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☆ In India’s 2024 election, BJP’s main opposition appears increasingly weak in face of Modi juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress, during an election rally in Puducherry on April 15, 2024 R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty ImagesDemocracy under threat? Dipam Bhachech/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Modi worked his way through the ranks of the BJP, establishing himself as a respected politician. Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images Modi hugs French President Emmanuel Macron after a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on June 3, 2017. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images Modi offers a toast during a State Dinner with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: ”, Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Indira Gandhi, Gandhi, ” Hazari Lal Rajput, Satish Babu, Modi, Modi’s, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Arati Jerath, “, it’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, gunning, ” Modi, shouldn’t, Mohammad Irfan, —, Arvind Kejriwal, Altaf Qadri, Kejriwal, Atishi, you’re, Jerath, Gandhi ‘, ’ Modi, Christophe Jaffrelot, CNN Modi, Rasheed Kidwai, Rahul, Diptendu Dutta, Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, ” Kidwai, ” Jerath Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, Getty, Democracy, Modi’s BJP, Pew, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, India's, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Indian, Aadmi Party, Delhi, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, All, Trinamool, West, All India, Congress, “, “ Democracy Locations: India, Uttar Pradesh, Ramlila, Puducherry, Modi’s, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, INDIA, Delhi, India’s, Lok Sabha, Atishi, ”, Manipur, Siliguri, West Bengal, Tamil

☆ India general election 2024: Polls open in world’s biggest vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Polls will open Friday for the first phase of India’s marathon general election, kicking off a vote in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to win a rare third consecutive term. Challenging the BJP is India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, and its newly formed INDIA alliance of parties. India’s Election Commission has imposed restrictions on media, including CNN, that limits the publication of reporting and analysis in the run-up to and during polling days. Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress (INC) during the election campaign in Puducherry on April 15, 2024. Among the most politically important states is Uttar Pradesh, home to 240 million people who vote in all seven phases.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Biju Boro, Modi, ”, Satish Babu, Mamata Banerjee, Dravida, Stalin, Altaf Qadri Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian, Bharatiya Janata, United Nations Security Council, Indian National Congress, Getty, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All, Trinamool, Tamil Locations: India, Guwahati, AFP, India’s, Puducherry, Lok Sabha, Uttar Pradesh, Lok, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Dravida, INDIA, . West Bengal, Trinamool Congress, Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Myanmar, Manipur

☆ Ohio GOP Senate nominee Bernie Moreno benefited from the kind of diversity initiative that Republicans hate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewBernie Moreno, the GOP nominee for US Senate in Ohio, has long staked his political identity on the car dealership empire he once oversaw. Related storiesBut Moreno benefited from Mercedes-Benz's push for diversity in more ways than one. "They wanted a minority operator there," Moreno said during the 2014 hearing, according to a transcript obtained by Business Insider. Despite Moreno acknowledging that he benefited from Mercedes-Benz considering diversity when deciding who could buy the dealership, he maintains that he is opposed to affirmative action programs. Moreno is set to face incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio in a race that could determine which party controls the Senate.

Persons: —, Bernie Moreno, Moreno, Roger Penske, Mercedes, Reagan McCarthy, Bernie, McCarthy, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown of, Brown, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, GOP, US, Business, Republicans, Penske Corporation, Benz, Penske, YWCA Greater, Mercedes, Penske Automotive Group, Democratic Locations: Ohio, Colombia, United States, Boston, North Olmsted , Ohio, Arizona —, YWCA Greater Cleveland, Florida, Chandler , Arizona, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Massachusetts

☆ Britain's royal family should follow the lead of major CEOs when it comes to transparency, says expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The royal household is exempt from freedom of information laws in the UK since it isn't a public authority. Hay suggested that the monarchy should follow the lead of major companies that have been transparent when a CEO becomes unwell. While Kensington Palace was clear that it wouldn't provide a "running commentary" on the princess' well-being, that didn't stop conspiracy theories on her whereabouts. Meanwhile, CNN said it was reviewing all Kensington Palace handouts in light of the incident. Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Kate, —, Bob Krist, George Hay, Hay, JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, António, Osório, Prince William, Catherine, Duchess, Chris Jackson, Phil Chetwynd, Buckingham, King Charles, Charles III, Max Mumby, Graham Smith, Jack Royston, Royston, Kensington Organizations: Service, Brand Finance, Windsor, Getty, Tourism, Frogmore, Reuters, Barclays, CNBC, Lloyds Banking Group, BBC News, BBC, AFP, CNN, YouGov Locations: London, Britain, António Horta, Horta, Kensington, Cambridge, Belgium, Greece, Bulgaria, Republic

