Russian police start detaining protestors in central Moscow

MOSCOW, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Russian police started detaining people in central Moscow on Saturday during an unauthorised opposition protest with one monitoring group, OVD-info, saying at least six people had been taken into custody. (Reporting by Andrey Kuzmin Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Russian police detain 89 protesters in central Moscow – monitor

MOSCOW, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Russian police detained 89 people in central Moscow during an unauthorised opposition protest on Saturday, independent monitoring group OVD-info reported. (Reporting by Andrey Kuzmin Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Russia protests: Government crackdown intensifies

The government is using all of the tools at its disposal to suppress the movement.

Protests in Moscow are due to continue for the third Saturday in a row despite authorities mounting an ever-larger crackdown.

In the run-up to Saturday’s protest, key figures have been arrested and there is a concern that more mass arrests are expected on the day.

Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan takes a look at why people are coming out on the streets.

Russia investigates alleged money laundering by anti-Kremlin opposition

MOSCOW, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Russian investigators said on Saturday that had opened a criminal investigation into the alleged laundering of 1 billion roubles ($15.3 million) by an anti-corruption foundation set up by jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Russia’s Investigative Committee made the announcement in a statement while an opposition protest organised by Navalny’s allies was taking place in Moscow.

Berkshire Hathaway profit falls as insurance underwriting declines

Aug 3 (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday said its quarterly operating profit fell, as the conglomerate run by billionaire Warren Buffett reported less income from insurance underwriting.

Second-quarter operating profit declined 11% to $6.14 billion from $6.89 billion a year earlier.

Berkshire also said quarterly net income rose 17%, reflecting larger gains from investments than a year earlier.

Net income rose to $14.07 billion, or $8,608 per Class A share, from $12.01 billion, or $7,301 per Class A share, a year earlier. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Russian police detain 194 protesters in central Moscow – monitor

MOSCOW, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Russian police detained 194 people in central Moscow during an unauthorised opposition protest on Saturday, independent monitoring group OVD-info reported.

Opposition activists are demanding free elections. . (Reporting by Andrey Kuzmin Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Mexico government cuts spending, claims to have saved $6bn

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has halved his salary, sold the presidential plane and flies economy.

As Mexico edges closer to a recession, the government has embarked on an ambitious programme of spending cuts.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says his government has already saved $6bn.

But while many Mexicans support the measures, others are worried that vital services are under threat.

Al Jazeera’s John Holman reports from Mexico City.

Wages growth ‘a long way off’, say top economists

Workers will need to wait for a mining-style boom to see any meaningful pick up in their wages, as most of Australia's top economists describe Treasury's forecasts as "optimistic," dashing hopes that pay packets will rise before 2022.

The unemployment rate will need to get close to 4 per cent, well above the government's goal of creating another 1.25 million jobs, to generate pay increases, according to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Scope survey of 19 of Australia's leading economists.

Rebecca Cassells from the Curtin Business School.

"The unemployment rate at 5.2 per cent will need to fall much further than currently before we expect wage growth to pick up in a meaningful way," she said.

"The natural rate of unemployment in Australia is estimated by the Reserve Bank to be around 4.5 per cent. Experiences in other major economies, especially the US, suggest the unemployment rate needs to be at or under the natural rate for a more prolonged period of time to generate wage pressures."

Stephen Koukoulas from Market Economics was the only one of the economists surveyed to explicitly back the Treasury forecasts.

"They look about right," he said.

President Donald Trump Tweetstorm – The Saturday Edition

The President had some jolly ranchers, but also some lemon sours in the early part of Saturday’s tweetstorm.

A new deal that will open up more of the European market to beef exporters was touted by the Commander-in-Tweet via a tweet from Sen. John Hoeven.(R-ND). No longer will the continent have to ask, “Where’s the beef?”

On a less friendly note, President Trump noted a mean girl tweet from Katie Hopkins on London’s micro-mayor, Sadiq Khan. “The nipple-height Mayor of Londonistan has NEVER been so unpopular. He has MINUS approval ratings because we are stab-city. ” As with ratings and presidential polls, approval ratings are never far from the Trump mind.

Finally, the President found time to tweak China’s tail, reminding them that countries are lining up for deals that would avoid tariffs. “No help from Fed,” was the lone down note there.

We’ll update as more rolls in. The tweetstorm so far: