DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Atop the State Department, Democracy’s Treasures Can Complicate or Clarify Messages
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Julie Lasky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But in the late 1960s, the architect Edward Vason Jones began to bedazzle the State Department’s eighth floor with cornices, columns, coffers and gilding. And as before, every art piece, every gold flake, every carpet thread was donated or paid for by private funders. An opulent new book called “America’s Collection: The Art & Architecture of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State” (Rizzoli/Electa) tells this story in pictures of frumpy interiors turned into glittering set pieces. The rooms, which have been closed for renovations and updating, preserving their antique character, as the State Department building itself is re-roofed, will reopen Sept. 26. Members of the public can book visits at iipstate.my.site.com and can explore the rooms online in a self-guided virtual tour.

Persons: Edward Vason Jones, Francis Scott Key’s, Allan Greenberg Organizations: State, Sears, Roebuck, U.S . Department of State ”, State Department Locations: Paris, iipstate.my.site.com

☆ Vice President Harris will face doubts and dysfunction at the Southeast Asian nations summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's Harris' third trip to Southeast Asia and fourth to Asia overall, and she's touched down in more countries there than any other continent. This latest journey is another opportunity for Harris to burnish her foreign policy credentials as she prepares for a bruising campaign year. Her office has not yet detailed her schedule, but she's expected to attend summit events and hold individual talks with some foreign leaders. U.S. officials and analysts believe Beijing's aggressive approach to the region has created an opening for Washington to forge stronger partnerships. Stilwell served as the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under President Donald Trump.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Loy, Kent Nishimura, she'll, Joe Biden's, It's Harris, she's, Harris, She's, Biden, John Kirby, he's, Marty Natalegawa, Natalegawa, Kirby, Phil Gordon, there's, Gordon, Ian Chong, It's, Gregory B, Poling, David Stilwell, Stilwell, Donald Trump Organizations: Cabinet, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, U.S ., ASEAN, Loy Henderson International Conference, U.S . Department of State, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Democratic, Republican, White House, of Southeast Asian Nations, Washington, National University of Singapore, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Bureau, East, Pacific Affairs Locations: U.S, Washington , DC, Southeast Asia, Jakarta, Indonesia, Asia, Washington, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, South China, United States, China, Philippines, Cambodia, South, Beijing, People's Republic of China, East Asian

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.'s chief executive Makiko Ono speaks during an interview with Reuters at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food (2587.T) sees Australia as a model for integrating canned alcoholic drinks into offerings in other global markets, Chief Executive Makiko Ono said. As Japan's second-biggest domestic maker of soft drinks, Suntory Beverage has traditionally focused on non-alcohol offerings under the umbrella of global spirits maker Suntory Group. In taking the top job at Suntory Beverage in April, Ono became the first woman to head a Japanese listed company valued at more than 1 trillion yen ($6.83 billion). But the record was soon broken when Yumiko Takano became chief executive of Oriental Land (4661.T), the operator of Tokyo Disneyland, in June.

Persons: Makiko Ono, Issei Kato, Japan's, Ono, Yumiko Takano, Rocky Swift, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food, Suntory Beverage, Suntory Group, Suntory Oceania, Suntory, Oriental, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Australia's, Brisbane, Europe, Japanese

☆ Fact Check-Travel alert for US citizens to depart Belarus active since February 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A travel advisory to U.S citizens in Belarus to leave the country was first issued in February 2022, at the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has remained active, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. A travel advisory also published in February 2022 by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs placed Belarus in the “Do Not Travel” advisory category. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means” (here). A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters via email: “The Department has advised U.S. citizens to depart Belarus since February 2022.”VERDICTFalse. The U.S did not issue a first alert for its citizens to depart Belarus in August 2023.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Read Organizations: U.S . State Department, Facebook, U.S, Embassy, U.S . Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, Reuters Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, U.S, Minsk, COVID, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Latvian

TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Japan opening of the hit film "Barbie" was dealt additional setbacks as an online petition gained steam calling on Hollywood studios to disavow a grassroots marketing movement that made light of nuclear holocaust. Warner Bros initially latched on to fan-produced memes that depicted Robbie's Barbie with actor Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer alongside images of nuclear blasts. But fans were not amused in Japan, which in coming days will mark the memorials of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 78 years ago. "This incident is really, really disappointing," she posted. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel posted a picture of his meeting in Tokyo with director Greta Gerwig, but the response online was chilly.