☆ U.S. Taxpayers Have Subsidized Fossil Fuels for 111 Years, and Counting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Lisa Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON — As a candidate in 2020, Joseph R. Biden Jr. campaigned to end billions of dollars in annual tax breaks to oil and gas companies within his first year in office. Mr. Biden’s budget request to Congress this week was his fourth attempt to eliminate what he called “wasteful subsidies” to an industry that is enjoying record profits. His new budget proposal calls for the elimination of $35 billion in tax breaks that would otherwise be provided to the industry over the next decade. Mr. Biden’s wish is opposed by the oil industry, Republicans in Congress and a handful of Democrats. In Washington, it seems, oil and gas subsidies are the zombies of the tax code: impossible to kill.

Persons: Joseph R, Biden, It’s, Mr, Biden’s Organizations: WASHINGTON Locations: Washington

☆ Kate Middleton’s Story Is About More Than Kate Middleton - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Zeynep Tufekci | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Where Is Kate Middleton?” yet another headline blared on Monday. But the frenzy around Catherine, Princess of Wales, raises important questions that go well beyond the usual concerns of royal watchers. On the surface, the controversy over Catherine’s photo and her absence may have nothing to do with Meghan. Their supposed rivalry has been manipulated for years now to generate nostalgia for social hierarchies of an idealized past. In modern Britain, royalty has played a similar role of entertainment and distraction — a role that persisted during the country’s post-Brexit decline.

Persons: Kate Middleton, Catherine , Princess of, Catherine, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, Juvenal Locations: Catherine , Princess of Wales, Britain, Rome

☆ Kate’s photo should have quelled the rumors. Editing it has done exactly the opposite
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Max Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The photograph was released by Kensington Palace early Sunday on the couple’s official social media accounts, to mark Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day,” she wrote before ending her post with a “C” for Catherine. This year’s Mother’s Day photograph was also the first proper sighting of the princess since Christmas Day. Questions about the Mother’s Day image first emerged on social media. In the past, the family’s amateur photographs have been well received when posted on social media.

Persons: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate, Prince George , Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, –, Prince William, ”, Princess of, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Princess, Wales, Catherine , Princess of Wales, They’ve, they’ve, William Organizations: London CNN, Kensington Palace, CNN, Associated Press, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, CNN’s Royal, Westminster Abbey Locations: Kensington, United Kingdom, Princess of Wales, Windsor, Adelaide

☆ China growth target: Beijing wants to upgrade the economy. Why are investors so skeptical?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese leaders have pledged to achieve an ambitious growth rate this year, while reshaping its economic model to focus on technology innovation. On Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang announced that economic growth target of around 5% for 2024, which he said “will not be easy” to hit, given that a Covid-battered 2022 had provided a lower base of growth for last year. “The level of support is likely too little to rocket the economy to its 5% growth target this year,” said Sarah Tan, an economist at Moody’s, referring to the measures announced by Li Tuesday. “China is walking a tightrope on the fiscal front between infrastructure stimulus and LGFV [local government financing vehicle] deleveraging,” said Goldman Sachs analysts on Wednesday. In order to achieve the ambitious 5% growth target, more specific stimulus is needed, such as increasing manufacturing investments, Liu said.

