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☆ Argentina and Brazil are discussing plans for a common currency — analysts can scarcely believe it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Argentina President Alberto Fernandez (R) and Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (L) greet each other after signing a series of agreements during a news conference in Buenos Aires. Argentina and Brazil, the two largest economies in South America, are in early talks to create a common currency, as part of a coordinated bid to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. Speaking on his first international visit since taking office, Lula said that the currency would initially be designed for trade and transactions between Brazil and Argentina. Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said that the adoption of a common currency was not designed to replace the Brazilian real and the Argentine peso. "Developing and implementing a common South American currency is, therefore, pie in the sky."

☆ A South American currency union? Don't hold your breath
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Rodrigo Campos | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That came after the leaders had touted a "common South American currency" on Sunday and officials told the Financial Times the tender could even be called the "sur" and eventually look to bring in other countries around South America. "It has failed to achieve simpler integration goals than that of a common currency." He called the idea of a currency union a "fantasy." Currency union talk was just a distraction, she said. Todd Martinez, a director at Fitch Ratings' sovereigns group focused on Latin America, said the two countries appeared to be unlikely partners to form a successful currency union, given their diverging economies.

☆ Brazil and Argentina to discuss common currency
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Lisandra Paraguassu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Brazil and Argentina aim for greater economic integration, including the development of a common currency, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentine leader Alberto Fernandez said in a joint article they penned. "We also decided to advance discussions on a common South American currency that can be used for both financial and commercial flows, reducing costs operations and our external vulnerability," the article said. Earlier in the day, the Financial Times reported the neighboring nations will announce this week that they are starting preparatory work on a common currency. . . a decision to start studying the parameters needed for a common currency, which includes everything from fiscal issues to the size of the economy and the role of central banks,” Argentina’s economy minister Sergio Massa told the Financial Times. Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Additional reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil and Argentina to begin preparations for common currency, Financial Times reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 22 (Reuters) - Brazil and Argentina will announce this week that they are starting preparatory work on a common currency, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The plan, set to be discussed at a summit in Buenos Aires this week, will focus on how a new currency which Brazil suggests calling the "sur" (south) could boost regional trade and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, FT reported citing officials. . . a decision to start studying the parameters needed for a common currency, which includes everything from fiscal issues to the size of the economy and the role of central banks,” Argentina’s economy minister Sergio Massa told the Financial Times. Politicians from both countries have discussed the ideaalready in 2019, but met with pushback from Brazil's central bank at the time. Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BEIRUT, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Lebanese bankers told European prosecutors they believed that commissions now at the centre of a graft probe had been paid to the central bank, four sources said, while investigators suspect the cash illegally ended up with the governor's brother. They suspect central bank governor Riad Salameh and his brother Raja illegally took more than $300 million from the central bank between 2002 and 2015 and invested some of the funds in Europe. The bankers and officials told the visiting European prosecutors that they were not aware that the funds had gone to Forry Associates, the four sources said. The four sources said former central bank officials and private bankers had told the European prosecutors they first heard of Forry Associates when the investigation began and the name appeared in the media. A separate but related Lebanese probe charged Riad Salameh with illicit enrichment in March, which he has denied.

☆ The Communities That Risked Everything to Rescue Jews
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Richard Hurowitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A 1943 photograph of refugee children in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, with some of the adults who cared for them. Did King Christian X of Denmark actually wear a Star of David badge in solidarity with his Jewish subjects during the Nazi occupation of 1940-45? Religious bigotry was anathema in Denmark, and to avoid trouble, the Nazis had initially agreed to stand down from persecuting the country’s Jews. When Hitler himself finally ordered a round-up in October 1943, Danes came together to mount a massive clandestine rescue, transporting their Jewish neighbors in an amateur flotilla across the straits to safety in Sweden. Almost all Danish Jews survived the war.

