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☆ Factbox: The developing countries facing a debt crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The cocoa, gold and oil producer has already reached a deal to write down domestic debt and last week kicked off formal debt talks with international bondholders. A $1.9 billion IMF loan has been stalled for months as Tunisia's president has shown little sign of action on key reforms. SRI LANKASri Lanka defaulted on its international debt last year after economic mismanagement, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked a political crisis and left it without dollars for even essential imports. UKRAINEUkraine just received the first $2.7 billion tranche under a four-year, $15.6 billion IMF loan program. Zambia's currency, the kwacha , has fallen more than 10% against the U.S. dollar this year, which the central bank has said is adding to inflation.

I'll never get over his death as long as I live," his father, Umer Zada, told Reuters. Zada said the distribution of aid should have been better organised, with police supervision of the hungry and desperate seeking help. "There has been a 50% reduction in donations this year, while there has been a 50% increase in people seeking help." The group's ambulances took away the injured and the bodies of Saad and the others killed in the Karachi crush. Like everyone, Zada is struggling with inflation but he also has to contend with grief and questions that torment him.

[1/2] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha attends the draw for the party's list usage for the upcoming election ahead an event by the election commission in Bangkok, Thailand, April 4, 2023. The election broadly pits political groups backed by the royalist military and Bangkok establishment against an opposition led by the populist Pheu Thai party, which together with its previous incarnations has won every election since 2001. Pita Limjaroenrat, another opposition figure, was nominated by his Move Forward party, popular among young voters. Political experts say the generals would have an advantage in the race, having led the junta that appointed the current slate of senators. Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The financially strapped South Asian country will also start formal negotiations for the debt it owes to bilateral creditors and overseas bondholders after the domestic debt operation, aiming to complete those parallel debt talks by September. Central bank and treasury officials said they expected that "exploring options for a domestic debt operation" will help achieve much-needed liquidity relief, including both local currency T-Bills and T-Bonds. Government officials told investors that only T-Bills held by the central bank would be considered for a debt rework, while a voluntary domestic debt operation was expected for the holders of $24 billion of T-Bonds. Sri Lanka is struggling with its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades. To that end, Sri Lanka has already frozen public recruitment and has hiked taxes and power tariffs by 66% this year.

☆ Israeli defence minister calls for halt to judicial overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, March 25 (Reuters) - Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday called on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the bitter dispute over the measures poses a danger to national security. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Netanyahu to fire Gallant, who he said had caved to opposition pressure. Israeli media said around 200,000 Israelis rallied against the plan in Tel Aviv on Saturday, with tens of thousands more across the country. I will do everything in my power, to prevent my country from becoming one," said Tel Aviv protester Janna Gur, 64. Additional reporting by Rami Amichay in Tel Aviv; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Canadian lender RBC increases work-from-office time as COVID ebbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 21 (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) on Tuesday asked its employees to return to office three or four days a week, as Canada's largest lender eases its COVID-19 protocols. In an internal memo to employees seen by Reuters, RBC said that "starting May 1, employees in hybrid work arrangements will come together in person for the majority of the time. This means you have the option to work remotely for one to two days each week, depending on your team". Nearly three years after the onset of the pandemic, companies across the globe have ramped up efforts to bring more employees back to offices. RBC Chief Executive Officer Dave McKay last year asked its employees to return to office more often, but said the hybrid work approach was "here to stay".

[1/2] An Air India Airbus A320 plane is seen at the Boryspil International Airport upon arrival, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak outside Kiev, Ukraine May 26, 2020. "India is now at that inflection point," Scindia said during an interview at his office in New Delhi. "We are going to see an explosion of air traffic in India in the years to come," he said, adding he wanted domestic carriers to look at international expansion with greater focus. Air India last month placed a record order for 470 jets and is making an aggressive push in the international market. Scindia said India was not looking at increasing air traffic quotas with Gulf states and instead wanted Indian carriers to offer non-stop long haul flights on larger planes.