Persons: Li Qiang, “, ”, Sarah Tan, Li Tuesday, Goldman Sachs, Li, ” Nomura, Xi Jinping, Peiqian Liu, Liu, Pan Gongsheng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, AFP, Getty, Goldman, Fidelity International, People’s Bank of China, Jefferies Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, ‘, Asia, —

Port-au-Prince, Haiti CNN —From above, Haiti’s capital city Port-au-Prince still looks serene, its white-washed homes climbing steep green hills that encircle a glittering bay. Police officers run holding their guns while confronting a gang in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 1, 2024. Haiti’s gangs were once seen as thuggish instruments for powerful politicians and business elites. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry at the United States International University Africa, in Nairobi on March 1, 2024. Anger toward the government for Haiti’s gangs problem is misplaced, he also said, emphasizing that the government has limited options.

Persons: Toussaint, Prince, Ariel Henry, Haiti’s, “, ”, Jimmy “, Robin Hood, Ralph Tedy Erol, Henry, “ Ariel Henry, Haiti Ulrika Richardson, Kraze Barye, John Bosco, Jeremie, CNN’s, Ariel kraze peyi, Ariel, Jovenel Moise, Guy Philippe, Odric Octina, Johnson Sabin, Shutterstock, Simon Maina, Henry’s, Jean Junior Joseph, –, Leinz Vales, Sean Walker Organizations: Haiti CNN, CNN, Police, United Nations, FBI, Global, Transnational, UN, National Police, Haitian, Canadian Embassy, Catholic, St, Bank, ”, Haitian Environment, Penitentiary, Reuters, Haiti, Caricom, United States International University Africa, Getty, Kenyan, United Nations Security Council, United Locations: Prince, Haiti, Port, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Kenya, New York, Delmas, Cité, Kizito, Jeremie, farmworkers, United States, Canada, It’s, Haitian, West, Nairobi, AFP

☆ ‘Geisha paparazzi’ are back in Kyoto – and the city is ready to take action
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

As a result, an unfortunate nickname has even been given to these tourists: “geisha paparazzi.”Foreign tourists have sometimes struggled to understand Japanese customs and etiquette. In 2015, Kyoto created pamphlets and paper handouts that used pictograms to illustrate travel “nuisance activities” like littering, using selfie sticks, smoking in prohibited areas, and taking photos of geisha and maiko. Plenty of rules, little enforcementToday, signs in three languages also explain that geisha photography is not allowed without a permit, and that violators could be charged up to ¥10,000 ($67). Most maiko and geisha (these words are both singular and plural in Japanese) use this road, making it the prime spot for “paparazzi” to gather. Still, Ota and other Gion residents are looking for ways to curb the “geisha paparazzi” issues.

Persons: women’s kimonos, Gion, Isokazu Ota, Kike Calvo, ”, Ota, maiko Organizations: CNN, Theatre Locations: Gion, Kyoto, women’s, Side, Japan, Ota, ”, Easter

Two years ago, it became the first major Ukrainian city to fall, as Russians forces swept in from Crimea. Yet, as the war enters its third year, residents describe the shelling from Russian forces under a mile away across the Dnipro River as the worst yet. And despite the icy Dnipro lying between Ukrainian forces and a Russian assault, freshly dug trenches line parts of the riverside. Across the river, within line of sight, are Russian soldiers who launch near-constant shelling on to the city of Kherson. Near-constant Russian shelling has turned Kherson into a ghost city two years into the war.

Persons: Maja Rappard, Sergei Shoigu, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Anna, CNN “, ”, “, I’m, Sophia, ” Sophia, Natalia, …, ” Natalia, What’s Organizations: CNN — Kherson, CNN, Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, CNN CNN, CNn Locations: Ukrainian, Crimea, Dnipro, Kherson, Krynky, Russian, Moscow, Hrigorii, Soviet, ”

☆ Factbox-Thailand's Polarising Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

(Reuters) - Thailand's billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released from detention on Sunday, enjoying freedom in his country for the first time since fleeing into exile nearly 16 years ago to avoid jail. - Thaksin ran several failed businesses with his wife before getting his break in the 1980s leasing computers to the police. In 2010, a court seized $1.4 billion worth of Shinawatra assets, concluding Thaksin had concealed his Shin Corp shareholdings and tailored policy to benefit his business. - Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was also prime minister and suffered an almost identical fate as him. - Thaksin's youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, is Pheu Thai party leader and eligible to become prime minister.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Chiang Mai, Thaksin, Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Srettha Thavisin, Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky Fried, Thailand's, Shin Corporation, Shin Corp, English Premier League football, Fulham, Manchester City, Forbes, Thai Rak, Thai Rak Thai, People Power Party, Srettha Locations: Thai, Chiang, Kentucky, Singapore, Thailand, Liverpool, Dubai, Britain, Montenegro, Thai Rak Thai, Thai Rak, Bangkok

