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Vladyslav Vlasiuk, who advises President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, also urged allies not to fear that a tougher sanctions clampdown could drive some countries closer to Russia, describing such a worry as overblown. He was speaking in an interview from Kyiv as world leaders meet to discuss new sanctions measures and how to prevent Russia and companies in third countries from circumventing sanctions imposed after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year. “We are grateful for all the support we have received from our allies and we have seen some positive signals on the latest sanctions packages under consideration," Vlasiuk said. Tinkoff and Rosselkhozbank have already been excluded from the SWIFT global payments system, but other banks have been subjected to full blocking sanctions. “Russian banks who provide financial services to Russian soldiers fighting an unlawful war of aggression on Ukrainian soil should face the toughest possible sanctions from our allies," Vlasiuk said.

☆ Hungary to block EU military aid fund for Ukraine unless Kyiv takes OTP bank off blacklist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, May 17 (Reuters) - Hungary will block the next tranche of European Union military support for Ukraine and any new sanctions package against Russia unless Kyiv removes Hungarian bank OTP (OTPB.BU) from its list of war sponsors, its foreign minister said on Wednesday. "We can't give it a green light as long as OTP remains blacklisted," said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Hungary this week held up a proposal to allocate a further 500 million euros ($550.40 million) from an EU-run fund, the European Peace Facility, to military aid for Ukraine. "We'll talk to the Ukrainians and we'll talk to the (EU) member states, including Hungary," a senior EU official said on condition of anonymity. The EU has provided a total of about 3.6 billion euros ($4 billion) for military support for Ukraine so far under the European Peace Facility.

[1/2] Zsolt Hernadi, Executive Chairman of Hungarian oil and gas group MOL poses during an interview with Reuters in Budapest, Hungary, April 27, 2023. Hernadi said MOL was fighting to prevent a hike in oil transit fees in Ukraine and also in Croatia. The BTC pipeline transports crude oil from offshore oil fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish coast. He said MOL would pay Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta directly for the transit of Russian oil but there was still a dispute over a Ukrainian hike in fees. "There are still disputes, discussions ongoing about the transit fee, as a multi-fold increase has been flagged (by Ukraine)."

☆ Asteroid's sudden flyby shows blind spot in planetary threat detection
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NASA for years has prioritized detecting asteroids much bigger and more existentially threatening than 2023 BU, the small space rock that streaked by 2,200 miles from the Earth's surface, closer than some satellites. If bound for Earth, it would have been pulverized in the atmosphere, with only small fragments possibly reaching land. But 2023 BU sits on the smaller end of a size group, asteroids 5-to-50 meters in diameter, that also includes those as big as an Olympic swimming pool. But with current capabilities, astronomers can't see when such a rock targets Earth until days prior. The successful demonstration, called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), affirmed for the first time a method of planetary defense.

☆ An Asteroid Whizzed Past Earth Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An asteroid the size of a big truck raced over Earth Thursday, just 2,200 miles above the planet’s surface, according to a NASA tracker, in what scientists had said would be one of the closest approaches ever recorded. Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, had predicted the asteroid, named 2023 BU, would travel over the Pacific Ocean west of southern Chile, Thursday afternoon Pacific time.

☆ Asteroid 2023 BU to Whiz Past Earth in One of the Closest Ever Approaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An orbital diagram from the Center for Near Earth Object Studies’ close-approach viewer showing the asteroid 2023 BU’s trajectory in red. The orbit of geosynchronous satellites is shown in green. An asteroid the size of a big truck will fly by Earth on Thursday just 2,200 miles above the planet’s surface in one of the closest approaches ever recorded, scientists said. The asteroid, named 2023 BU, will travel over the Pacific Ocean west of southern Chile, Thursday afternoon Pacific time, according to Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

☆ New technique from U.S. national lab promises to strip carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and factories at record-low cost
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Just as importantly, industrial processes such as making iron, steel, cement, fertilizer, pulp and paper, and bioenergy could all reduce their carbon dioxide emissions this new technique. "We have the technology to be able to capture carbon dioxide from those industrial point sources. PNNL's technique removes carbon dioxide at the source, rather than sucking it out of the air. The technique of vacuuming up existing CO2 out of the air is known as direct carbon capture, and is exemplified by the Swiss company Climeworks. Graphic courtesy Nathan Johnson at Pacific Northwest National LabWhat happens with the rest of the carbon dioxide?

