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☆ U.S. aims to rally allies to up pressure on Russia, shore up Ukraine support
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. government will seek to rally allies this week to ratchet up economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, and shore up support for Kyiv, a top U.S. Treasury official is slated to say on Monday. "The United States is redoubling our efforts to rally our global coalition of allies at the Spring Meetings on Treasury’s two lines of effort as part of the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine," he said in the prepared remarks. That means "shoring up economic support for Ukraine’s government and people, and ... continuing to deny (Russian President Vladimir) Putin the revenue and military equipment he needs to further his illegal war." Shambaugh highlighted the four-year $15.6 billion IMF program approved for Ukraine on March 31 as another key form of support, and a way to underpin Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen good governance. "Looking ahead, Ukraine will need support from a broad set of donors as its recovers and rebuilds.

☆ Factbox: From holy oil to sceptres and a spoon: King Charles' coronation ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - The ceremony for King Charles's coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6 will involve historic regalia ranging from sceptres and maces to a ring and a spoon. It replaced an original crown believed to date back to the 11th century Anglo-Saxon king of England, Edward the Confessor. SOVEREIGN'S SCEPTRE WITH DOVEThis is the second sceptre used in the ceremony, representing the sovereign's spiritual role. The bejewelled Sword of Offering, made for the coronation of George IV in 1821, is one of the objects used during the coronation ceremony. They date back to 1661 and have been used at every coronation from King Charles II’s until King George VI’s in 1937, with new armills specially prepared for Queen Elizabeth in 1953.

☆ Netanyahu fires defense minister for urging halt to overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen during the the 2016 Genesis Prize award-ceremony in Jerusalem, June 23, 2016. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister on Sunday, a day after he called on the Israeli leader to halt a planned judicial overhaul that has fiercely divided the country and prompted growing discontent within the ranks of the military. "The prime minister of Israel is a threat to the security of the state of Israel," Lapid wrote on Twitter. "The prime minister will be forced to bow his head before the law and comply with the provisions of the law." The prime minister responded saying the appeal should be dismissed and said that the Supreme Court didn't have grounds to intervene.

☆ U.S. warns China's promises often empty as Honduras wavers on Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The flags of Taiwan and Honduras flutter in the wind outside the Taiwan Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras March 15, 2023. At stake is China's growing footprint in Central America, once a steadfast base for Taiwan and where the United States is worried about Beijing's expanding influence in its backyard. The American Institute in Taiwan said that while Honduras' possible severing of ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing was a sovereign decision, China does not always follow through on its promises. The Honduras drama is happening ahead of a high-profile visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States and Central America next week. The United States also has no official ties with Taiwan but is the island's most important international backer and arms supplier.

The global lender said the agreement was expected to help unleash large-scale financing for Ukraine from international donors and partners, but gave no details. IMF staff currently expected the change in Ukraine's real gross domestic product for 2023 to range from -3% to +1%, Gray added. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal hailed the agreement and thanked the IMF for its support. If approved, as expected, the Ukraine program would be the IMF's biggest loan to a country involved in an active conflict. The fund last week changed a rule to allow new loan programs for countries facing "exceptionally high uncertainty", without naming Ukraine.

☆ A man's world: gender parity will take more than five generations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The analyses of the data in the WEF's Global Gender Gap report takes into consideration gender disparity in economic opportunities, education, political empowerment, health and safety. The BofA data shows that U.S. companies with greater gender diversity have offered a median 20% higher return on equity since 2005 than those who lack it. According to consultancy firm EY, almost half of European financial services investors state that gender diversity in the boardroom significantly influences their decision to invest in a company. For senior executive roles, gender parity still looks out of reach. U.S. companies focused on gender diversity on boards and senior executive level have achieved 43% lower earnings risk in subsequent three years than those who lack such diversity, BofA said, citing its own analysis.

