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☆ Japan's service-sector activity growth hits 4-month high -PMI
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Japan's services sector activity grew at the fastest clip in four months in October, a private survey showed on Friday, as the easing of restrictions on foreign tourism and an improvement in domestic travel boosted sentiment. Despite the pickup in activity, however, high import costs heaped pressure on the sector as prices of fuel, energy and raw materials increased. "However, inflationary pressures currently being faced by Japan's service providers continued to present downside risks to the sectors potential growth." October's final reading was slightly better than a 53.0 flash figure released last month, the survey showed. The composite PMI, which is calculated by combining the manufacturing and services readings, stood at 51.8 in October, up from the previous month's 51.0 final.

REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File PhotoNov 4 (Reuters) - The United States and Canada on Friday imposed sanctions on two Haitian politicians, including the president of the country's Senate, as Washington accused them of abusing their positions to traffic drugs and collaborate with gang networks in the country. The sanctions target Haitian Senate President Joseph Lambert and Youri Latortue, who served as president of the chamber from 2017-2018, the U.S. Treasury Department and Canada's foreign ministry said in separate statements. The sanctions essentially freeze any assets Lambert and Latortue may hold in the United States or Canada and generally bar Americans from dealing with them. Lambert, Latortue and Prime Minister Ariel Henry's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Canada and the United States did not identify which Haitian gangs it believed were tied to the officials.

☆ Ethiopia: Warring parties agree to a truce in two-year civil war. Here's what to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Eliza Mackintosh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

CNN —When Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, he was lauded as a regional peacemaker. A year later, he launched a conflict that spiraled into a brutal civil war, spawning one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. In November 2020, Abiy ordered a military offensive in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region and promised that the clash would be resolved quickly. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty ImagesThe Tigray conflict has its roots in tensions that go back generations in Ethiopia. For months at the start of the conflict, Abiy denied that civilians were being harmed or that soldiers from Eritrea had joined the fight.

☆ Haiti police confront gangs near blocked fuel terminal, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Haiti's police on Thursday launched an operation to confront gangs that are blocking the Varreux fuel terminal, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation, in an effort to restore fuel distribution halted by the gangs in September. The police operation began at mid-morning and has resulted in heavy shooting near the terminal's main entrance, where the G9 coalition of gangs have dug trenches to prevent trucks from loading fuel, according to the sources. "There is a big police operation in the area," said one of the sources, who like the other two asked not to be identified. The fuel blockade has created a humanitarian crisis so severe that the United Nations has discussed sending a strike force to open the terminal and resume fuel distribution. Reporting by Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince and Brian Ellsworth in Sao PauloOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Eastern Canada, with its strong electricity-generating winds and short shipping distance, is a prime potential source for green hydrogen. Most hydrogen output uses natural gas or coal, called gray hydrogen, but companies want to produce green hydrogen without emissions by separating hydrogen from oxygen in water using wind-powered electrolyzers. Green hydrogen is typically more expensive, but soaring natural gas prices have elevated gray hydrogen production costs above those of green hydrogen, according to an October report. GERMANY-CANADA HYDROGEN PARTNERSHIPGermany and Canada signed a non-binding agreement in August to ship clean Canadian hydrogen to Germany by 2025. "We believe in green energy, but we don’t believe in destroying nature for a profit or supplying Germany," Rowe said.

☆ Ethiopia, Tigray: Warring parties agree on 'permanent cessation of hostilities'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Bethlehem Feleke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Ethiopia’s Tigray rebels will eventually be disarmed and demobilized, according to the statement. “This is not the end of the peace process but the beginning of it,” Obasanjo said. ‘Horrific’ tollThe peace process has been fitful until now. Renewed peace talks began on October 24, marking the first time the two warring parties had met publicly since the conflict erupted. In a separate statement, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also celebrated the conclusion of the talks saying, “our commitment to peace remains steadfast.