Persons: Oppenheimer, Barbie, Margot Robbie, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Robbie's Barbie, Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer, Barbie delighting, Koji Maruyama, Mitsuki Takahata, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Greta Gerwig, Emanuel, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Michael Perry Organizations: Hollywood, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, Warner's, Twitter, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Warner's Japan, Tokyo

[1/6] German tourist Kevin Khani and Austrian tourist Georg Riedlbaur use an automated translation window at the Seibu-Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File photoTOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - As Japan enjoys a post-pandemic resurgence in tourism from around the globe, Seibu Railway is testing out an automated translation window to help confused foreigners navigate one of Tokyo's most complex transportation hubs. Kevin Khani was among foreign travellers who got turned around in the Seibu-Shinjuku station recently and found the VoiceBiz window helpful. Across the road from the Seibu station is Shinjuku's central Japan Railway (JR) station, which is the busiest in the world, with some 3.6 million people passing through daily. Weary from a 1 a.m. flight arrival, French tourists Isabelle and Marc Rigaud used the translation window to try to find their way from the Seibu station to the JR station.

Persons: Kevin Khani, Georg Riedlbaur, Kim Kyung, Harry Potter, Ayano Yajima, Toppan, Isabelle, Marc Rigaud, Tom Bateman, Rocky Swift, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Seibu, REUTERS, Japan, Seibu Railway, Seibu Holdings, Kansai International, Japan Railway, Thomson Locations: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, United States, Europe, Seibu, Alibaba

☆ Alix Dorsainvil: What we know about the American nurse kidnapped with her child in Haiti
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Alisha Ebrahimji | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Before Alix Dorsainvil was kidnapped with her child in Haiti, the American nurse described Haitians as a “resilient people” who are “full of joy and life and love.”Her comments came in a video on the website of El Roi Haiti, the Christian humanitarian aid organization for which she works. Dorsainvil, the wife of El Roi Haiti Director Sandro Dorsainvil, and their child were reportedly abducted Thursday morning while serving in their community ministry on El Roi Haiti’s campus near the capital city Port-au-Prince, according to a statement from the non-profit. The same day, the US State Department ordered the departure of nonemergency government personnel from Haiti as the security situation in the country deteriorates. Dorsainvil, a nurse from New Hampshire, moved to Haiti after her husband invited her to the Haitian school to provide nursing care for the children, Dorsainvil explained in an undated video on the organization’s website. “Please pray for Alix Dorsainvil,” the school said.

Persons: Alix Dorsainvil, ”, Dorsainvil, El Roi, Sandro Dorsainvil, Sandro Dorsainvil’s alma, ” Dorsainvil, “, ” El, ” “ Alix, Jesus, Antoinette Hays Organizations: CNN, El Roi Haiti, US State Department, Authorities, United, School, State Department, U.S . Department of State, Department of State, U.S, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Regis College, ” Regis Locations: Haiti, El Roi Haiti, El, El Roi Haiti’s, Port, United States, Canada, United Nations, New Hampshire, Montana, ” El Roi Haiti, U.S, Wakefield, Weston , Massachusetts

CNN —An American nurse and her child have been kidnapped in Haiti, according to El Roi Haiti, the Christian humanitarian aid organization she works for. Alix Dorsainvil, wife of El Roi Haiti Director Sandro Dorsainvil, and their child were reportedly abducted Thursday morning, according to a statement on El Roi Haiti’s website. The two were taken while serving in their community ministry on El Roi Haiti’s campus near capital city Port-au-Prince, the post read. “Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family. Dorsainvil, originally a nurse from New Hampshire, moved to Haiti after her husband invited her to a Haitian school to provide nursing care for the children, Dorsainvil said in a video on the organization’s website.

