Russia's central bank hiked its key interest rate by 200 basis points to 18% on Friday, the highest level in more than two years, and vowed to continue tightening until inflation rates in an overheated economy come down.

Russia's Central Bank raises its key interest rates to 18%

A heroin &quot;epidemic&quot; is gripping the United States, where cheap supply has helped push the number of users to a 20-year high, increasing drug-related deaths, the United Nations said today. 
 
According to the U.N.&#39;s World Drug Report 2016, the number of heroin users in the United States reached around one million in 2014, almost three times as many as in 2003. Heroin-related deaths there have increased five-fold since 2000. 
 
&quot;There is really a huge epidemic (of) heroin in the U.S.,&quot; said Angela Me, the chief researcher for the report which released today. 
 
&quot;It is the highest definitely in the last 20 years,&quot; Me said, adding that the trend was continuing. 
 
The rise could be linked to U.S. legislation introduced in recent years which makes it harder to abuse prescription opioids such as oxicodone, a powerful painkiller that can have similar effects to heroin, Me said. 
 
The law meant the texture of the pills was changed to make it more difficult to crush them and inject them into the blood stream, Me said. 
 
&quot;This has caused a partial shift from the misuse of these prescription opioids to heroin.&quot; 
 
Another reason for the increase in the use of heroin, which in the United States mainly comes from Mexico and Colombia, is greater supply that has depressed prices in recent years, Me said. 
 
The United States has also seen a spike in deaths related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more so than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
 
Fentanyl has been named as the drug that killed pop singer Prince this year. 
 
At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increasing sharply also over the last two years, according to the Vienna-based U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 
 
&quot;Heroin continues to be the drug that kills the most people and this resurgence must be addressed urgently,&quot; Yury Fedotov, the executive director of the UNODC, said. 
 
U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this year asked Congress for $1.1 billion in new funding over two years to expand treatment for users of heroin and prescription painkillers. 
 
(Reuters)

At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increased in last two years

A heroin "epidemic" is gripping the United States, where cheap supply has helped push the number of users to a 20-year high, increasing drug-related deaths, the United Nations said today. According to the U.N.'s World Drug Report 2016, the number of heroin users in the United States reached around one million in 2014, almost three times as many as in 2003. Heroin-related deaths there have increased five-fold since 2000. "There is really a huge epidemic (of) heroin in the U.S.," said Angela Me, the chief researcher for the report which released today. "It is the highest definitely in the last 20 years," Me said, adding that the trend was continuing. The rise could be linked to U.S. legislation introduced in recent years which makes it harder to abuse prescription opioids such as oxicodone, a powerful painkiller that can have similar effects to heroin, Me said. The law meant the texture of the pills was changed to make it more difficult to crush them and inject them into the blood stream, Me said. "This has caused a partial shift from the misuse of these prescription opioids to heroin." Another reason for the increase in the use of heroin, which in the United States mainly comes from Mexico and Colombia, is greater supply that has depressed prices in recent years, Me said. The United States has also seen a spike in deaths related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more so than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl has been named as the drug that killed pop singer Prince this year. At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increasing sharply also over the last two years, according to the Vienna-based U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). "Heroin continues to be the drug that kills the most people and this resurgence must be addressed urgently," Yury Fedotov, the executive director of the UNODC, said. U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this year asked Congress for $1.1 billion in new funding over two years to expand treatment for users of heroin and prescription painkillers. (Reuters)

Heroin use at 20-year high in U.S. drug "epidemic", U.N. says

Indian manufacturers increased activity for a fifth consecutive month in May, but the pace of expansion was weak as output growth softened for the second month in a row, a&nbsp;business&nbsp;survey showed on Wednesday.

The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers&#39; Index, compiled by Markit, rose to 50.7 in May, from 50.5 in April. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.

Input prices rose at their fastest rate in 14 months but manufacturers absorbed much of the increase. The output price index, which offers clues on inflationary pressures, remained in expansion above 50 but fell from April.

The output sub-index declined to a five-month low, as foreign demand contracted, albeit marginally. Domestic demand appeared to have picked up.

&quot;Signs of challenging economic conditions in the Indian manufacturing sector were evident in May, with output losing further growth momentum,&quot; said Pollyanna De Lima, an economist at Markit.