☆ UBS, regulators race to seal Credit Suisse deal as soon as Saturday, Financial Times reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 18 (Reuters) - The Swiss National Bank and Swiss regulator FINMA have told their international counterparts they regard a deal with UBS Group (UBSG.S) as the only way to prevent a collapse in confidence in Credit Suisse Group (CSGN.S), the Financial Times reported on Saturday. UBS, Credit Suisse and key regulators are rushing to finalise a deal on the merger of the two Swiss banks as soon as Saturday evening, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter. UBS and Credit Suisse did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters earlier reported that UBS was coming under pressure from the Swiss authorities to carry out a takeover of its local rival to get the market turmoil surrounding Credit Suisse under control. The plan could see the Swiss government offer a guarantee against the risks involved, while Credit Suisse's Swiss business could be spun off.

One of the government officials directly involved in the matter said New Delhi is "not comfortable" with foreign trade settled in yuan but said settlement in "dirham is okay." The second official said that India cannot allow settlement in yuan till the relations between the two countries improve. The five officials did not say whether there were also economic reasons behind India's reluctance to accept yuan settlement. Two banking officials, aware of the matter, said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is not keen on foreign trade settlement in yuan, and confirmed that the government has discouraged them from using the currency. They also said Russia was keen on yuan settlement as it helps them in purchases of goods from China.

☆ Rishi Sunak flies to U.S. to advance three-way submarine pact with Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is flying to the United States on Sunday to meet U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in order to finalise details of a submarine pact aimed at countering China. Since the last update in 2021, Russia has invaded Ukraine and tensions with China have risen. Sunak praised the AUKUS alliance on Saturday and said such partnerships exemplified Britain's approach. "In turbulent times, the UK's global alliances are our greatest source of strength and security," he said. Under the initial AUKUS deal announced in 2021, the United States and Britain agreed to provide Australia with the technology and capability for nuclear-powered submarines.

☆ Australia, India agree on strengthening economic, defence ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Krishn Kaushik | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Altaf HussainNEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) - Australia and India have agreed to accelerate a broader economic partnership and to boost their defence ties, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in New Delhi on Friday. Last year the two countries signed a free trade deal called the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), the first signed by India with a developed country in a decade. However, a much larger Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) has been stuck in negotiations for over a decade. India and Australia are security partners through the Quad group, which also includes the United States and Japan. Australia and India made "significant and ambitious" progress in strengthening defence and security ties and also discussed climate change issues, Albanese said.

☆ Sri Lanka to announce debt restructuring strategy in April - cenbank chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The bailout is the culmination of months of negotiations as Sri Lanka looks to emerge from its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades. Weerasinghe said the country would expedite negotiations with commercial creditors and announce the debt restructuring strategy in consultation with them, before finalising the debt restructuring terms. Currently, Sri Lanka has to repay about $6 billion annually until 2029, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament on Tuesday, but Weerasinghe said this amount will be reduced post-debt restructuring. Sri Lanka also has a $1.5 billion swap arrangement with China but that can only be used if domestic reserves support three months of imports. Weerasinghe also said that inflation is likely to come down faster than earlier forecast, even by the central bank.

[1/2] Sri Lankan rupees are seen in a bowl at a vegetable vendor's shop amid the rampant food inflation, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29 , 2022. China has extended its "firm support to Sri Lanka through a debt treatment", EXIM Bank wrote in the letter to the Sri Lankan government on March 6. "Meanwhile, we would like to expedite the negotiation process with your side regarding medium- and long-term debt treatment in this window period, with a view to finalising the specifics of a debt treatment in the coming months. We will make our best efforts to contribute to the debt sustainability of Sri Lanka." The letter mirrors what EXIM Bank sent to Sri Lanka in January, except for the target of finalising debt-treatment specifics in the coming months.