☆ Singapore pledges to support households and companies as costs rise; budget deficit widens in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE — Singapore's budget deficit widened more than expected in 2023 but the country expects a small surplus in the 2024 financial year, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said in his budget speech on Friday. The budget deficit for 2023 was revised to $2.67 billion (3.6 billion Singapore dollars), representing about 0.5% of its gross domestic product, Wong told parliament. Wong said a small surplus of SG$800 million is expected for the 2024 financial year, which runs from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. In his budget speech, Wong announced that the city-state will increase support for households and companies in as the country continues to grapple with higher prices. The total bill for these added household measures will come up to an additional $1.41 billion, or 1.9 billion Singapore dollars.

Persons: Lawrence Wong, Wong, Singapore's Organizations: Finance Locations: SINGAPORE

Some of the hardest-hit are babies, young children and their parents, with diapers and formula either hard to find or spiking to unaffordable prices, leading parents to look to inadequate or even unsafe alternatives. “I sold my children’s food so I can buy diapers,” said Raafat Abu Wardeh, who has two children in diapers. A pack of diapers before the war cost 12 shekels ($3.50). There isn’t even aid.”Some parents are using cloth diapers, but those require washing with water, which is also scarce. “This is far from being enough to address the colossal needs of the children in Gaza,” said UNICEF spokesperson Ammar Ammar.

Persons: — Zainab al, Zein, ”, “, Raafat Abu Wardeh, Anis, Zainab, Israel, Ammar Ammar, ” Ammar, Zainab al, Linda, ceaselessly, Magdy Organizations: Health Ministry, Hamas, United Nations ’, UNICEF Locations: DEIR, Gaza, Israel, handouts, Deir, Cairo, israel

☆ Indonesia Leader Accused of Bias, Interference in Presidential Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

In Indonesia, sitting presidents are allowed to campaign for candidates provided they do not use state resources and take official leave to do so, but incumbents have typically remained neutral. The furore has prompted Jokowi to repeatedly clarify his stance and even show reporters print-outs of the election law to clear his name. "Some of our campaign activities were indeed cancelled or not permitted by various local governments...and non-governmental entities, which likely were influenced by those in power," said Ade Chandra, a campaign spokesperson for rival presidential candidate Anies Baswedan. State rice handouts have allegedly included Prabowo campaign stickers, prompting complaints from rivals, according to media. Discontent with Jokowi's actions is also extending to his cabinet, from which chief security minister Mahfud MD, who is a vice presidential candidate on a rival ticket, has said he will resign soon.

Persons: Kate Lamb, Stanley Widianto, Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto, Prabowo, Jokowi, Ade Chandra, Anies Baswedan, Mahfud, Kanupriya Kapoor, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Defence, Prabowo, Gadjah Mada University Locations: Stanley Widianto JAKARTA, Indonesia, alma, Gadjah Mada

☆ Thai economy in 'crisis' prime minister says, pledges more stimulus
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin attends a session of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit Meeting at the Hotel Okura Tokyo in Tokyo on December 17, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / POOL / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday he believes the country's economy is in crisis, adding the government would roll out stimulus measures in addition to handouts to boost growth. "I confirm that the economy is not doing well and is in crisis," he told reporters, adding it was fine if the central bank disagreed with him. Srettha's comments come after the central bank governor told Reuters on Tuesday that government stimulus measures would not fix structural issues plaguing Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy. The government this week slashed 2024's growth projections to 2.8% from an earlier forecast of 3.2% on weaker exports and foreign tourist arrivals.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Kazuhiro, KAZUHIRO Organizations: Thailand's, ASEAN, Japan, Getty Images, Thai, Reuters Locations: Tokyo