[1/3] A destroyed tank is seen in a field in the aftermath of fighting between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) forces in Kasagita town, in Afar region, Ethiopia, February 25, 2022. Earlier on Wednesday, the AU had invited media to what it described as a briefing by Obasanjo. It was only when the event began, about three hours behind schedule, that it became clear a truce was about to be signed. Implementation of the peace agreement signed today is critical for its success," said Obasanjo, adding that this would be supervised and monitored by a high-level AU panel. Neither Eritrea nor the regional forces participated in the talks in South Africa and there was no mention at Wednesday's ceremony of whether they would abide by the truce.

☆ Nigeria's Obasanjo clinches unlikely Ethiopia truce
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Former Nigerian president and African Union envoy Olesegun Obasanjo arrives for the signing of the AU-led negotiations to resolve the conflict in northern Ethiopia, in Pretoria , South Africa, November 2, 2022. Summary Obasanjo stepped down as Nigeria's president in 2007Now aged 85, he took up peace-making in retirementMediated in crises from Ivory Coast to MozambiqueJOHANNESBURG, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Olusegun Obasanjo has had mixed results as a mediator of intractable conflicts across Africa since he stepped down as Nigeria's president in 2007, although he has never tired of trying. Obasanjo stepped down from Nigeria's presidency in 2007 and presided over elections that marked the first handover of power from one civilian head of state to another in Nigeria since it became independent from Britain in 1960. The test now is whether Ethiopia's conflict is on track for a permanent peace deal or just a temporary respite. After Abacha's death in 1998, Obasanjo was released and was elected as civilian president in 1999.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said on Tuesday that its manufacturing PMI fell to 50.2 in October from 50.9 in September. China's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing PMI stood at 49.2 in October, up from 48.1 in September. The private sector survey was in line with an official PMI released on Monday that showed China's factory activity unexpectedly fell in October. Japan's au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing PMI fell to 50.7 in October from September's 50.8 final, marking the weakest growth since January last year. India was an outlier with factory activity expanding at a stronger pace in October as demand remained solid.

☆ Asia's factory output weakens on global slowdown, China COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The private sector survey was in line with an official PMI survey released on Monday that showed China's factory activity unexpectedly fell in October. Japan's au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing PMI fell to 50.7 in October from September's 50.8 final, marking the weakest growth since January last year. South Korea's factory activity shrank for a fourth month in October as orders for exports fell for an eighth month, the PMI showed. That followed data that showed South Korea's exports fell the most in 26 months with shipments to China, its largest market, extending declines. Factory activity in Indonesia expanded at a slower pace in October with the PMI standing at 51.8, down from 53.7 in September.

☆ Japan Oct factory growth hits 21-month low as China conditions worsen -PMI
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index fell to a seasonally adjusted 50.7 in October from September's 50.8 final. "The latest survey data signalled that Japan's manufacturing sector lost further momentum in October," said Laura Denman, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey. "Sluggish markets and weaker demand conditions, on both a domestic and international level, became a recurring trend," she said, adding that worsening conditions in China and South Korea hurt Japan's exports last month. Output and overall new orders both contracted for the fourth straight month, the survey results showed. Business expectations jumped to a nine-month high despite prolonged pressure from high input costs, according to the survey.

☆ As U.N. mulls sending troops to Haiti, a gang's rise shows how hard that would be
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Brian Ellsworth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Petithomme goes by the alias Ti Makak, and leads a gang of the same name. Haiti's National Police did not respond to requests for comment on the police commissary incident or about Ti Makak in general. Local media reported that Ti Makak was responsible. But the calls continued, he said, and a group later arrived in person, saying they were linked to Ti Makak. "We can easily conclude that the Ti Makak band seeks to win the hearts of the people, particularly of those people who have been involved in acts of looting during recent protests," Germain said.

☆ High-profile Haitian politician killed in apparent gang attack, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Oct 29 (Reuters) - A well-known Haitian politician was killed in an apparent gang attack in an affluent suburb of the capital Port-au-Prince, Haitian media reported on Saturday, amid a gang blockade of a fuel terminal that has created a humanitarian crisis. It was not immediately evident who was responsible for the attack. Laboule 12 is now increasingly under the control of a gang called Ti Makak, which in recent years has risen from obscurity to become a powerful criminal group involved in extortion and kidnappings. The murder follows the August assassination of former Haitian senator Yvon Buissereth in the same area, a crime that one state official attributed to Ti Makak. Reporting by Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince and Brian Ellsworth in Sao Paulo; editing by Clelia OzielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WINNIPEG, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said a clear plan of action was needed before any mission to help Haiti goes forward, a day after his government sent a delegation to assess the humanitarian and security crisis in the Caribbean nation. "I'm so pleased that there is such an interest by the Caribbean countries to be part of any solution," Trudeau told reporters in Winnipeg. "But, of course, before we establish any sort of mission, we need to see a clear plan of action." When asked, neither Trudeau nor his defense minister, who was also at the news conference, responded as to whether Canada would be willing to deploy its armed forces as security in a Haiti mission. Reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; writing by Steve Scherer; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan October factory growth slows to 21-month low, but services pick up
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The au Jibun Bank Flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) eased to a seasonally adjusted 50.7 in October, down from the prior month's final 50.8. Growth in the services sector picked up, however. The au Jibun Bank Flash Services PMI Index expanded for a second month, rising to a seasonally adjusted 53.0 in October after September's 52.2 final, according to the survey. Earlier this month, Japan reopened its borders to individual foreign tourists after more than two years of pandemic isolation. The au Jibun Bank Flash Japan Composite PMI, which is estimated by using both manufacturing and services, also accelerated, rising to 51.7 from the prior month's final 51.0, it showed.

☆ U.N. Approves Sanctions Against Haitian Gang Leader
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( José De Córdoba | Ingrid Arnesen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Gang leader Jimmy Cherizier’s gunmen have blocked entry to the Haiti’s main port in Port-au-Prince, stopping most fuel, food and medicine from reaching the country. The United Nations unanimously approved sanctions Friday against Haiti’s most powerful gang boss who is blocking fuel and aid to the impoverished country for a sixth week as it struggles with a cholera outbreak and increasing hunger. The U.N. resolution calls for member nations to freeze gang leader Jimmy Cherizier’s assets and ban him from their countries.

☆ This Powerful BlackRock Team Has the Ear of Governments and Megabanks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Angel Au-Yeung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-powerful-blackrock-team-has-the-ear-of-governments-and-megabanks-11666235717

☆ Explainer: What's driving Haiti's humanitarian crisis?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A man looks for food through piles of trash on the side of a street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti October 16, 2022. REUTERS/Ricardo ArduengoOct 18 (Reuters) - Haiti is facing a humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, fuel and water causing catastrophic hunger, and the government pleading for military assistance from abroad. The trigger for the current crisis is the blockade of a key fuel terminal by armed gangs that began in September. The G9 on Sept. 12 dug trenches outside the main entrance of the Varreux fuel terminal to protest an announcement by Prime Minister Ariel Henry that the government was cutting fuel subsidies. The fuel shortages have halted most economic activities.

☆ African Union chair calls for unconditional ceasefire, peace talks in Ethiopia
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NAIROBI, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The chair of the African Union on Sunday called on those involved in the two-year-old conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region to implement an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and agree to direct peace talks. AU chair Moussa Faki said he was following reports of escalating violence in Tigray with grave concern. "The chairperson strongly calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and the resumption of humanitarian services," the AU said in a statement. Getachew Reda, a spokesperson for the Tigray forces, did not respond to requests for comment. African Union-led peace talks proposed for earlier this month were delayed for logistical reasons.