Persons: Alix Dorsainvil, El Roi, Sandro Dorsainvil, El, “ Alix, Alix, Jesus, Dorsainvil Organizations: CNN, El Roi Haiti, El Roi Haiti’s, State Department, U.S . Department of State Locations: Haiti, El Roi Haiti, El, El Roi, El Roi Haiti’s, Port, New Hampshire, U.S

☆ US urges Guatemala to ensure no interference in election after raid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GUATEMALA CITY, July 24 (Reuters) - Senior U.S. Department of State official Brian Nichols said on Monday he had spoken with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro to stress the need to hold a free and fair run-off in the Central American country's presidential election next month. Nichols said on Twitter he had highlighted the need to "proceed without interference or harassment of candidates and parties," following attempts to suspend the party of anti-graft candidate Bernardo Arevalo. The U.S. had criticized police raids on the offices of Arevalo's center-left Semilla party on Friday. A senior Biden administration official last week described the raid as representing "authoritarian practices" and a violation of democratic norms by Guatemala's public ministry. Reporting by Mexico Newsroom and Matt Spetalnick in Washington Writing by Isabel WoodfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brian Nichols, Mario Bucaro, Nichols, Bernardo Arevalo, Arevalo, Sandra Torres, Matt Spetalnick, Isabel Woodford Organizations: GUATEMALA CITY, Senior U.S . Department of State, Guatemalan Foreign, Central American, Twitter, U.S, Biden, Mexico, Thomson Locations: GUATEMALA, U.S, Washington

May enroll in U.S. Bank Smart Rewards if you meet certain requirements Cons Dash icon A dash. Savings Account 3.75 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.03% Minimum Deposit Amount $25 Fees $1 Start savingSantander® Bank, N.A. Savings Account 3.75 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 0.03% Minimum Deposit Amount $25 Fees $1 View Full Details Start saving On Santander Bank's site. Low APY Dash icon A dash. $5 maintenance fee per quarter if you don't have at least $5 in your account Dash icon A dash.