☆ Opinion: In Gaza, my 71-year-old mom watches over the rubble encasing her family
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Opinion Hani Almadhoun | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Writer Hani Almadhoun with his family in Gaza, during a visit over summer. They mourn the departed, yet there have been so many loved ones lost, leaving very little time to properly grieve. This news struck me deeply – I’m grappling with a crisis of faith witnessing a genocide unfold, while my mother living under bombs and burying her loved ones still clings to her spirituality. I wondered: who will step into the shoes of those gifted doctors, caring nurses and compassionate medical staff lost in Gaza? Hani AlmadhounThese are irreplaceable individuals, not merely statistics or collateral damage but people cherished deeply by their loved ones.

Persons: Hani Almadhoun, Read, CNN —, Majed, Safaa, Ali, Omar, Lucky, Hani, Mom, won’t, Joe Biden, Hani Almadhoun's Organizations: United Nations Relief, Works Agency, CNN Locations: Gaza, Greece, Siwar, breadlines

WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST ONEThe world has gotten hotter since last year’s conference in Egypt. Burning fossil fuels that sends carbon into the atmosphere remains the main cause of global warming, and production continues to grow. Climate campaigners say efforts to develop wind, solar and other alternative energies are not going fast enough. Global warming has vast implications: It can upend local economies, worsen weather patterns, drive people to migrate, and cause havoc for Indigenous peoples who want to retain their traditional cultures, among many other impacts. Many want to know if oil-rich Gulf states will pony up more money to help developing countries adapt to climate change and switch to greener technologies.

Persons: ”, Petteri Taalas, Daniel, Hurricane Otis pummeled, King Charles, Narendra Modi, John Kerry, Olaf Scholz, Pope Francis, Sultan al, Jaber, Antonio Guterres Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Hamas, United, 28th “ Conference, Hurricane Otis, Indian, Cargill, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Israel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, COP28, WHAT'S, Egypt, Brazil, India, Libya, Hurricane Otis pummeled Mexico, Europe, Paris, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Tegucigalpa, Timbuktu, Ukraine, Gaza, Antarctica, Argentina, Uruguay, ___

☆ Thai economy in 'crisis' and needs major stimulus - PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking at a forum, Srettha said the economy was not in good shape with fewer foreign arrivals than targeted, and he would be prioritising attracting foreign investment and addressing household debt. "There needs to be big economic stimulus," said Srettha, who is also finance minister, adding a plan to tackle debt would be announced on Dec. 12. Thailand recorded 23.85 million foreign tourists arriving from Jan 1 to Nov. 19, spending 1 trillion baht. It is targeting 28 million arrivals versus a pre-pandemic record of nearly 40 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019 who spent 1.91 trillion baht. In recent weeks, government officials have described the economy to be in a crisis, necessitating its signature plan.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Srettha, Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, Orathai Sriring, Kitiphong, Satawasin, Chayut Setboonsarng, Martin Petty Organizations: Thai, Thais, Bank of Thailand, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Thailand, Southeast Asia's

VOORBURG, Netherlands (AP) — Cans of fish, jars of pasta sauce and bags of beans are stacked in blue crates. Meat, dairy and bread are kept cold in a huge freezer and a walk-in refrigerator in this affluent Dutch town. “There is a long list of things we need to do to challenge that cost-of-living crisis,” he told reporters at a campaign event. That shot up to 250 as a cost-of-living crisis swept across the world and did not spare the wealthy Netherlands. The Leidschendam-Voorburg food bank Kuipers oversees estimates that the true number of people eligible for food aid could be two to three times higher.

Persons: ”, Rob Kuipers, Maurice Crul, Pieter Omtzigt, Mark Rutte —, “, Frans Timmermans, Kuipers Organizations: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Democrat, People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Union, . Locations: Netherlands, Leidschendam, The Hague

Which is stronger will tip the balance of the South American country's presidential election on Sunday and may reshape its diplomatic ties, economic future, and the wider region's political fault lines. 'NOT MY FIRST CHOICE'Neither Massa or Milei goes into the second round with a strong mandate. "For me, neither of them represents the hopes that I have for the future of the country. This would likely put a brake on more radical reforms and force Massa or Milei to moderate. The powerful regional governors are also split between the Peronists and the main conservative coalition, with none allied to Milei.