☆ The US Air Force is stripping most of the identifying information off of its biggest planes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Thomas Novelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Air Mobility Command has ordered its refueling and cargo planes to obscure their identifying markings. "At the end of the day, it's still very clearly an Air Force plane unless you're going to start painting them white or something," Paladino said. A US Air Force C-130 with most of its markings removed at Rafael Hernández International Airport in Puerto Rico on February 25. Minihan's memo, which was leaked in late January, highlights the mentality and war footing on which he's placed Air Mobility Command, which has historically been used as a support organization for combat operations. Air Mobility Command played a major role in the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021 and continues to help deliver weapons and aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

☆ Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger is calling for a new House hearing on stock trade ban legislation: 'We must continue the momentum'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Spanberger, a vocal proponent of a congressional stock trading ban, is asking for a hearing on it. But lawmakers never voted on stock trade ban legislation after a vote was abruptly pulled in September. Her letter also references a report that dozens of lawmakers beat the stock market in 2022 despite an overall downturn, as well as the launch of two exchange-traded funds that mimic top lawmakers' stock trades. Roy now sits on the influential House Committee on Rules, which determines which legislation reaches the floor of the House. Earlier this month, Spanberger and seven other House Democrats who've sponsored stock trade ban legislation sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy urging him to "act on your promise" to ban the practice.

FCA officials said the sector will begin adapting ahead of the rules, as it did with similar rules in the European Union. They rejected concern among lawmakers the new regime would create "bubbles" as money flocked to the fewer funds that qualify as sustainable. Lawmakers on the committee examining the FCA's proposals put Cummings on the defensive over his criticism that too many funds will be excluded. Kate Levick, associate director of sustainable finance at think tank E3G, told the hearing the FCA's plan "would remove the significant amount of greenwashing currently in the market". ($1 = 0.8290 pounds)Reporting by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Huw Jones; Editing by Mark Potter and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Yellen says Russian oil price cap could save African countries $6 bln annually
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during her interview with Reuters in New Delhi, India, November 11, 2022. Yellen said ending the war would be the best thing to help the global economy, but Treasury estimated that a Group of Seven-led price cap on Russian crude oil and refined products to limit Russia's revenues could save the 17 largest net oil-importing African countries $6 billion annually. G7 countries and Australia implemented the oil price cap on Dec. 5, banning the use of Western-supplied maritime insurance, finance and other services for cargoes priced above $60 per barrel. A further cap on Russian refined petroleum products, such as diesel and fuel oil, is due to take effect on Feb. 5. "We believe that the international community, including China, needs to provide meaningful debt relief to help countries regain their footing," she said.

☆ Analysis: Iran executions quash protests, push dissent underground
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

They argue the resort to deadly state violence is merely pushing dissent underground, while deepening anger felt by ordinary Iranians about the clerical establishment that has ruled them for four decades. Executive Director at the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Hadi Ghaemi said the establishment's main focus was to intimidate the population into submission by any means. People are either in prison or they have gone underground because they are determined to find a way to keep fighting," he said. Defying public fury and international criticism, Iran has handed down dozens of death sentences to intimidate Iranians enraged by the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, 22. Ghaemi said the main officials pushing for the executions today were deeply involved in the 1980s killings of prisoners.

While Budapest and Warsaw are haggling with the bloc over rule-of-law strings attached to billions worth of pandemic recovery funds, Romania has already drawn down over 6 billion euros in grants and cheap loans. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has said the government aims to tap more than 10 billion euros a year, equivalent to about 4% of GDP, of about 90 billion euros of EU funding available to Bucharest through to 2027. RESHORINGCompanies reshoring from Russia and Ukraine to nearby low-cost manufacturing hubs partially helped push foreign direct investment to 9.39 billion euros in January-October, the largest 10-month figure since Romania joined the EU. "We are optimistic that investment will rise in coming years, also encouraged by EU funds," said Alex Milcev, head of Tax and Legal at E&Y Romania. And relations with the EU are not always smooth: in December, Austrian opposition over unauthorised immigration kept Romania out of Europe's borderless Schengen area.