Persons: Juntos, Wells, You'll, APY, Del, Garland, Weslaco, Adams, PAHO, it's, that's, Pablo DeFilippi, Juntos Avanzamos, DeFilippi, Banks, you'll, NCUA Organizations: Bank of America Bank of America, of America, FDIC Bank of America, Bank of America, Chevron, Dominican, . Department of State Diplomat, Insider's Bank of America, Wells, Wells Fargo Bank, U.S . Bank U.S . Bank, Bank, . Bank, FDIC, Bank Smart, Savings, TN, WY, Reading Chevron, U.S, Consular, Santander Bank Santander ® Bank, N.A, Santander ® Bank, Santander, Santander Bank, Insider's Santander, Fifth Third Bank, Third Express Banking, Fifth, Third, Hope Credit Union Hope Credit, Hope Credit, Credit, Hope Credit Union, River City Credit Union, Federal Credit Union, City Federal Credit Union, River City Federal Credit, City Federal Credit, Guadalupe Credit Union Guadalupe Credit Union, Guadalupe Credit Union, Guadalupe Credit, Tucoemas Credit Union, Federal Credit, Tucoemas Federal, Tuceomas Federal, NCUA, JetStream, JetStream Credit, Hope, North, North Jersey Federal Credit Union North, North Jersey Federal Credit Union North Jersey Federal Credit Union, Jersey Federal Credit Union, North Jersey Federal Credit, Union Counties, Rio Grande Credit, Rio, Brooklyn Cooperative, Brooklyn Cooperative Brooklyn Cooperative, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Cooperative's, Border Federal Credit Union Border Federal Credit Union, Border Federal Credit, Sutton, Caprock Federal Credit Union, Federal, Caprock Federal, Coastal, Federal Credit Union Coastal Community Federal, Coastal Community Federal, Coastal Community Federal Credit, FirstLight Federal Credit Union, FirstLight Federal, Bliss, Union, One, Rocket Federal Credit Union, Security, Credit Union Security First Credit, Credit Union, Star, Texas Credit Union Star of Texas Credit, Texas Credit, Star of Texas Credit, DC Credit Union DC Credit, DC Credit, American, Washington DC, DC, WHO, Union PAHO, WHO Federal Credit Union, PAHO, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, CORE, Georgetown University, Georgetown Unversity, US Citizen, Inclusiv, Community Locations: Dominican Republic, Colombian, Wells Fargo Wells, Wells Fargo, AZ, CA, IA, KS, KY, MN, NV, NM, NC, UT, WA, WI, Santander Bank's, Santander, Mexican, Midwest, LA, Alabama , Arkansas , Louisiana , Missouri, Tennessee, River City, City, River, San Antonio , Texas, Bexar County, New Mexico, Santa Fe, Espanola, Mora , Taos, Rio Arriba , Taos , Torrance, San Miguel, Colfax, Mora County, Tucoemas, California, Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Tulare County , California, Miami , Florida, Puerto Rico, North Jersey, North Jersey Federal Credit Union North Jersey, Jersey, American, New Jersey, Totowa, Newark, Elmwood, Bergen , Essex, Hudson , Middlesex, Morris , Passaic, Rio Grande, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, Brooklyn Cooperative Brooklyn, New York, Bushwick, Bedford, Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Chevron, Texas, Del Rio, Eagle, Crystal City, Crockett, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Kinney, LaSalle, Maverick, Real, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Zavala, Caprock, Seminole, Borden County, Dawson County, Lynn County, Gaines County, Garza, Galveston , Texas, Galveston County, FirstLight, El Paso , Texas, Las Cruces , New Mexico, El Paso County, Dona Ana, Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, Wilson, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Dallas, Irving, Houston, Mesquite, Garland, Dallas County, Houston County, McGregor , Texas, Brownsville, Edinburg, Harlingen, McAllen, Mission, San Benito, Eastside San Antonio, Odessa, Midland, Midland County, Ector, Austin , Texas, Travis County, Washington, Adams Mortgan, Mt Pleasant, Columbia, Georgetown

☆ US, Ukraine's top diplomats hold 'important' call before NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger//File PhotoJuly 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said late on Sunday they held a phone call to discuss this week's NATO summit and Kyiv's counteroffensive campaign to reclaim land taken by Russia. "I had an important discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today ahead of this week's NATO Summit," Blinken said on Twitter. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a separate statement that the two diplomats discussed also "progress in Ukraine's counteroffensive." Kuleba said on Twitter that the call was to work out details ahead of the NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday in Vilnius. "I had a productive call with Secretary Blinken ahead of Vilnius," Kuleba said on Twitter.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Sarah Silbiger, Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Kuleba, Joe Biden, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: State Department, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Ukraine's, Sunday, NATO, Ukrainian Foreign, Twitter, U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Russia, Vilnius, Ukraine, U.S, Melbourne, Bengaluru

[1/7] Nadine, a 43-year-old tourist from the U.S., wearing a sumo wrestler costume, tries to spar against former sumo wrestler Towanoyama on the sumo ring before tourists from abroad, at Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka in Tokyo, Japan June 30, 2023. Beneath its vaulted roof is a sumo ring and 14 tables where patrons pay 11,000 yen ($76) to eat breaded pork cutlets before watching - and joining - the action. Another former sumo wrestler, Yasuhiro Tanaka, started the restaurant after founding a company to give ex-wrestlers a second career as actors in commercials and movies. "But no, it was really, really amazing." "As sumo wrestlers, we couldn't really play around at all," said Tanaka, 47, who admitted he wasn't a particularly strong competitor.

