DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ex-VP of China's ICBC being probed by anti-graft body
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Senior Executive Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Zhang Hongli attends a meeting of Group of 20 leading economies' finance ministers and central bankers in Mexico City February 24, 2012. REUTERS/Tomas Bravo/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The former vice president of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) (601398.SS), Zhang Hongli, is being probed by the anti-graft body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on Saturday. Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhang Hongli, Tomas Bravo, William Mallard Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, Central Commission, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Mexico City

☆ Canada warns of economic uncertainty if Alberta quits national pension plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Canada will face rising economic uncertainty if the province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner later on Friday said the province would not leave fellow Canadians without a stable pension and its associated benefits. "For the past several weeks, Alberta has been having an open discussion about the possibility of establishing an Alberta Pension Plan that will benefit our seniors and workers," he said. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, the statement said. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec Pension Plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Nate Horner, Justin Trudeau's, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan, Paul Simao Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Alberta, Liberal, Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

Global fundraising for alternative investments, which include private equity, dropped 21% to $972 billion in the year to Nov. 1 from the same period a year earlier, according to research firm Preqin. As their money becomes more vital, Gulf funds are encouraging private equity firms to invest locally in plans for a post-oil future. "Building a partnership based on reciprocity is nowadays necessary to succeed in the Gulf," said Francois Aissa-Touazi, co-global head of investor relations at private equity fund Ardian. Private equity funds are getting the message. In turn private equity funds can use these pools of capital to fund large private debt or equity transactions, according to Tikehau Capital's Deputy CEO, Frédéric Giovansili.

Persons: Amr Alfiky, Francois Aissa, Ardian, Touazi, Brookfield, Bruce Flatt, thronged, Flatt, Mohammed Al Jadaan, Anthony Diamandakis, Rishi Kapoor, Investcorp, Tikehau, Frédéric Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Rights, Global, Investment Initiative, Public Investment Fund, Brookfield, Tikehau, CVC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Rights RIYADH, LONDON, Davos, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Dubai, Brookfield, Bahrain

☆ Canada says Alberta leaving CPP would add to economic uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - If the Canadian province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) it would add to economic uncertainty and hurt everyone in the country, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, said the statement. But when asked whether she found it realistic that Alberta was entitled to 53% of CPP assets in 2027, according to a study commissioned by the Alberta government, Freeland said she did not. Freeland also cautioned that the Alberta government would need to negotiate how Canadians could live and work anywhere in Canada without jeopardizing their retirement. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec pension plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canadian, Alberta, Canada, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ Bank of England set to keep rates at 15-year high despite slowdown signs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The BoE's Monetary Policy Committee is facing an inflation rate more than double that of the euro zone and almost twice the U.S. rate. It voted by only a narrow 5-4 margin in September to halt its run of increases in borrowing costs. But signs of a slowdown in much of the British economy have become clearer since then and some economists say a recession might already be under way. The central bank said in its last set of economic forecasts in August that inflation would only return to 2% in the second quarter of 2025. But Bailey and his MPC colleagues are likely to reiterate that they are ready to raise rates higher if needed.

Persons: BoE, Mike Riddell, Riddell, Andrew Bailey, Bailey, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, William Schomberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Bank of England, European Central Bank, U.S . Federal Reserve, Allianz Global Investors, BoE, MPC, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Israel cuts Gaza funds from Palestinian tax transfer
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Following a debate over whether to make the transfer as Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza, the Israeli cabinet said it would also withhold money to offset stipends the PA pays to Palestinian militants and their families. There was no immediate comment from the PA, which in the past has refused to accept trimmed tax transfers. The PA is estimated to spend some 30% of its budget in Gaza, where it also pays for medicine and social assistance programs. Together with aid from foreign donors, the tax funds make up the bulk of the cash-strapped PA's public revenues and also help pay for civil servant salaries and other services in the West Bank. In 2019, the Palestinians rejected the tax money several times after Israel cut the sum over the PA's support to the families of jailed or slain Palestinian militants.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Mahmoud Abbas, Steven Scheer, Emily Rose, Rami Ayyub, Maytaal Angel, William Maclean, Sandra Maler Organizations: Finance, Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Palestinian, Bank, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel, Gaza

