Blinken ‘actively talking’ about three Americans detained in China – CBS News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday the United States and China were continuing to discuss the release of three U.S. citizens who are detained in China. “I don’t want to get into the details, but we are very actively talking about that,” Blinken said in an interview with CBS…

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New Zealand to investigate profitability, competition at banks

SYDNEY (Reuters) – New Zealand said on Tuesday it would examine the profitability of the country’s banks and investigate whether competition in the sector was working well for consumers. The banking sector is dominated by four banks making up around 85% of mortgage and other lending, and 90% of deposits, government data showed. Loans by…

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Blinken urges China’s vigilance on its firms providing tech to Russia

By Humeyra Pamuk BEIJING (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday he had asked China’s government to be vigilant about private companies that may be providing Russia with technology that could be used against Ukraine, although he said he had seen no evidence Beijing is providing lethal assistance to Moscow. “What we…

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‘Great Resignation’ continues as quarter of workers look to change jobs – PwC

By Divya Chowdhury MUMBAI (Reuters) – A quarter of workers surveyed by PwC expect to change jobs in the next 12 months, up from 19% last year, as they are increasingly left cash-strapped in a cooling economy while dealing with inflationary pressures. Even as the ‘Great Resignation’ continues, around 42% of the employees surveyed by…

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Bankers see stable interest rates reviving Asia’s capital markets in second half

By Scott Murdoch and Yantoultra Ngui SYDNEY/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asia’s dealmakers are counting on a pause in rate hikes globally and an economic rebound in China to rekindle activity in the region’s equity capital markets, after volumes in the first half of the year sank to their lowest in four years. First-half Asia Pacific equity…

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Japan regulator sounded out top domestic banks about China risks, sources say

By Takaya Yamaguchi, Makiko Yamazaki and Paritosh Bansal TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s financial regulator has sounded out top domestic banks about China risks and whether they have plans in place if Sino-Western tensions escalate, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the matter.  The Financial Services Agency’s (FSA) request, which has not been previously reported, is to ensure Japan’s megabanks are…

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Xi, Blinken agree to stabilize US-China relations in Beijing talks

By Humeyra Pamuk BEIJING (Reuters) -China and the United States agreed on Monday to stabilize their intense rivalry so it does not veer into conflict, but failed to produce any major breakthrough during a rare visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed “progress” after shaking hands with…

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Greek migrant tragedy death toll rises, suspects detained

By Karolina Tagaris MALAKASA, Greece (Reuters) -The suspected smugglers of scores of migrants who drowned in a Mediterranean Sea shipwreck last week are expected to face manslaughter charges in a Greek court this week, while Pakistan detained a dozen suspects over the disaster. Greece recovered three more bodies on Monday, bringing the confirmed toll to…

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