouble and weak demand. "Inflation is slowing down now, but not sharply," said Andrei Dyuryagin, investments director at MKB Investments.

☆ Freed Russian arms dealer Bout joins Kremlin-loyal ultranationalist party
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 12 (Reuters) - Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer freed on Thursday after 14 years in U.S. custody in exchange for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, has joined the Kremlin-loyal ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), its leader said on Monday. In a video posted on Telegram, LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky, standing on a stage beside Bout, said: "I want to thank Viktor Anatolievich (Bout) for the decision he has made and welcome him into the ranks of the best political party in today's Russia." Despite its name, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) has since its founding in 1991 espoused a hardline, ultranationalist ideology, demanding Russia reconquer the countries of the former Soviet Union. Its founder and long-time leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky gained a reputation as a political showman for his outrageous stunts and eccentric behaviour before his death in April. It has a history of recruiting controversial personalities into Russian politics.

☆ Russia can attend APEC meetings, says host United States
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russia will be invited to attend meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) bloc hosted by the United States next year, a U.S. official said on Monday. As "good stewards of APEC," the United States will invite Russia, which is a member of the 21-country bloc, Matt Murray, a senior U.S. official for APEC, told a media briefing in Singapore. At an APEC meeting hosted by Thailand in May, representatives from the United States and some other countries walked out of a meeting in protest of Russia's actions in Ukraine when Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov was delivering remarks. Murray did not say if Putin would attend next year's APEC leaders' meeting in San Francisco. The Russian leader was represented by First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov at the leaders' meeting hosted by Thailand last month.

☆ Russian envoy says British royals told to keep away from Russian embassy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Moscow said Britain's royal family had been recommended not to have any contacts with the Russian embassy in London, the Izvestia newspaper reported. Asked by Izvestia if there had been any contacts with King Charles III, Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin said: "No, and I know that members of the royal family are advised not to maintain or enter into contact with the Russian embassy." "This deprives them of understanding what will happen in a month and a year from now with Ukraine," Kelin said. He said that Russian businessmen, including the so called oligarchs who earned fabulous fortunes after the fall of the Soviet Union, no longer considered London to be a safe haven. "No one now would consider the United Kingdom to be a safe haven; it turned out to be a pirate haven," he said.

☆ Russian-installed Kherson official says withdrawing hryvnia from circulation in January
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 10 (Reuters) - The Russian-installed administration of Ukraine's Kherson region said on Saturday that it had begun changing locally circulated Ukrainian hryvnia currency into Russian roubles, with hryvnia circulation in Moscow-controlled areas of the region to end on Jan. 1. Previously, the Russian-installed administration had said that both the rouble and hryvnia would be accepted in Kherson region. Russian forces took control of most of Kherson region in the early days of Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, and declared it annexed to Russia in September after a referendum condemned by Ukraine and Western countries. Less than two months later, Russian forces withdrew from Kherson city under pressure from a Ukrainian counteroffensive, while continuing to hold most of the region's territory. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

SummarySummary Companies Ukraine, Russia, Belarus rights campaigners won awardPrize highlight importance of civil society for peaceByalyatski in jail, wife speaks for him at ceremonyOSLO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Russia wants to turn Ukraine into a "dependent dictatorship" like Belarus, the wife of jailed Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski said on Saturday upon receiving the prize on his behalf, speaking his words. "It highlights the dramatic situation and struggle for human rights in the country," she said, adding she was speaking her husband's words. Pinchuk has met her husband once since he was named a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in prison, behind a glass wall, she told a news conference on Friday. "I know exactly what kind of Ukraine would suit Russia and Putin — a dependent dictatorship. Belarus and Russia are formally part of a "union state" and are closely allied economically and militarily.

REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBRASILIA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday picked a trusted ally, former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad, as his finance minister, ending days of speculation over a key ministerial appointment. Lula is set to take office on Jan. 1 after narrowly defeating far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in October. After the nomination of Haddad, a stalwart of Lula's Workers Party (PT), Brazil's real , fell as much as 1.3% against the dollar before paring losses. As the mayor of Brazil's largest city from 2013 to 2016, Haddad renegotiated its debt with the federal government, reducing it by about 50 billion reais. Since losing his re-election bid as mayor in 2016, Haddad has described himself as a college professor on Twitter.

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