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy: Russian missile attacks disrupt power in Kyiv, Kharkiv regions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 14 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Russian missile attacks on Saturday struck energy targets, causing new disruptions in energy supplies, particularly in Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. "Unfortunately, there were hits on energy infrastructure," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "In this connection, the most difficult situation is in Kharkiv region and Kyiv region." Reporting by Ron Popeski; editing bu Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I tried Dry January and quit drinking for the rest of the year. Here are 4 reasons why I'll never go back to alcohol.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Lisa Dittrich | Nathan Rennolds | Business Insider Deutschland | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Insider's Lisa Dittrich gave up drinking alcohol for a year. "I realized that although I had fun drinking, it took away much more than it gave me," she writes. When I stopped drinking alcohol one year ago, I had no idea how I was going to keep it up. Anyone who doesn't drink alcohol knows — and probably hates — the question "Why don't you drink?," myself included. I realized that although I had fun drinking, it took away much more than it gave me.

☆ Hungary's Richter expects to pay $74.44 million in windfall taxes in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Richter Gedeon Vegyeszeti Gyar Nyrt FollowBUDAPEST, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Hungarian drugmaker Richter expects (GDRB.BU) to pay about 28 billion forints ($74.44 million) worth of extra taxes this year, it said on Tuesday, hit by tax hikes on big businesses to plug budget holes. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government announced on Friday that a windfall tax imposed on drug producers based on net revenues in 2022 and 2023 would increase progressively, rising to 8% on net revenues exceeding 150 billion forints ($398 million). The 2022 tax take represents some 14% of Richter's nine-month net profit, which more than doubled from the same period a year earlier, boosted by favourable exchange rate effects. "The tax is expected to be accounted under Other expenses thus will proportionally lower the Company's operating profit and free cash-flow for 2022," Richter said in a statement. "Other elements of financial targets set for 2022 and released in the public domain are kept unchanged."

☆ 10 traits of a Hollywood high achiever, according to a success coach who's worked on shows like 'Glee' and 'This Is Us'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Erica Wernick | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Successful people don't believe in scarcity, they believe in abundance. You don't want to bother them and you're scared they won't want to help, so you decide not to contact them. The successful person may still have those fears, but they contact the person anyway because it could help their dream. See where I'm going with this? Let's play this out: Let's say you're hanging out with Nancy and Nancy says to you, "That dream you're trying to go after is really hard.

[1/2] Drivers wait for fuel at a gas station of Hungarian oil company MOL Group in Budapest, Hungary, December 5, 2022. MOL, Hungary's main oil and gas group, has said the price cap was unsustainable as major players stopped importing fuel due to low prices, aggravating the shortage. "In the past days, the oil sanctions of Brussels took effect and what we had been afraid of, has actually happened. From now on there are sanctions prices on petrol across entire Europe," Orban said on Facebook, adding the government will "take away the extra profits generated by this" and redirect them to the state budget. At 1218 GMT, its shares traded 1.8% lower, reversing earlier gains of around 3% after the fuel price cap was ditched overnight.

☆ Hungary complains to EU about Ukrainian law's impact on some firms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Peter Szijjarto told a news briefing that Hungary would ask Brussels to take steps to ensure that Ukrainian authorities "should not make the operations of EU companies impossible". "These companies have not violated any rules, their only "sin" is that they also have a presence in Russia," he added. Szijjarto said Hungary would not be against a potential extension of the full customs free status for Ukrainian products that is in place in the EU until July 2023. Hungarian drugmaker Richter said earlier this month that due to a change in Ukrainian legislation meant that marketing authorization for some products may be revoked if a manufacturer operates and pays taxes in Russia. Richter said in its third-quarter earnings report that it planned to appeal a decision to suspend 35 of its products.

