Reuters: World

New York City braces for Trump indictment after ex-president urges protests Workers erected barricades around a Manhattan courthouse on Monday as New York City braced for a possible indictment of Donald Trump over an alleged hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. It would be the first-ever criminal case against any U.S. president. On Saturday, Trump urged followers on social media to protest what he said was his looming arrest. In his call for protests, Trump raised concerns for law enforcement that supporters might engage in violence similar to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington. read more

China warns its nationals after killings in Central African Republic China's embassy in the Central African Republic has urged its citizens to avoid travelling outside the capital Bangui after nine Chinese nationals were killed in an attack by militants at a gold mine outside the city. The embassy said in a statement on Sunday there had been many "vicious" security incidents against workers of foreign mining enterprises in the area, and Chinese citizens still outside Bangui were requested to evacuate immediately. Armed men killed nine Chinese nationals and wounded two more in an attack on a mine run by the Gold Coast Group, 25 km (15 miles) from the town of Bambari, its mayor told Reuters. read more

Central banks try to calm markets after UBS deal to buy Credit Suisse Some of the world's largest central banks came together on Sunday to stop a banking crisis from spreading as Swiss authorities persuaded UBS Group AG (UBSG.S) to buy rival Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) in a historic deal. UBS will pay 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) for 167-year-old Credit Suisse and assume up to $5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee and expected to close by the end of 2023. Soon after the announcement late on Sunday, the U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and other major central banks came out with statements to reassure markets that have been walloped by a banking crisis that started with the collapse of two regional U.S. banks earlier this month. read more

Trump says he expects to be arrested on Tuesday, calls for protests Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he expects to be arrested on Tuesday as New York prosecutors consider charges over a hush money payment to a porn star, and called on his supporters to protest. "Illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorney's office ... indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven ... the far & away leading Republican candidate & former president of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week," Trump wrote on Truth Social. A spokesman for Trump said the former president had not been notified of any arrest. Trump provided no evidence of leaks from the district attorney's office and did not discuss the possible charges in his post. read more

Xi heads to Russia next week after China touts Ukraine peace plan Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin, the two countries said on Friday, as Beijing touts a plan to end the grinding Ukraine war that has received a lukewarm welcome on both sides. Xi's March 20-22 trip comes after China last month published a 12-point plan for "a political resolution of the Ukraine crisis" and after a senior Chinese diplomat called on Thursday for negotiations in a call with Ukraine's foreign minister. The plan calls for the protection of civilians and for Russia and Ukraine to respect each other's sovereignty. However, the United States and NATO have said Beijing's efforts to mediate are not credible as it has refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". read more

Pentagon releases de-classified video of Black Sea drone incident In a rare move, the Pentagon on Thursday released a de-classified video showing Russia's intercept of a U.S. military surveillance drone downed over the Black Sea two days ago. It was the first direct U.S.-Russian incident since the Ukraine war began, worsening already tense relations between Washington and Moscow. In the video, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet comes very close to the U.S. MQ-9 drone and dumps fuel near it, in what U.S. officials say was an apparent effort to damage the American aircraft as it flew over the Black Sea. read more

North Korea fires long range missile ahead of Japan-South Korea talks North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) just hours before the leaders of South Korea and Japan were due to meet for landmark talks. Both Japanese and South Korean officials confirmed the long-range missile's launch on Thursday morning. It flew about 1,000km (620 miles) landing in waters west of Japan. It is Pyongyang's fourth missile launch in a week and comes as the US and South Korea hold joint navy drills. The other missiles launched - last Thursday, on Saturday and on Monday - had been short-range ballistic missiles. read more

Credit Suisse leads Europe bank rout in renewed SVB fallout European bank stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, with embattled Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tumbling to a new low, on renewed investor concerns about stresses within the sector triggered by Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse. Regulators and financial executives around the world have sought to assuage contagion fears after tech-focused lender SVB and another U.S. bank failed last week, but worries persist. A more than 20% drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 6% plus fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. read more

US says Russian jet caused spy drone crash over Black Sea, Moscow denies collision The U.S. military said a Russian fighter plane clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones and made it crash into the Black Sea in the first such direct encounter between the two powers since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago. The Russia's defence ministry offered a different account of Tuesday's incident and its ambassador to the United States said his country viewed the incident involving a U.S. MQ-9 drone and a Russian Su-27 fighter jet as a "provocation". The United States conducts regular surveillance flights in the region and has supported Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid, although it has not become directly engaged in the war. read more

Binance is halting its sterling deposits and withdrawals, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday, a month after the world's largest crypto exchange ceased dollar transfers. Binance has been informed by its partner for sterling transfers, Paysafe, that it would halt its services from May 22, the spokesperson said, impacting all Binance customers. Sterling transfers for new users were stopped on Monday, it said. "Binance will ensure that affected users are still able to access their GBP balances," the spokesperson said, adding that the change "affects less than 1% of Binance users." Binance, which has more than 128 million customers, did not give details on the number of clients the move would impact. The company is working to find an "alternative solution" for sterling transfers, the spokesperson said. read more

Global bank stock rout deepens as SVB collapse fans crisis fears Shockwaves from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank further pounded global bank stocks on Tuesday as assurances from President Joe Biden and other policymakers did little to calm markets and prompted a rethink on the interest rate outlook. Biden's efforts to reassure markets and depositors came after emergency U.S. measures to shore up banks by giving them access to additional funding failed to dispel investor worries about potential contagion to other lenders worldwide. Banking stocks in Asia extended declines on Tuesday, with Japanese firms hit particularly hard and anxiety about systemic risk leading the wider market lower. read more

Exclusive: China's Xi plans Russia visit as soon as next week - sources Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to travel to Russia to meet his counterpart Vladimir Putin as soon as next week, people familiar with the matter said, which would be sooner than previously expected. Plans for a visit come as China has been offering to broker peace in Ukraine, an effort that has been met with scepticism in the West given Beijing's diplomatic support for Russia. Putin said last month that a Xi visit had been agreed, though the Kremlin chief gave no date for a possible visit. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that a visit to Moscow could take place in April or early May. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possibility of Xi going to Moscow. read more