☆ Thursday's strike will not disrupt refineries if shortlived -Total CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"We don't stop the refineries for one day", Pouyanne said, "we put them at a minimum which keeps them functioning", adding "strikers can decide to block shipments which can prevent the trucks from rolling." Operations at refineries could only be disrupted if the strike lasts several days, he said. A union representative earlier said no oil will be shipped from the TotalEnergies' refinery in Dunkirk, northern France, on Thursday. "We have plans in place to maximize our fuels supply to mitigate any potential impacts on our customers," a spokesperson from Esso said. Reporting by Forrest Crellin, editing by Tassilo Hummel and Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ‘Saint Omer’ Review: A Mother on Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

France’s “Saint Omer,” which has made it to the 15-film shortlist of contenders for the Academy Award for Best International Feature, has the trappings of a courtroom drama but with a far stranger script. For starters, the guilt of the woman in the dock, for drowning her infant in the sea, isn’t in question. The movie takes place mostly in a courtroom in Saint-Omer, a town near the northern shore of France. An author named Rama (Kayije Kagame) has obtained a seat for the jury trial of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), a Senegalese-born immigrant who caused her own baby to die in the waters of the English Channel, having taken a train to the town of Berck-sur-Mer for that purpose. Based on a real trial that took place in 2016 and was witnessed by the filmmaker Alice Diop , a specialist in documentaries who co-wrote and directed “Saint Omer,” the film inverts the conventions of the legal drama by, for instance, concluding without showing us a verdict.

☆ 8 best meal delivery services of 2023, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Mili Godio | Mili Godio Is An Associate Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +26 min

SKIP AHEAD The best meal kit delivery services | How to shop for a meal kit delivery serviceTo determine the best meal delivery service for you, we spoke to chefs, nutritionists and recipe developers about what to look for in a meal delivery service and highlighted their recommendations for the best ones to try this year. 8 best meal delivery services in 2023We talked to our experts about important features to consider when shopping for meal kit delivery services, including available options for certain dietary restrictions, how customizable the plans are and the quality of the ingredients. We separated them into two categories: meal kit services that send out individual ingredients and pre-made meal delivery services. Best meal kit delivery servicesThese expert-recommended meal delivery services all feature an option to send separate ingredients and allow shoppers to cook themselves. For those who don’t have as much time during the week, ready-to-eat meal delivery services are typically the best option.

☆ Chip stocks tumbled in 2022. How to play the sector in the new year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Semiconductor stocks suffered a series of blows in 2022 as demand for consumer discretionary items fell off a cliff and supply chain disruptions continued. Betting on semiconductor favorites Despite ongoing volatility, some analysts and investors are still betting on once high-flying names in 2023, even though the challenges of 2022 continue. One of those is Advanced Micro Devices, a chip stock commonly connected with PC and server chips that fell hard in 2022. Texas Instruments held up better than the rest of the semiconductor market in 2022, shedding a little more than 12%. Bailey is mostly shying away from former, rapid growth names, with small bets on ASML and Marvell for clients looking for possible higher growth.

☆ Analysis: Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale boom is running out of road
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Eliana Raszewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/4] Workers stand next to a drilling rig in Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas drilling, in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina November 3, 2022. It holds the world's second-largest shale gas reserves and the fourth-largest shale oil deposits. Reuters Graphics'ABOUT TO COLLAPSE'On the ground in the key Vaca Muerta shale town of Anelo the signs of strain are clear. Local and regional demand is not enough," said Ricardo Markous, president of Tecpetrol, which operates the huge Fortin de Piedra field in Vaca Muerta. There are currently around eight active fracking crews in Vaca Muerta compared to nearly 280 in the United States, Rystad said.

☆ Will 2023 be a better year for the chip sector? Wall Street pros weigh in and share their top picks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It's been a tough year for the once-booming semiconductor sector. But several Wall Street pros are urging investors to take a longer-term view on the sector, given the importance of the semiconductor chip in several key secular trends. The bank said the next leg of growth for the sector will be led by government spending on renewable energy and carbon neutrality. The bank named Analog Devices , Marvell Technology , Globalfoundries and Microchip Technology among its top stock picks in the chip sector. TSMC in the headlines One chip stock that has consistently been on investors' radars is semiconductor powerhouse Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

☆ Forget next year. The tech downtrend may be in danger of leaking into 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Weak outlook, reduced estimates, significant oversupply. Looking for an imminent bottom in global tech demand is proving very elusive, at least if you look at Micron's earnings report. "These are the most challenging conditions for the memory market since the financial crisis," Chris Caso at Credit Suisse said, after he looked over Micron's numbers. "Losses mount over significant oversupply," Joseph Moore at Morgan Stanley said. "In a rapidly deteriorating memory environment driven by inventory corrections/demand weakness across nearly every end market, pricing continues to be the biggest headwind to memory profitability/earnings," Harlan Sur at JPMorgan warned.