OTTAWA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Spending by federal and provincial governments in Canada will start feeding into inflation next year if current spending plans are maintained, Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Tiff Macklem said on Wednesday. If governments follow through with spending plans for 2024, it would mean "government spending is starting to get in the way of getting inflation back to target" of 2%, Macklem told members of a Senate committee. If governments spend less, "it would be easier to reduce inflation," Macklem said. The federal government's Fall Economic Statement (FES) could come as early as next week. It looks like there could be more federal spending on the way because Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has said she will unveil measures in the FES to help Canadians tackle housing and affordability.

Persons: Macklem, Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau, Carolyn Rogers, Rogers, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, David Gregorio Our Organizations: OTTAWA, Bank of Canada, BoC, Thomson Locations: Canada, FES, Ottawa

☆ Israel's defence and finance ministers clash over Palestinian tax payout
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Israel's defence and finance ministers clashed on Wednesday over whether some West Bank tax revenues should be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, underlining the tensions straining the government as Israeli forces push on with the war in Gaza. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called for tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinians in parts of the West Bank under direct Israeli control, to be disbursed without delay. "I think it is only appropriate to uphold the decision of the cabinet as decided several days ago," he said. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose hardline religious nationalist party has strong support among Jewish settlers in the West Bank responded that Gallant was making a "serious mistake" in demanding the release of the funds. "I do not intend to let the State of Israel finance our enemies in Judea and Samaria who support the terrorism of Hamas and finance the 7/10 terrorists who murdered and massacred us," he said in a statement.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, James Mackenzie, Steve Scheer, Sandra Maler Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Gaza ., Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Judea, Samaria

Amid the economic turmoil of the pandemic, his government racked up Canada's highest ever deficit. Failing to curb spending now risks "the market dictating to you what you have to do with fiscal policy," said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets. "I do think they have to trim the sails a bit," he added. "It's going to be easier to get inflation down if monetary and fiscal policy are rowing in the same direction," Macklem said. Fitch Ratings stripped Canada of its triple-A credit rating in June 2020, citing pandemic spending.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Doug Porter, Chrystia Freeland, Katherine Cuplinskas, Trudeau, Macklem, Desjardins, Randall Bartlett, Simon Deeley, Robert Asselin, DBRS Morningstar, Julia Smith, Steve Scherer, Fergal Smith, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: OTTAWA, Trudeau's Liberal, BMO Capital Markets, Finance, International Monetary Fund, of Canada's, BoC, UK, RBC Dominion Securities Inc, New, Business Council of Canada, Fitch, Moody's Investors, Canada, Thomson Locations: Canada, FES, Germany, High, Ottawa, Toronto

☆ Turkey to toughen law on crypto assets - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Representations of cryptocurrency Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dash plunge into water in this illustration taken, May 23, 2022. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) downgraded Turkey to a so-called grey list in 2021. Addressing a parliamentary commission late on Tuesday, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said a FATF report found Turkey fully compliant with all but one of the watchdog's 40 standards. "The only remaining issue within the scope of technical compliance is the work related to crypto assets," Simsek said. After that, there will be no reason for Turkey to stay in that grey list, if there are no other political considerations."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mehmet Simsek, Simsek, Nevzat Devranoglu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Turkey

☆ Explainer: What's at stake as Alberta seeks to split from Canada Pension Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Maiya Keidan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TORONTO, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will seek to challenge Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's plan to pull her province out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), in a meeting with provincial and territorial counterparts on Friday. A nationwide pension scheme called CPP that took contributions from paychecks began in the late 1960s. CPP Investments - an entity to manage its assets - was created in 1997 by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act. AIMCo has not been considered a vehicle for a new Alberta pension plan. If Alberta walks away with more than 22.5% of assets, CPP contributions from everywhere else in the country would have to increase, Tombe estimates.

Persons: Chrystia Freeland, Danielle Smith's, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, paychecks, AIMCo, SMITH, Smith, Patrik Marier, Trevor Tombe, Tombe, Maiya Keidan, Deepa Babington Organizations: TORONTO, Canadian Finance, Canada, Conservative Party, CPP Investments, Plan Investment, Investments, Alberta Investment Management Corp, Concordia University, University of Calgary, British Columbia, Thomson Locations: Quebec, Alberta, Ottawa, ALBERTA, Western, Ontario

☆ Europe is at an impasse over fiscal reform — and Italy's bond market may have the most to lose
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The 27 member states of the EU have been at odds over new debt rules for several months. "Higher perceived risk of a return to old, stringent fiscal rules forcing a faster deficit reduction would worsen medium-term growth expectations for the EU, weighing on the euro. The old rulesEuropean member states have had to comply with fiscal rules that require they respect a 60% debt-to-GDP threshold and a public deficit of 3%. In 2020, the fiscal rulebook was frozen so member states could deviate from their fiscal targets and spend on pandemic-related matters, such as protecting jobs. And with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the fiscal rules were kept on hold because governments were faced with new energy costs and inflationary pressures.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Antonio Masiello, Davide Oneglia, Oneglia, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Italian, Getty, European Union, Lombard, Goldman, European Commission Locations: Italy, Ukraine

☆ Canada optimistic about digital services tax agreement with US
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland speaks to journalists on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Blair Gable Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday she was cautiously optimistic about settling a dispute with the United States about Ottawa's planned digital services tax (DST) on large technology companies. The digital services plan aims to address the challenge of taxing digital giants like Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Amazon.com (AMZN.O) that can book their profits in low-tax countries. The process of negotiating a global tax deal has dragged on, and it was pushed back further in July to allow for more negotiations. Ottawa says not implementing its DST for another year would put Canada at a disadvantage relative to countries that have been collecting revenue under their pre-existing digital services taxes.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Blair Gable, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Ismail Shakil, Chris Reese, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Finance, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canadian Finance, DST, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, United States, U.S, Washington, Ottawa

☆ Japan on standby to deal with 'one-sided' yen moves - top FX diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Takaya Yamaguchi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Japan's top currency diplomat Masato Kanda said on Wednesday authorities were on standby to respond to recent "one-sided, sharp" moves in the yen, escalating his warning to investors against pushing down the currency too much. "Speculative trading seems to be the biggest factor behind recent currency moves," Kanda, vice finance minister for international affairs, told reporters on the yen's declines. The situation surrounding yen moves has become "more tense" than before, he said, adding that authorities will "respond appropriately without ruling out any options". After sliding to 151.715 against the dollar overnight on Tuesday, the yen stood at 151.350 in Asia on Wednesday. It intervened again in October 2022 after the yen plunged to a 32-year low of 151.94.

Persons: Masato Kanda, Issei Kato, Kanda, Takaya Yamaguchi, Satoshi Sugiyama, Leika Kihara, Sam Holmes Organizations: Reuters, Finance Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Asia

☆ In Global Race to Offer Green Subsidies, U.K. Prefers Slow and Steady
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Eshe Nelson | More About Eshe Nelson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The question of how Britain will respond to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the $369 billion landmark legislation offering deep subsidies for green investment, has followed Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s finance minister, for most of the past year. Mr. Hunt urged patience and promised an answer when he updates the country’s budget in a few weeks. But as that speech approaches, expectations that he will offer anything as generous as the American largess have been squashed. Britain, which is facing strict fiscal constraints, won’t have a “subsidy bowl” like the United States, Mr. Hunt said last month. They also say Britain, and other countries, will eventually benefit from the technological advances that U.S. subsidies support.