Persons: Nadine, Towanoyama, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, Issei Kato, Ohtori, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Jose Aguillar, Jumbo, Aguillar, Fumio Kishida, Tanaka, Rocky Swift, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Netflix, Thomson Locations: U.S, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, Koto, Monterrey, Mexico

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday: "We will closely watch currency market moves with a strong sense of urgency and will respond appropriately if the moves become excessive." Japan intervened to boost the yen last year when it weakened past the 145 per dollar level. "Euro-dollar is a bit stronger this morning, we had probably a bit of help from hawkish ECB (European Central Bank) comments this morning," said ING's Pesole. Latvian central bank governor and ECB official Martins Kazaks said in Portugal on Tuesday that the central bank will likely keep hiking interest rates after July. China's central bank set its daily yuan fixing stronger than market expectations for a second day in a row on Tuesday.

Persons: paring, Shunichi Suzuki, Francesco Pesole, ING's Pesole, Martins Kazaks, Kazaks, Christine Lagarde, Jerome Powell, Andrew Bailey, Kazuo Ueda, Lagarde, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Sterling, Harry Robertson, Rocky Swift, Barbara Lewis, Conor Humphries, Chizu Organizations: Central, . Finance, Bank of Japan, ING, hawkish ECB, European Central Bank, ECB, Federal, Bank of England, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Sintra, Portugal, Latvian, Russian, China, China's, London, Tokyo

TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar held firm against major currencies on Tuesday as tension simmered in Russia and traders looked ahead to U.S. data that may determine the timing of further interest rate hikes. The Russian rouble weakened 0.41% versus the dollar at 84.75 after hitting its weakest level since March 2022. Japan intervened to boost the yen last year when it weakened past the 145 per dollar level. U.S. data this week include new orders for durable goods, housing figures, and consumer surveys from The Conference Board and University of Michigan. If the U.S. economic data comes out on the strong side, then further pricing in for the two rate hikes will push up the dollar," Yamamoto said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Shunichi Suzuki, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yamamoto, Christine Lagarde, Sterling, Rocky Swift, Christopher Cushing, Barbara Lewis Organizations: U.S, Japanese Finance, Conference Board, University of Michigan, Federal Reserve, Mizuho Securities, European Central Bank, ECB, Central Banking, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Russia, Russian, U.S, Sintra , Portugal, China, China's

☆ As growth stalls for the U.S. and China, Blinken talked up economic ties in high-stakes Beijing trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Leah Millis | Afp | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the importance of the economic aspects of the bilateral U.S.-China relationship during his high-stakes trip to Beijing earlier this week. The German Chamber of Commerce in China said that during her Beijing trip, Baerbock visited German company Flender, a gearbox manufacturer. Chairman Colm Rafferty and Vice Chair Roberta Lipson attended the meeting with Blinken on behalf of AmCham China. Slowing growthRegulatory challenges aside, a more pressing issue for businesses is slower economic growth in China and the U.S. in the last few months. He said the growth of major economies such as China is in the U.S. interest and described the economic relationship as "vitally important."

Persons: Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Leah Millis, Blinken, Michael Hart, Hart, Annalena Baerbock, Baerbock, Colm Rafferty, Roberta Lipson, AmCham, Xi, Gabriel Wildau, Teneo, Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi, Qin, Trump, Yellen, Joe Biden, it's, Biden Organizations: of, People, Afp, Getty, BEIJING —, State Department, American Chamber of Commerce, CNBC, German, of Commerce, The U.S . Department, State, Communist, Central Foreign Affairs Office, Qin Gang, U.S . Federal Reserve Locations: Beijing, BEIJING, U.S, China, AmCham China, The, China U.S, Taiwan