☆ Here's what Wall Street analysts had to say after Micron's disappointing earnings report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Micron Technology reported surprisingly weak quarterly results, raising concern among Wall Street analysts. On Wall Street, many analysts say the stock remains a buy, though they expect the semiconductor name will still face challenges ahead. His $65 price target implies the stock can jump more than 26%. The analyst reiterated a hold rating, as well as a $55 price target that implies 7% upside from Wednesday's closing price. He lowered his price target to $46, down from $49, implying shares could fall another 10% from Wednesday's closing price.

In this guide, we'll give you a crash course on how to quickly earn credit card rewards and book free travel. If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

Below is a complete list of all-inclusive resorts you can book with Hyatt points in Latin America and Europe — and the number of points you'll need to do it. Caribbean/Latin AmericaHotel Category Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Curaçao Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Marigot Bay St. Lucia F (50,000 points) Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres Cancun C (25,000 points) Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino B (20,000 points) Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Puerto Plata Dominican Republic A (15,000 points) Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Sabor Cozumel A (15,000 points) Breathless Cabo San Lucas Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Cancun Soul Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Punta Cana Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Secrets Aura Cozumel C (25,000 points) Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Huatulco Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun C (25,000 points) Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen C (25,000 points) Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica C (25,000 points) Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort C (25,000 points) Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort C (25,000 points) Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Secrets St. James Montego Bay C (25,000 points) Secrets St. Martin Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets The Vine Cancun C (25,000 points) Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta B (20,000 points) Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay C (25,000 points) Dreams Acapulco Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya B (20,000 points) Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Dreams Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino B (20,000 points) Dreams Dominicus La Romana B (20,000 points) Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Jade Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica C (25,000 points) Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Dreams Natura Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana A (15,000 points) Dreams Playa Bonita Panama A (15,000 points) Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort C (20,000 points) Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa B (15,000 points) Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta B (20,000 points) Dreams Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall C (25,000 points)EuropeHotel Category Alua Atlántico Golf Resort A (15,000 points) Alua Boccaccio A (15,000 points) Alua Calas de Mallorca Resort B (20,000 points) Alua Golf Trinidad A (15,000 points) Alua Gran Camp de Mar A (15,000 points) Alua Helios Bay (opening expected May 1, 2023) A (15,000 points) Alua Illa de Menorca A (15,000 points) Alua Leo (participation effective October 17, 2022) A (15,000 points) Alua Suites Las Rocas A (15,000 points) Alua Tenerife A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Carolina A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Costa Málaga A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Menorca A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Orotava Valley A (15,000 points) AluaSun Cala Antena A (15,000 points) AluaSun Continental Park Hotel & Apartments A (15,000 points) AluaSun Costa Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Doblemar A (15,000 points) AluaSun Far Menorca A (15,000 points) AluaSun Helios Beach (opening expected May 1, 2023) A (15,000 points) AluaSun Lago Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Lago Rojo A (15,000 points) AluaSun Marbella Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Mediterráneo A (15,000 points) Dreams Lanzarote Playa Dorada Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Sunny Beach Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Mallorca Villamil Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa (opening expected May 1, 2023) B (20,000 p

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☆ French prosecutors name Ukrainian suspect in Lebanese central bank probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( David Gauthier-Villars | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 5 (Reuters) - French prosecutors said on Monday they have put a Ukrainian woman linked to the governor of Lebanon's central bank under formal investigation as part of a cross-border probe into alleged fraud to the detriment of the Lebanese state. A lawyer for Kosakova said he and his client would "react very soon" to the French prosecutors' decisions. Salameh, who has not been named as a suspect by French prosecutors but who had some of his real estate assets in France seized as part of the investigation, did not respond to a message seeking comment. A French lawyer for Salameh, Pierre-Olivier Sur, said the June decision on Kosakova "doesn't change anything". In the interview with Reuters, Riad Salameh has said he bought real estate assets with his own money, earned when he worked as an investment banker.

☆ Frappart ends 92-year wait for a female referee at a men's World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Manasi Pathak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AL KHOR, Qatar, Dec 1 (Reuters) - France's Stephanie Frappart made history on Thursday when she became the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup finals game during Costa Rica's Group E match against Germany. Frappart, 38, led the first all-female refereeing team in a men's World Cup in the game at the Al Bayt Stadium alongside assistants Neuza Back from Brazil and Mexico's Karen Diaz. Frappart entered the history books when she became the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match in 2019, officiating a game between Amiens and Strasbourg. The same year, Frappart also took charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea, becoming the first woman to officiate in a major men's European match. "The men's World Cup is the most important sporting competition in the world," said Frappart, who was also the fourth official during Mexico's goalless draw with Poland at the Qatar World Cup.