Ethiopia's State Finance Minister Eyob Tekalign attends the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2022. Ethopia's state finance minister Eyob Tekalign Tolina acknowledged the war was a key factor in the delay as well, and said he hoped there would be peace talks in "the coming few weeks" in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual meetings in Washington. He said Ethiopia was requesting "exceptional access" to IMF funding of more than 100% of its allowance, but declined to say how much exactly. "As you know, we have been calling for the AU process, the AU-led peace talks, which is advancing now." He declined to specify how much debt relief the country requires, saying that the IMF still needs to finish a Debt Sustainability Analysis, which forms the basis of debt restructurings.

☆ Haiti gang blockade is causing catastrophic hunger, U.N. officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Brian Ellsworth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have for the first time a famine present in Haiti," Ulrika Richardson, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the U.N. system in Haiti, said in a telephone interview. A U.N. spokesperson later clarified that Richardson should have described the situation as catastrophic hunger rather than famine. Richardson said other countries need to do more to support Haiti, as the Caribbean country's humanitarian response plan for this year has received less then 30% of the required funding. The situation was "close to breaking point", Jean-Martin Bauer, World Food Program country director in Haiti, told reporters earlier. U.S. development agency USAID on Friday sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to Haiti, the agency's chief, Samantha Power, wrote on Twitter.

☆ U.S. imposes visa sanctions on 11 people, U.S. official says in Haiti
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The United States has imposed visa sanctions on 11 individuals, Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols said on Thursday during a visit to Haiti, a day after the State Department said it was taking action against those who support Haitian gangs. "Yesterday, the United States designated 11 individuals for visa sanctions," Nichols said during an interview with a Haitian television station. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Harold Isaac Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.N. Security Council considers Haiti sanctions, targeting gang leader 'Barbecue'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Cherizier and his G9 gang confederation are actively blocking the free movement of fuel from the Varreux fuel terminal," the text says. Health experts say the gang blockade is making it more difficult to control the outbreak, which was announced this month. The 15-member Security Council could vote as early as Monday on the draft sanctions resolution, diplomats said. China has been pushing for the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on criminal gangs in Haiti. U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Haitian gangs have for a month prevented the distribution of diesel and gasoline, crippling businesses and hospitals and creating shortages of basic goods including water just as the country is struggling with a new outbreak of cholera. The State Department has created a new visa restriction policy targeting those who support the gangs and has sent a Coast Guard vessel to patrol Haitian waters. Sporadic looting and gun battles between gangs and police have become increasingly common in recent weeks as the shortages have led to mounting desperation. Another Biden administration official during the phone briefing said the travel bans were meant to hold accountable those who are linked to the gangs. "Our intent in doing so is to demonstrate that there are consequences for those who fund and foment violence in Haiti," the official said.

☆ London, Paris, Frankfurt and beyond: CNBC names Europe's best hotels for business travel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( Monica Buchanan Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

CNBC Travel and the market data firm Statista today release a ranking of the "Best Hotels for Business Travelers" in Europe. FrankfurtSofitel Frankfurt Opera JW Marriott Hotel Frankfurt Best Western Premier IB Hotel Friedberger Warte Le Meridien Frankfurt Steigenberger Airport Hotel FrankfurtSofitel Frankfurt Opera Source: Sofitel Frankfurt OperaThe Sofitel Frankfurt Opera is on Opera Square, or the Opernplatz, near the city's famed opera house. ParisLe Bristol Paris Les Jardins du Faubourg Kimpton - St Honore Paris Pullman Paris Center-Bercy Le MeuriceLe Bristol Paris Source: Le Bristol Paris | Claire CocanoGuests of Le Bristol Paris can count President Emmanuel Macron as a neighbor — Elysee Palace, the official residence of France's president — is just steps away. StockholmGrand Hotel Stockholm Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel Stockholm Hotel At Six Bank Hotel Lydmar HotelGrand Hotel Stockholm Source: Grand Hotel StockholmTying for No. ViennaPalais Coburg Hotel Residenz Hotel Sans Souci Wien The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna The Harmonie Vienna Grand Hotel Wien This grand hotel built in 1845 is the former home of Austrian royalty.

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