☆ Blinken to fly to Beijing for high-stakes diplomacy after spy balloon saga
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards his plane for travel to Berlin at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, June 22, 2021. Andrew Harnik | Pool | ReutersBEIJING — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to Beijing this weekend in his first trip to China under the Biden administration. watch now"And so I think that the administration's goals are, at this point unrealistic because of the way Beijing has framed its interest in its strategy." Its appearance had forced Blinken to indefinitely postpone his Beijing trip at the time. The U.S. recognizes Beijing as the sole government of China but maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan, a democratically self-governed island.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Andrew Harnik, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Scott Kennedy, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Drew Thompson, Lee, Thompson, they're, there's, TikTok, Kennedy, Jia Qingguo, Jia Organizations: Joint Base Andrews, Reuters, Reuters BEIJING —, U.S, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CNBC, U.S . Department of State, People's, U.S ., China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S . Defense Department, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public Policy, Congress, chipmaker Micron, Washington , D.C, Pacific Command, Peking University, Asia Vision Locations: Berlin, Joint Base Andrews , Maryland, Reuters BEIJING, Reuters BEIJING — U.S, Beijing, China, People's Republic of China, U.S, Singapore, Washington ,, Taiwan, South China, Taiwan Strait, Asia, Russian, Ukraine

"In light of what the Fed has announced, it's a hawkish pause," said Bank of Singapore currency strategist Sim Moh Siong. "The message here is that the Fed is tightening, and this is why I think the dollar itself could stay supported in the near term." The yen plunged 0.9% to 141.365 per dollar, and earlier touched 141.430, a level not seen since Nov. 23. The kiwi dollar sank 0.52% to $0.6177 after data showed New Zealand's economy slipped into a technical recession in the first quarter, putting further rate hikes in doubt. "Following the rate cut from earlier this week, there's a lot of expectation for more wide ranging stimulus to shore up the economy," said Bank of Singapore's Siong.

Persons: it's, Sim Moh, Rocky Swift, Edmund Klamann Organizations: U.S ., Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Fed, European Central Bank, Bank of, Singapore, People's Bank of China, Singapore's, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China's, Bank of Japan

TOKYO, June 13 - Japan's benchmark Nikkei gauge surged on Tuesday, closing over 33,000 for the first time in 33 years, led by technology shares on expectations of a flood of investment in chip-related companies. The Nikkei (.N225) climbed for a third-straight session, adding 1.8% to 33,018.65, closing above the key psychological level for the first time since July 1990. Global shares climbed on Monday ahead of closely watched U.S. inflation data on and policy decisions from the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, and other central banks. Toyota's EV strategy "was well received by the market, and also last night the U.S. market was strong, so we have a strong market today," said Daiwa Securities strategist Kenji Abe. The auto sector (.TEWP.T) rose 3.4% to become the best performer among the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry sub-indexes.

Persons: Kenji Abe, Drugmaker Eisai, Rocky Swift, Sonia Cheema Organizations: Nikkei, SoftBank Group Corp, Intel Corp, Advantest Corp, Toyota Motor Corp, Global, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Daiwa, Tokyo Stock, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S

[1/10] Spectators watch a match at All Together Again Pro Wrestling event in Tokyo, Japan, June 9, 2023. AEW founder Tony Khan said 65,000 tickets have already been sold for the Wembley show, and "it would be a huge benefit to AEW if there is participation from New Japan Pro Wrestling and some of their top stars in the event." The scripted and often ridiculous spectacle of pro wrestling is a serious player in the entertainment sector. New Japan President Takami Ohbari said teaming with AEW would give the companies more of a fighting chance against a merged WWE and UFC operator Endeavor Group (EDR.N). "It's really mutually beneficial in terms of the global expansion for New Japan and also for AEW," Ohbari said.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Hoon TOKYO, Tony Khan, Khan, Brandon Thurston, Wrestlenomics, grappler, Antonio Inoki, Takami Ohbari, AEW, It's, Ohbari, Rocky Swift, Miyoung Kim, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Elite, Wembley, World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, UFC, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Reuters, New, Garden, Endeavor, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Jacksonville , Florida, New Japan, Toronto, U.S, New York's, Britain

TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei index extended its climb to scale a near 33-year high on Tuesday, with trading houses and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing leading the gains on technical support for heavyweight shares ahead of the fixing of special quotation prices. The Nikkei (.N225) recouped from early losses to close nearly 1% higher at 32,506.78. Shares of Fast Retailing (9983.T) climbed 1.73%, contributing the most to the Nikkei's advance, while trading company Mitsui & Co (8031.T) jumped 3.86%. Trading houses (.IWHOL.T) and mining companies (.IMING.T) led gains among the 33 industry sub-indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, rising 2.5%. read moreReporting by Rocky Swift and Nobuyo Saito in Tokyo; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: speculatively, Takashi Nakamura, Mio Kato, Nitto Denko, Rocky Swift, Nobuyo Saito, Rashmi Aich, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Nikkei, Tokai Tokyo Research, Retailing, Mitsui & Co, Mizuho Financial Group, LightStream, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Apple, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Tokyo

☆ China's new ambassador to the U.S. arrives to 'safeguard' Beijing's interests
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Xie Feng, China's new ambassador to the U.S., addresses the media as he arrives at JFK airport in New York City, May 23, 2023. China's new ambassador to the U.S. arrived in New York Tuesday with a call to "safeguard the interests of China," according to a release from the country's embassy in the U.S.Xie Feng assumes office after a period of about six months in which China has had no ambassador to the U.S. He was most recently a vice foreign minister. The prior ambassador, Qin Gang, was promoted in December to become China's new foreign minister. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns in Beijing for the first time since assuming his new role.

Persons: Xie Feng, China's, Xie, Qin Gang, Qin, China Nicholas Burns Organizations: U.S . Department of State, CNBC, U.S Locations: U.S, New York City, New York, China, Beijing

☆ Huma Abedin reveals the 'life-changing' career advice Hillary Clinton gave her
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you're lucky, you'll meet someone in your life that you can turn to for advice, comfort and inspiration — for Huma Abedin, that person just happens to be one of the most powerful women in politics. Abedin was just shy of her 21st birthday when she first met Hillary Clinton in 1996. At the time, she was a White House intern assigned to then-First Lady Clinton's office. She currently serves as Clinton's chief of staff. "She taught me the importance of work-life balance, it's something that I've really been exploring and enjoying these last couple of years."

The dollar index , which tracks the currency against a basket of its peers, was little changed at 101.96 after climbing 0.27% on Wednesday. "The banking results continue to show that the U.S. bank funding situation is stabilizing," said Bank of Singapore currency strategist Sim Moh Siong. "You have the UK CPI that turned out hotter than expected, at the same time the New Zealand CPI which turned out lower than expected, which are driving the sterling and kiwi," he added. New Zealand's consumer price index (CPI) for the first quarter came in below expectations on Thursday, but remained near historic highs. That followed hotter than expected CPI figures in Britain that boosted bets for a rate hike from the Bank of England in May.

The slew of soft economic data has added to fears of an impending recession in the world's largest economy, putting a lid on risk appetite and sending traders in search of some safe haven assets. The U.S. dollar index was up 0.1% at 101.95, having slid to a two-month trough of 101.40 in the previous session. The Japanese yen also found some support from safe haven bids and was last roughly 0.2% higher at 131.01 per dollar. "Weak economic data continues to weigh in on investor sentiment, triggering a flight-to-safety bid," analysts at Westpac said in a note to clients. The soft data sent U.S. shares lower on Wednesday STX/ while Treasuries advanced, which saw the benchmark 10-year yield falling to its lowest since September .

☆ Here's why travel to Europe is no longer a 'screaming, bargain-basement' deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Not all European countries use the euro — it's the official currency for 20 out of 27 European Union members. By the end of September, Americans could buy one euro with just 96 cents. "Europe for much of last year was a screaming, bargain-basement deal for Americans," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. International trips account for about 56% of search demand among U.S. travelers, up from 46% last year, according to travel app Hopper's Consumer Travel Index published in February. Foreign travel for Americans is still a bargain.

Search resuls for: ". Department of State"

25 mentions found