&quot;So far, there is little evidence that the latest cut in the benchmark rate acted to significantly improve&nbsp;business&nbsp;conditions for manufacturers. Therefore, further stimulus may be necessary to shift the economy into a higher gear.&quot;

The Reserve Bank of India cut its benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points in its April meeting to 6.50 percent, the lowest in more than five years.

But India&#39;s central bank is seen as unlikely to ease again at its June meeting after April retail inflation rose to a faster than expected pace of 5.39 percent, the first pickup in retail inflation since January.

India&#39;s economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace of 7.9 percent in the January-March quarter from a year earlier, which could further persuade the RBI to hold steady.

Indian manufacturers increased activity for a fifth consecutive month in May, but pace of expansion slowed as output growth softened for second month in a row

Indian manufacturers increased activity for a fifth consecutive month in May, but the pace of expansion was weak as output growth softened for the second month in a row, a business survey showed on Wednesday. The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by Markit, rose to 50.7 in May, from 50.5 in April. A reading above 50 indicates expansion. Input prices rose at their fastest rate in 14 months but manufacturers absorbed much of the increase. The output price index, which offers clues on inflationary pressures, remained in expansion above 50 but fell from April. The output sub-index declined to a five-month low, as foreign demand contracted, albeit marginally. Domestic demand appeared to have picked up. "Signs of challenging economic conditions in the Indian manufacturing sector were evident in May, with output losing further growth momentum," said Pollyanna De Lima, an economist at Markit. "So far, there is little evidence that the latest cut in the benchmark rate acted to significantly improve business conditions for manufacturers. Therefore, further stimulus may be necessary to shift the economy into a higher gear." The Reserve Bank of India cut its benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points in its April meeting to 6.50 percent, the lowest in more than five years. But India's central bank is seen as unlikely to ease again at its June meeting after April retail inflation rose to a faster than expected pace of 5.39 percent, the first pickup in retail inflation since January. India's economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace of 7.9 percent in the January-March quarter from a year earlier, which could further persuade the RBI to hold steady.

Indian factory growth picks up slightly in May - PMI

The Brazilian Senate has approved a bill that will increase penalties for gang rapes. 
 
At present, Brazil`s Criminal Code establishes penalties between six and 10 years in prison for rape, and up to 12 years if the sexual assault is committed by more than two people, EFE news reported. 
 
With the new law approved by the Senate on Tuesday, the penalty for gang rape would be increased up to over 13 years, although the sentence could be higher if the victim is under 14 or dies after the assault. 
 
President of the Senate Renan Calheiros said the bill is in response to the rape of a 16-year-old girl in a slum of Rio de Janeiro, a video of which was made available online. 
 
The girl told police that she was drugged, raped and when she woke up, she was surrounded by 33 men armed with guns and rifles. 
 
The police confirmed that the rape is &quot;proven&quot; and that the number of rapists who took part in the assault is being investigated. 
 
The case, which came to light last week, deeply saddened Brazil and prompted a string of condemnations including from the suspended President Dilma Rousseff and interim head of state Michel Temer. 
 
While the investigations continue, the government announced the establishment of a new department to fight the crimes against women, which will be under the justice ministry.

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly drugged and raped by 30 men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The incident sparked an immediate backlash on the social media with a video of the rape getting viral on Twitter and other platforms.

The Brazilian Senate has approved a bill that will increase penalties for gang rapes. At present, Brazil`s Criminal Code establishes penalties between six and 10 years in prison for rape, and up to 12 years if the sexual assault is committed by more than two people, EFE news reported. With the new law approved by the Senate on Tuesday, the penalty for gang rape would be increased up to over 13 years, although the sentence could be higher if the victim is under 14 or dies after the assault. President of the Senate Renan Calheiros said the bill is in response to the rape of a 16-year-old girl in a slum of Rio de Janeiro, a video of which was made available online. The girl told police that she was drugged, raped and when she woke up, she was surrounded by 33 men armed with guns and rifles. The police confirmed that the rape is "proven" and that the number of rapists who took part in the assault is being investigated. The case, which came to light last week, deeply saddened Brazil and prompted a string of condemnations including from the suspended President Dilma Rousseff and interim head of state Michel Temer. While the investigations continue, the government announced the establishment of a new department to fight the crimes against women, which will be under the justice ministry.

Brazilian Senate approves increased penalties for gang rape

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