☆ The Michigan lawyer pushing Trump’s voter-fraud fictions in U.S. court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +27 min

Lambert started in her home state of Michigan, joining four lawsuits on behalf of Trump supporters. As Trump zeroed in on vote-rigging allegations in Michigan, Lambert emailed the White House, according to her July 2021 video interview with two right-wing websites. Cotton and Penrose also were involved in examining breached voting machines in Michigan for DePerno and Lambert, according to the Michigan attorney general investigation. In the process, the commissioners were accused of flouting a court order by allowing a forensics company to inspect county voting equipment. In August 2021, a federal judge reprimanded Lambert, Powell and seven other lawyers who joined the failed lawsuit seeking to overturn Michigan’s vote after Trump’s 2020 defeat.

☆ Malaysia PM signs cooperation pact with smaller parties ahead of confidence vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Malaysian political parties supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday signed a cooperation pact promising to ensure stability, ahead of a confidence vote on the premier next week. Anwar - who has spent more than two decades as an opposition figure - became prime minister last month, forming a government with rival political blocs after an election that produced a hung parliament. Anwar is Malaysia's fourth prime minister since 2020, after two previous administrations collapsed due to political turmoil. "We agreed on the broad parameters and broad policies including to ensure the government is stable," he said after a ceremony where political party chiefs signed the pact. Barisan had ruled Malaysia for more than six decades before being voted out in a 2018 election amid widespread corruption allegations.

☆ Republicans seek to sabotage year-end spending bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

An omnibus spending bill that would avert the closure of the federal government would be one of the last acts of unified Democratic political control of Washington. Democrats, meanwhile, understand that the government spending bill likely represents their last chance to enact Biden’s ambitious domestic plans until the next presidential election. If lawmakers cannot agree on a deal, they will face the possibility of either passing a short-term spending bill to carry the debate into the new Congress or a longer-term continuing resolution that would extend current spending levels. But in a sign of the consuming nature of the spending showdown, Republicans emerged from the meeting complaining that the two secretaries spent time lobbying for an omnibus spending bill over a continuing resolution. He said that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had asked Blinken and Austin to explain why the new spending bill was so necessary.

☆ Kevin McCarthy's oversight agenda will be 'a recurring skit on SNL' if he makes MAGA cheerleaders Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert investigators: GOP strategists
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert want in on the GOP oversight blitz. the Oversight Committee member said of the need to keep congressional probes above board. McCarthy's office has repeatedly told Insider that the House GOP steering committee, which McCarthy leads, will handle assignments for the next Congress "at the appropriate time." Aaron Cutler, a former House GOP leadership aide and now partner at Hogan Lovells, urged House Republicans to avoid "focusing on the wrong things," and to cut bait if needed. Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty ImagesGiven that some sort of spectacle is probably unavoidable at this point, Roe urged House Republicans to tread carefully.

☆ Explainer: How Britain is exploiting Brexit to reform finance?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Britain has already announced an easing of capital rules for insurers and is now turning to banks. Rules on prospectuses that companies give to investors when they list on an exchange will be overhauled, along with a reform of rules for securitisation. The government will act on recommendations from a review into improving how listed companies tap investors for fresh funds. The ratings are widely used by investors for picking companies which tout 'green' credentials, but they are not regulated. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, when he was finance minister, called for a "Britcoin" or digital pound for faster payments.

CNN —Iran’s former president Mohammad Khatami has urged the current government to be more lenient with protesters, amid ongoing nationwide demonstrations representing the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic in decades. The anti-government demonstrations were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman in September. Khatami, pictured in 2006, called on Tehran to "take a softer approach and listen to" anti-regime protesters. Public figures in Iran have solicited the government to listen to the grievances of anti-regime protesters. Middle East Images/APOther Iranian public figures have also recently called on the government to take action to listen and protect protesters.