☆ Hungary cenbank leaves base rate steady at 13%, as expected
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Gergely Szakacs | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Base rate remains at 13%, quick deposit at 18%Follows government move to cap bank deposit ratesOne might ask what representative rate is in Hungary -analystBUDAPEST, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) left its base rate unchanged at 13% (HUINT=ECI) on Tuesday, as expected, with inflation on track to scale a 26-year-high in 2023 and exceeding the bank's 2% to 4% policy target range even a year later. read moreAt 1301 GMT, the forint was trading at 408 per euro, unchanged from levels before the announcement. Economists at brokerage Erste Investment said Monday's government move could channel funds from institutional investors and wealthy private clients towards government bonds. "The measure can be slightly positive for OTP (OTPB.BU), however this step impairs the monetary transmission of the central bank," the analysts said. Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Krisztina Than; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"We need all channels of monetary transmission, and especially the exchange rate channel, to curb inflation," Deputy Governor Barnabas Virag told an online briefing. On Monday, however, the government capped deposit rates for certain large institutional and private investors at the three-month Treasury bill yield until March, which some analysts said would harm the efficiency of monetary transmission. read moreWhen asked about the government's move, Virag said there was no alternative to curbing inflation and the bank needed all channels of monetary transmission for that. Economists project Hungary's average inflation will rise to 16% next year from 14.3% expected in 2022, while economic growth is seen grinding to a halt. "The measure can be slightly positive for OTP (OTPB.BU), however this step impairs the monetary transmission of the central bank," the analysts said.

☆ Hungary's MOL says it finds 'substantial' oil field in Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies MOL Magyar Olajes Gazipari Nyrt FollowBUDAPEST, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hungarian energy company MOL (MOLB.BU) found a 'substantial' oil field in Hungary that could raise the country's oil production by 5%, the company told state news agency MTI on Monday. The company said it found the oil field close to Budapest in the town of Vecses in an area where it started exploratory drilling in July. Reporting by Anita Komuves, editing by Alan CharlishOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 5 daily practices could up your chances of living to 90—check out this life expectancy calculator to see more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Increasing your chances of living to 90 could boil down to your behaviors, not just genetics, research shows. "If you're getting to 95, you're usually doing that because of really good health behaviors," says Perls, as well as benefiting from good luck and good genes. On average, followers of the religion tended to live to between age 86 and 90, regardless of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. 'The older you get, the healthier you've been'While researching, Perls noticed that several people had reservations about living a long life, which prevented them from seeing the value of maintaining healthy behaviors. "Some people think that the older you get, the sicker you get and that they wouldn't want to live to that age.

☆ Oil company MOL curbs fuel supplies as Russian imports fall 'substantially'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies MOL Magyar Olajes Gazipari Nyrt FollowBUDAPEST, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Hungarian oil and gas group MOL (MOLB.BU) said it was temporarily curbing fuel deliveries to some retailers as oil supplies from Russia fell "substantially" below normal levels, the company told state news agency MTI on Friday. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday that oil shipments via the pipeline have restarted. But MOL told MTI on Friday that Hungary's oil imports have fallen as deliveries via the pipeline resumed only at a low pressure. MOL also said maintenance at its main Danube refinery in Hungary caused a drop in capacity, affecting all of its products. MOL spokespeople did not immediately respond to questions about when normal oil flows could resume.

☆ Hungary foreign minister says Druzhba pipeline can be restarted soon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Hungary's Minister for External Economy and Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto gestures during a General Affairs meeting in Luxembourg June 22, 2021. John Thys/Pool via REUTERSBUDAPEST, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The Druzhba oil pipeline can likely be restarted within a short time as the pipeline itself had not been damaged, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video on his Facebook page on Wednesday. Szijjarto also said, after talking with the Polish foreign minister, that Hungary was waiting further information from Poland on the results of their investigation into the blast that occurred in Poland near the Ukrainian border. Oil supply to parts of Eastern and Central Europe via a section of the Druzhba pipeline had been temporarily suspended on Tuesday, according to oil pipeline operators in Hungary and Slovakia. "Its somewhat reassuring news that according to current information, the Druzhba pipeline itself was not damaged, only one element of the infrastructure that operates the pipeline, a power station," Szijjarto said.