Insider's experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). I'm not worried about the recession because it feels like I've been practicing for years. Neither of us have family to depend on financially; in fact, we support my partner's family abroad. Ever since, I've bought the vast majority of our kid's clothes secondhand, and this child is never lacking in style. The night we were too broke for a hotel and lucked into a camping spot on a Big Sur riverbank.

Amazon France said there had been no sign of disruption to operations so far. Two French union officials said they were not expecting a big turnout because the rising cost-of-living was driving employees to seek overtime. "As an employer, Amazon offers great pay, benefits and development opportunities - all in an attractive and safe working environment," a spokesperson for Amazon in Germany said in a statement. [1/6] French CGT union members demonstrate in front of the Amazon logistics center in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, as part of a global day of actions against Amazon on Black Friday, France, November 25, 2022. Workers at a warehouse in the western city of Koblenz were seen standing outside near a red-and-white banner that read "We're on strike" in German, French and English.

☆ The suspect charged with Shanquella Robinson's death is believed to be one of the friends she traveled to Mexico with
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Shanquella Robinson, a 25-year-old American, died while on vacation with her friends in Mexico. Mexican prosecutors have filed charges against a suspect believed to be one of Robinson's friends. Robinson, a 25-year-old North Carolina woman, died on October 29, while she was on vacation with six friends in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Daniel de la Rosa, attorney general for Mexico's Baja California Sur, told CNN on Wednesday that the suspect charged with Robinson's death is believed to be one of the friends she traveled with. The FBI's Charlotte division opened an investigation into Robinson's death earlier this month.

☆ Mexico wants American extradited on charges in tourist death
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico — Mexican prosecutors have filed charges against a U.S. woman suspected of killing another American seen being beaten in a viral video. Prosecutors in the state of Baja California Sur did not name the suspect in the Oct. 29 death of Shanquella Robinson. But on Thursday, they said they had approached Mexican federal prosecutors and diplomats to try to get the woman extradited to face charges in Mexico. The group Robinson was traveling with, however, left Mexico after she was found dead in a rented villa. A video apparently taped at the luxury villa in San Jose del Cabo shows one woman, apparently an American, beating another woman identified as Robinson.

SKIP AHEAD Best Black Friday kitchen and home salesTo help you make the most of the shopping holiday, we compiled some of the best Black Friday deals and sales on cookware, coffee makers, air purifiers and more, all of which we think you’ll want to know about. Best Black Friday 2022 kitchen and home dealsBelow, we’re sharing the best Black Friday kitchen and home deals based on our previous coverage and reporting. 4.8-star average rating from 8,733 reviews at AmazonNinja calls the Food Power Blender and Processor its most powerful blender system. 4.3-star average rating from 19,642 reviews at AmazonNest is a Select favorite, and this Energy-Star-certified smart home thermostat is an Amazon bestseller. Best Black Friday 2022 kitchen and home salesHere are the best Black Friday home and kitchen sales we think you’ll want to know about.

SKIP AHEAD Best Black Friday salesTo help you make the most of the shopping holiday ahead, we compiled some of the best Black Friday deals and sales that we think you’ll want to know about. Best Black Friday 2022 deals across retailersBelow, we’re sharing the best Black Friday deals based on our previous coverage and reporting. 4.7-star average rating from 10,600 on AmazonThis cookware set comes with 8-inch and 10-inch nonstick fry pans. Best Walmart Black Friday deals4.8-star average rating from 103 reviews at WalmartTineco’s S10 Cordless Smart Stick Vacuum is one of the brand’s newest models. Best Black Friday 2022 sales across retailersHere are the best Black Friday sales that we think you’ll want to know about.

☆ Nvidia's results suggest its gaming business is close to a bottom, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The latest results from Nvidia suggest a gaming bottom is in sight for the battered semiconductor stock, according to analysts. The chipmaker on Wednesday posted a mixed quarter, with earnings falling slightly below analysts' expectations . Nvidia's gaming division reported a 51% decline in sales as the PC gaming market slows from pandemic-era growth and retailers grapple with a glut of inventory. Bank of America's Vivek Arya reflected similar sentiment, viewing the current period as an "inflection quarter" for the chip stock. Analysts see particular strength in the company's data center business, which saw sales rise 31% year over year.

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