☆ EU restarts work on EU-UK regulatory forum after Northern Ireland deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 8 (Reuters) - The European Union's executive body said on Wednesday it will finalise a long-delayed discussion forum for EU and UK financial regulators, once the deal on Northern Ireland has been implemented by Britain. The forum, similar to what the EU already has with the United States, was due to have been created by March 2021, but was put on ice because of disagreements over trading relations with Northern Ireland. Those disagreements have been ironed out in last month's agreement, or Windsor Framework, which has yet to be formally implemented by Britain. "We are ready to start work on the finalisation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on financial services regulatory cooperation," a spokesman for the European Commission's financial services unit said on Wednesday. The forum has no mandate to decide on EU financial market access, but financial industry officials say it could improve strained cross-Channel relations in the sector, and help ease tension in areas, such as derivatives clearing.

☆ India's money laundering rules to apply to crypto trade - gov't notification
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUMBAI, March 8 (Reuters) - India's money laundering laws will apply to trade in cryptocurrencies, the federal government said in a notification dated March 7. The exchange between virtual digital assets and fiat currencies, the exchange between one or more forms of virtual digital assets and the transfer of digital assets will be covered under money laundering laws, the notification said. The safekeeping or administration of virtual digital assets and the participation in financial services related to the offer and sale of virtual digital assets will also be covered, the notification added. The Reserve Bank of India has said that cryptocurrencies should be banned as they are akin to a Ponzi scheme. Extending India's money laundering rules to cryptocurrencies will give authorities greater authority in monitoring the transfer of these assets beyond the country's borders.

[1/2] Sri Lankan rupees are seen in a bowl at a vegetable vendor's shop amid the rampant food inflation, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29 , 2022. China has extended its "firm support to Sri Lanka through a debt treatment", EXIM Bank wrote in the letter to the Sri Lankan government on March 6. "Meanwhile, we would like to expedite the negotiation process with your side regarding medium- and long-term debt treatment in this window period, with a view to finalising the specifics of a debt treatment in the coming months. We will make our best efforts to contribute to the debt sustainability of Sri Lanka." By end-2020, Sri Lanka owed EXIM $2.83 billion, or 3.5% of its external debt, according to IMF data.

It was not clear what new support China, the world's biggest sovereign creditor, had extended to Sri Lanka on Monday. By end-2020, Sri Lanka owed the Export-Import Bank of China $2.83 billion or 3.5% of the island's external debt, according to IMF data. Sri Lanka needs to repay about $6 billion on average each year until 2029 and will have to keep engaging with the IMF, Wickremesinghe said. Countries in debt distress such as Zambia and Sri Lanka have faced unprecedented delays in securing IMF bailouts as China and Western economies have clashed over how to provide debt relief. Sri Lanka has been waiting for about 187 days to finalise a bailout after reaching a staff-level deal with the IMF.

☆ Sri Lanka expects approval of $2.9 billion IMF deal after China support
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Sri Lanka has completed all prior actions that were required by the IMF," Wickremesinghe said. It was not clear what new support China, the world's biggest sovereign creditor, extended to Sri Lanka on Monday. By end-2020, Sri Lanka owed the Export-Import Bank of China $2.83 billion or 3.5% of the island's external debt, according to IMF data. Sri Lanka needs to repay about $6 billion on average each year until 2029 and will have to keep engaging with the IMF, Wickremesinghe said. Sri Lanka has been waiting for about 187 days to finalise a bailout after reaching a staff-level deal with the IMF.

☆ With China's support, Sri Lanka expects nod for $2.9 bln IMF deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Sri Lanka has completed all prior actions that were required by the IMF," Wickremesinghe said. It was not clear what new support China, the world's biggest sovereign creditor, extended to Sri Lanka on Monday. By end-2020, Sri Lanka owed the China EximBank $2.83 billion or 3.5% of the island's external debt, according to IMF data. Sri Lanka needs to repay about $6 billion on average each year until 2029 and will have to keep engaging with the IMF, Wickremesinghe added. Sri Lanka has been waiting for about 187 days to finalise a bailout after reaching a staff-level deal with the IMF.