Persons: Javier Milei, Matias Baglietto, Sergio Massa, Massa, Donald Trump, Raquel Pampa, " Massa, Fernando Pedernera, Milei's, Mario Vargas Llosa, Milei, Nicolas Troitino, Valentina, Gonzalo, Benjamin Gedan, Wilson, Adam Jourdan, Horacio Soria, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Argentine, REUTERS, American, International Monetary Fund, Mercosur, Massa, Milei, America, Thomson Locations: Cordoba, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Buenos Aires, China, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Chile, Colombia

☆ Europe’s shrinking stash heralds economic trouble
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But the interest they earned on their assets increased from 16 billion euros to 66 billion euros in the same period. As a result, euro zone firms’ net interest was negative 19 billion euros in the second quarter of 2023. These financial gains may have helped euro zone growth. A further 700 billion euros matures in 2026. Homeowners with mortgages, which account for around 27% of euro zone households, are yet to feel the brunt of higher rates.

Persons: That’s, Mathieu Savary, Gross, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, Reuters Graphics Reuters, ECB, BCA Research, Oxford Economics, International Monetary Fund, Oxford, IMF, Thomson Locations: Oxford, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, United States, China

CBA said cash profit was A$2.5 billion ($1.6 billion) for the quarter, which was 3% better than a consensus estimate for the period, according to data aggregator Visible Alpha. "Home lending margins stabilised in the quarter," it added, without giving figures. Shares of CBA rose as much as 1% in morning trading, in line with the broader market (.AXJO) as analysts welcomed the better-than-expected margin outcome and a smaller-than-expected provision for potential loan impairments. Commenting on the bank's stabilising home loan margins, E&P Financial analyst Azib Khan said that "it would be helping on this front that CBA has been willing to forgo market share". For the year to September, CBA said it grew its mortgage book at 0.7 times the rate of the overall mortgage industry.

Persons: Brendan Sproules, Azib Khan, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of, ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, CBA, Citi, P, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

That pushed net profit from the bank's institutional unit up 53% to overtake its retail unit, by dollar value, in the year to September, and helped the Melbourne-listed company grow overall profit 14% to A$7.4 billion ($4.7 billion), just missing a Visible Alpha consensus forecast of A$7.56 billion. But analysts expressed concern about a faster-than-expected narrowing of profit margin from the bank's retail unit, the only one of Australia's so-called big four lenders that has persisted with offering cash handouts to lure mortgage customers looking for a cheaper deal. The logo of the ANZ Bank is seen at Lambton Quay, in Wellington, New Zealand November 10, 2022. ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott denied forgoing margin to grow mortgages faster than the market, and challenged comments from other banks that have said they were intentionally slowing mortgage growth while competition eroded profit. ANZ declared a final dividend of 94 Australian cents per share, up from 74 cents a year ago.

Persons: NIM, Lucy Craymer, Shayne Elliott, we've, Byron Kaye, Rishav Chatterjee, Roushni Nair, Lisa Shumaker, Stephen Coates Organizations: ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, midsession, ANZ Bank, REUTERS, UBS, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Lambton Quay, Wellington , New Zealand, Sydney, Bengaluru

A smartphone with a displayed Intel logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. The source, who declined to be named because the information was confidential, said Intel had made that decision around July. Intel is also expanding its investment in chip packaging in Malaysia, one of Vietnam's main Southeast Asian rivals. "You cannot take for granted that because Intel has already invested here it will invest more," Chung Seck, partner at law firm Baker & McKenzie Vietnam told Reuters. Asked about the possible investment plan at the time, Intel told Reuters: "Vietnam is an important part of our global manufacturing network, but we have not announced any new investments."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Biden's, Tran Luu Quang, chipmakers, Chung Seck, Baker, McKenzie, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Max Cherney, Khanh, Miyoung Kim Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Intel, U.S, Reuters, Vietnam's, White House, Marvell, McKenzie Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Rights HANOI, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Hanoi, Europe, Malaysia, San Francisco, Khanh Vu

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