☆ Malaysia to review plans for 5G network - PM Anwar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday his administration will review a plan for a state-owned 5G network introduced by a previous government, as it was not formulated transparently. Under the premiership of Muhyiddin Yassin in 2021, Malaysia unveiled a plan for a state-owned agency to own all 5G spectrum, with various carriers using the infrastructure to provide mobile services. The 5G plans will be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures, Anwar said at a news conference following his first cabinet meeting. His government has defended the 5G plan, saying it will reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate infrastructure development. Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ New PM Anwar says Malaysia to review plans for 5G network
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday his administration will review a plan for a state-owned 5G network introduced by a previous government, as it was not formulated transparently. The single-ownership of the 5G spectrum raised concerns from the country's major carriers over pricing, transparency and monopoly. Anwar said the 5G plans would be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures, alleging that there had been "no proper tender process", without specifying details. Muhyiddin's government previously defended the 5G plan, saying it will reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate infrastructure development. Anwar was appointed premier by the king last month, after the election resulted in an unprecedented hung parliament.

☆ China is a growing threat to national security, U.S. companies and American workers, U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's now clear to U.S. officials that China, once considered a possible economic and political ally, has become an emerging threat to national security, U.S. companies and American workers, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday. "China's reprioritization away from economic growth toward national security and its assertive military behavior means that we have to rethink how we protect our national security interests while also promoting our interests in trade and investment." "Probably most disturbingly is they're accelerating their efforts to fuse economic and technology policies with their military ambitions," Raimondo said. "China today poses a set of growing challenges to our national security," she said. But in areas that have no potential to undermine our interests, our values, our national security, our economic security, and at the same time using every tool in our toolbox to protect our companies and counter unfair economic practices," Raimondo said.

☆ Malaysia's Anwar begins work as PM after polarising election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greets his supporters as he leaves his news conference in Sungai Long, Selangor, Malaysia November 24, 2022. Office of Anwar Ibrahim/Afiq Hambali/Handout via REUTERSKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is expected to start discussions on forming his cabinet on Friday as he begins work as prime minister at a challenging time, with the economy slowing and the country deeply split after a close election. Anwar, who was appointed by Malaysia's king following an inconclusive election, said that the people of Malaysia had long been awaiting change. Both men's coalitions failed to win a majority in Saturday's election, but Malaysia's constitutional monarch, King Al-Sultan Abdullah, appointed Anwar after speaking to several lawmakers. Markets surged on Thursday on the end of political deadlock, but investors will be monitoring how Anwar manages the aftermath of the election.

☆ Malaysia's new prime minister Anwar Ibrahim vows to unify the country and fight corruption
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Su-Lin Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowNew prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to make "Malaysia for all Malaysians," fight corruption and reiterated that he won't be taking a salary as Malaysians battle rising costs of living. International relationsCongratulations poured in from leaders from all over the world including Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim takes his first press conference after being appointed prime minister. Perikatan Nasional won 73 seats and was runner-up to Anwar's Pakatan Harapan which won 82 seats. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim swron in by Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Thursday Mohd Rasfan | Afp | Getty Images

Companies Financial Conduct Authority FollowLONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Providers of environment, social and governance (ESG) ratings on companies will be asked to apply a voluntary best practice code as a first step to regulating the sector, Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Tuesday. Trillions of dollars have flowed into sustainable investments globally using unregulated ESG ratings on companies as a guide for their 'green' credentials, leaving regulators worried about greenwashing or over inflated ESG claims. Britain's government is considering giving the FCA powers to directly regulate ESG ratings providers. The code will reflect recommendations from the global securities regulatory body IOSCO, and developments in Japan and the European Union, the FCA said. "A Code could also continue to apply for ESG data and ratings providers that fall outside the scope of potential future regulation," the FCA said in a statement.

☆ Xi Jinping just became unassailable. Here’s why investors are running scared
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Xi’s preference for personal loyalty over technocratic competence bodes ill for China’s already bleak economic outlook, analysts said. “In effect, Xi Jinping establishes an echo chamber around his own ideas,” she said. People watch the opening session of the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress in Huaibei, in China's eastern Anhui province. Li Qiang, the party boss of Shanghai who presided over the city’s chaotic two-month lockdown, is now the second-highest ranking party official after Xi. The NDRC is China’s top economic planner, responsible for drafting the country’s economic plans and overseeing major state investment projects.

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