☆ Tech-sponsored study criticises plan to exclude non-EU cloud vendors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Google Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - A proposed European Union cloud security label that could exclude Amazon (AMZN.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Microsoft (MSFT.O) and other non-EU cloud services providers from the bloc is discriminatory and could lead to retaliatory measures, a study commissioned by a tech lobbying group said. At issue is a provision in EU cybersecurity agency ENISA's certification scheme (EUCS) that requires cloud services providers to have their registered head office and global headquarters in the EU and to operate cloud services and store and process customer data in the 27-member bloc. "Member states should now call on the cybersecurity agency and also the European Commission to abandon politically motivated EUCS immunity requirements," he added. A ban could also trigger retaliatory measures by EU trading partners, the think tank said.

Speaking after hosting talks in Brussels between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Borrell said the leaders agreed "no further discussions" are needed on the deal between the former wartime foes. But Serbia still regards Kosovo as a breakaway province and flare-ups between the Balkan neighbours have stoked fears of a return to conflict. Under the new deal, Serbia stops short of recognising Kosovo as an independent state but agrees to recognise official documents such as passports, diplomas and licence plates and not to block Kosovo's membership of any international organisation. Borrell said the annex was an "integral part" of the new deal but it had not yet been agreed. Vucic has insisted Kosovo establish an association of Serb-majority municipalities, as agreed by a previous Kosovo government.

☆ Hopes for Northern Ireland deal send sterling higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Sterling rose on Monday amid renewed speculation Britain and the European Union will finalise a Northern Ireland deal, which could resolve post-Brexit tensions. The deal is aimed at solving tensions caused by 2020 post-Brexit arrangements governing the British province and its open border with EU member Ireland. Sterling rose 0.36% against the U.S. dollar to $1.1982, after slipping to an almost two month low against the greenback. ING strategists agreed, saying the key focus for sterling would remain interest rate hike expectations. On the other hand, a strengthening dollar could send sterling to $1.1850 this week, ING said in a note.

☆ EU's von der Leyen to travel to UK for Northern Ireland Brexit talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The leaders of Britain and the European Union will hold face-to-face talks in London on Monday as they seek to finalise a new deal for Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trading arrangements, the two sides said on Sunday. "President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak agreed to continue their work in person towards shared, practical solutions for the range of complex challenges around the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland," the joint statement said. "President von der Leyen will therefore meet with the prime minister in the UK tomorrow." London and Brussels have been engaged in talks for months to ease trading frictions in the British province but the test will be whether the changes will satisfy some Brexit supporters in the governing Conservative Party or the biggest unionist party in Northern Ireland. Reporting by William James; writing by Kate Holton, editing by Elizabeth PiperOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK and EU leaders to meet Monday to finalise Northern Ireland deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The Prime Minister wants to ensure any deal fixes the practical problems on the ground, ensures trade flows freely within the whole of the UK, safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in our Union and returns sovereignty to the people of Northern Ireland," a statement from Sunak's office said. SOVEREIGNTY CONCERNSAs part of its exit agreement, Britain signed an accord with Brussels known as the Northern Ireland protocol to avoid imposing politically contentious checks along the 500-kilometre (310-mile) land border with Ireland. But the protocol effectively created a border for some goods moving from Britain because it kept Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods. That also left Northern Ireland subject to some EU rules even though it was not a member of the bloc. Perceptions that the protocol erodes Northern Ireland's place in the UK have sparked anger among many in pro-British communities.

☆ Pakistan finance secretary sees IMF staff level talks wrapping up this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Asif Shahzad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Men reach out to buy subsidised flour sacks from a truck in Karachi, Pakistan January 10, 2023. We expect to conclude the consultations soon, even within the week," Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, the top official in the finance ministry, told Reuters. The staff level agreement would need approval from the IMF's board before the funds can be released. Pakistan has taken steps, such as raising more than 170 billion Pakistani rupees ($648 million) through a supplementary finance bill passed by the parliament on Monday. The IMF funds are critical for the $350 billion South Asian economy, which is facing a severe balance of payments crisis.

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