Persons: Biden’s, Jeremy Hunt, . Hunt, Hunt Locations: Britain, United States

☆ Janet Yellen to deliver major speech detailing US economic strategy toward Indo-Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —At a moment of elevated geopolitical danger, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to deliver a major speech on Thursday mapping out the Biden administration’s economic gameplan toward the increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region, CNN has learned. The speech will mark the first time the Biden administration has outlined its economic approach toward the region in such detail. Recently, China and the Philippines accused each other of causing collisions in a disputed area of the South China Sea. Beyond the high-profile trip to China, Yellen has visited the Indo-Pacific multiple times during the Biden administration, including four trips to India, two trips each to Japan and Indonesia and visits to Vietnam and Korea. On Friday, the White House announced Biden will travel to San Francisco on November 14 to host representatives from the 21 APEC member economies for APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Yellen, “ That’s, ” Biden, Antony Blinken, Xi Organizations: New, New York CNN, Biden, CNN, Economic Cooperation, Treasury, Asia Society, APEC, Investors, Democratic, White House Locations: New York, Asia, San Francisco, Beijing, China, Philippines, South China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, Washington, United States, Bali .

The National Financial Work Conference, usually held twice a decade, is expected to further fortify leader Xi Jinping’s control of the country’s $61 trillion financial sector. “Overall, the financial sector in China has made progress but at this moment they face challenges,” said Nakao. Last week, Xi reportedly visited the central bank, or People’s Bank of China, a rare step that underscores the party’s consolidation of controls over markets and financial institutions. Country Garden, another major developer, failed last week to meet a deadline to pay interest on a dollar bond. It has adopted measures to support private industries, which provide the lion's share of jobs in China.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping’s, Takehiko Nakao, China’s, ”, Li Keqiang, Li, shakeup, Xi, Lan Fo’an, Evergrande, Hui Ka Yan, Zen Soo Organizations: Financial Work Conference, Asian Development Bank, Central Financial Commission, China Securities Regulatory Commission, People’s Bank of, International Monetary Fund, AP Locations: BANGKOK, Beijing, China's Guangzhou, “, China, People’s Bank of China, Hong Kong, Foshan

☆ Bank of Canada says high rates, slow growth will impact govt spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada on Monday said higher interest rates and low growth will impact the federal government's budget spending and although the country's fiscal position is sustainable, expenditure should be contained to protect social programs. "Lower growth and higher interest rates will certainly impact on the government's budget," Governor Tiff Macklem told lawmakers in the House of Commons. "I don't think fiscal policy in Canada is in a situation where it's unsustainable. The bank said price risks were on the rise and inflation could exceed its 2% target for another two years. The bank increased rates 10 times between March 2022 and this July to tame inflation, which peaked at a four-decade high of 8.1% last year.

Persons: Macklem, Chrystia Freeland, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, Jonathan Oatis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: OTTAWA, Bank of Canada, Finance, Thomson Locations: Canada, FES, Ottawa

☆ Top Israeli economists urge PM to cancel billions of unneeded spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In a letter to Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the economists - including former Bank of Israel Governor Jacob Frenkel - said expenses as a result of the conflict would cost at least tens of billions of shekels. These funds were highly contentious within the finance ministry since much of the funds were aimed at encouraging ultra-Orthodox men to not join the workforce. "The government must face the challenges as soon as possible and try to restore the citizens' trust in its ability to do so. Netanyahu's office did not immediately comment while a spokesman for Smotrich said there will be a change in reallocating state funding. ($1 = 4.0404 shekels)Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, Jacob Frenkel, Smotrich, Eugene Kandel, Leo Leiderman, Bank Hapoalim, Steven Scheer, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Finance, Bank of Israel, Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ G7 Calls for Immediate Repeal of Bans on Japanese Food, Pressing China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The G7 trade ministers, in a statement after a weekend meeting on Osaka, did not mention China but they also denounced what they consider its rising economic coercion through trade. "We deplore actions to weaponize economic dependencies and commit to build on free, fair, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationships," said the 10-page statement. While Japan and the U.S. have called the curbs unfair, Russia announced a similar restriction earlier this month. The G7 - the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada - expressed "concern" over recent control measures on the export of critical minerals. "We completely agreed to build resilient and reliable supply chains" for critical minerals, semiconductors and batteries, he told a press conference.