BUDAPEST/PRAGUE, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Oil supply to parts of Eastern and Central Europe via a section of the Druzhba pipeline has been temporarily suspended, according to oil pipeline operators in Hungary and Slovakia. The Druzhba pipeline network originates in Russia and splits in Belarus into Ukraine, where it splits again, supplying several countries in Eastern and Central Europe that depend on that oil, including refineries in landlocked Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Czech pipeline operator MERO has not observed disruptions so far in the flow of oil through the Druzhba line, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Polish pipeline operator PERN said late on Tuesday that oil is flowing normally via the Polish section of the line. The Druzhba pipeline network originates in Russia and extends into Eastern and Central Europe.

☆ Hungary MOL says oil shipments on Druzhba pipeline temporarily suspended
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies MOL Magyar Olajes Gazipari Nyrt FollowBUDAPEST, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Hungarian oil and gas group MOL (MOLB.BU) said on Tuesday that it had been notified by Ukraine that oil supply to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline has been temporarily suspended. MOL said its Ukrainian partner notified the company that a power station near the pipeline in Ukraine close to the Belarus border that provides electricity for a pump station, was hit by a Russian rocket and that led to the stoppage. Reporting by Krisztina Than; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ AI chip startup SiMa.ai launches auto business with former Bosch, Mercedes executive
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Jane Lanhee Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov 3 (Reuters) - Silicon Valley-based AI chip startup SiMa.ai on Thursday said it is entering the automotive industry and has recruited Harald Kroeger, a former executive at top tier auto supplier Bosch and Mercedes Benz (MBGn.DE), to lead that business. Kroeger, who is on the board of electric pickup truck firm Rivian (RIVN.O), will join SiMa.ai’s board, which includes top chip industry executives Moshe Gavrielov, a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (2330.TW) board member, and Lip‑Bu Tan, an Intel (INTC.O) board member. The announcement comes as chip makers' competition in the automotive industry intensifies with Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O), and Intel’s recently listed Mobileye (MBLY.O) all vying for car makers. SiMa.ai’s main product called MLSoC, short for machine learning system on chip, processes video and images, an important technology for assisted and self-driving technology. "I was on the knife's edge," said Krishna Rangasayee, CEO of SiMa.ai about the decision to enter the automotive market which he noted can take years to generate revenue from.

☆ Russia bans dealing in capital of 45 foreign-owned banks or banking units
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland October 4, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd WiegmannSummarySummary Companies This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday banned dealings in the shares or share capital of 45 banks or banking units, all either owned by parties in countries that Russia terms "unfriendly" or owned through foreign capital. Western countries and allies, including Japan, have piled financial restrictions on Russia since it sent troops into Ukraine in late February. Moscow retaliated with obstacles for Western businesses and their allies leaving Russia, and in some cases seized their assets. read more read more read moreReporting by Reuters; Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ethnic group says Myanmar air attack kills 80 at celebration
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

BANGKOK — Airstrikes by Myanmar’s military killed as many as 80 people, including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority’s main political organization, members of the group and a rescue worker said Monday. He said he first heard there had been 60 deaths, but was later told by sources close to Kachin Independence Army officials that about 80 people had died. He said military aircraft dropped four bombs on the celebration at about 8 p.m., according to members of his group who were there. They also included at least 10 Kachin military and business VIPs sitting in front of the stage, and cooks working backstage, he added. He said the deaths were a loss for all Kachin people, and its group would fly the Kachin flag at half-staff.

CNN —Dozens of people have been killed in military airstrikes that hit a celebratory event in Myanmar’s mountainous Kachin state on Sunday, according to local news outlets and international organizations. Reuters and local news outlet The Irrawaddy reported at least 50 people were killed. CNN cannot independently verify the number of reported deaths and has reached out to the military for comment. Kachin Alliance, a Kachin community organization based in Washington, DC, said Kachin artists, local elders, and KIO leaders were among those killed. The attack on Sunday drew international condemnation, with the United Nations saying it was concerned over reports of more than 100 civilians impacted.

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