Persons: Yasutoshi Nishimura, Kantaro Komiya, William Mallard Organizations: Japan, U.S, Hamas Locations: TOKYO, Osaka, China, Japan, Russia, United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza

☆ G7 calls for immediate repeal of bans on Japanese food, pressing China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | Thomson Reuters | Kantaro Writes About Everything Japan'S Economic Indicators To North Korea'S Missiles To Global Regulation On Ai Companies. His Previous Stories Have Been Published In The Associated Press | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Eugene Hoshiko, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Kantaro Komiya, William Mallard Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, Rights, Japan, U.S, Hamas, Thomson Locations: China, South Korea, Canada, Hisanohama Port, Iwaki, Japan, Osaka, Russia, United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza

☆ Netanyahu swipes at intel chiefs over Hamas, then apologizes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet minister Benny Gantz, speaks during a press conference in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, 28 October 2023. He has only said that there would be time to ask tough questions, including of himself, after the war. Netanyahu's now-deleted post had said: "At no time and no stage was a warning given to Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding war intentions of Hamas. Gantz said on X that Netanyahu should retract what he said and let the matter go. Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who was formerly prime minister, said Netanyahu "crossed a red line" with the overnight post.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz, Netanyahu, Shin, Gantz, X, Yair Lapid, Yossi Cohen, Ari Rabinovitch, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Sunday, Shin, Israel Defense Forces, Israel, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, ABIR, Gaza, Iran

☆ EU summit turns its eyes away from Ukraine despite a commitment to stay the course with Zelenskyy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It was a good thing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his videoconference address to the European Union summit pre-slotted for the opening session. They didn't come back to the issue of Russia's war in Ukraine again before Friday's closing day of the summit. Not only have the geopolitics in general shifted, some of the EU politics in particular are no longer as kind to Zelenskyy. There is also a four-year 20-billion-euro ($21 billion) military and security package in the pipeline. "If we don't help Ukraine, then what is the alternative, really," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Mike Johnson, Israel, Robert Fico, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Anton Siluanov, Boris Pistorius, Fico, Orban, Kaja Kallas, Leo Varadkar, Putin Organizations: European Union, EU, U.S ., Slovak, Ukraine, Russian, U.S . Congress, IRIS, " Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Slovakia, Germany, France, Hungary, Zelenskyy, Russian, United States, Brussels, Estonian, Russia

BRUSSELS (AP) — It was a good thing Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his videoconference address to the European Union summit pre-slotted for the opening session. They didn't come back to the issue of Russia's war in Ukraine again before Friday's closing day of the summit. With Ukraine funding in jeopardy in the U.S. Congress, Zelenskyy is looking to leave the financial lifeline to Europe open. “If we don’t help Ukraine, then what is the alternative, really,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said. Why do you think that you’re safe then?”Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has the answer.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mike Johnson, Robert Fico, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Anton Siluanov, Zelenskyy, “, ”, Boris Pistorius, Kaja Kallas, Leo Varadkar, Putin, ” ___ Geir Moulson, Sylvie Corbet, Justin Spike Organizations: Ukrainian, European Union, EU, U.S ., Ukraine, Russian, U.S . Congress, IRIS, ” Locations: BRUSSELS, Israel, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, EU, Slovak, Germany, France, Slovakia, neigboring Hungary, Zelenskyy, Kyiv, Russian, United States, Brussels, Estonian, Russia, Berlin, Paris, Budapest, Hungary

☆ Mexico's Pemex gets billions more in government support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The logo of Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is pictured at the company's headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico July 26, 2023. In October, Pemex received 55.9 billion pesos ($3.2 billion) from the government to strengthen its financial position, accounts show. Separately, Pemex received 71.7 billion pesos over the quarter for debt amortizations. Instead of focusing so much on Pemex, Mexico could have made more of private-sector investment, boosting renewable electricity output and reducing fossil fuel reliance, he said. Pemex also reported a third-quarter net loss of 79.13 billion pesos, revenues of 462 billion pesos and a financial debt of $105.8 billion.

Persons: Raquel Cunha, Pemex, Octavio Romero, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Carlos Urzua, Lopez Obrador, Valentine Hilaire, Ana Isabel Martinez, Adriana Barrera, David Alire Garcia, Stefanie Eschenbacher, Anthony Esposito, David Holmes, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Mexico City, Mexico, MEXICO, Dos Bocas, Pemex

Search resuls for: "Finance Minister"

25 mentions found