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☆ Siemens posts industrial profit drop as automation division slows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Karl-Josef Hildenbrand | Picture Alliance | Getty ImagesGerman technology giant Siemens on Thursday reported a drop in profit at its industrial business in the fiscal second quarter and said its automation division had slowed. The company's industrial profit came in at 2.51 billion euro ($2.73 billion) in the three months ending in March, down 2% from the same quarter last year. The figure was also below the company-compiled analyst forecast of 2.68 billion euro which was reported by Reuters. Net income fell to 2.2 billion euro in the three months to the end of March, down 38% year-on-year, while sales shed 1% to 19.16 billion euro. watch nowSiemens focuses on automation and digitalization and produces technology for a range of sectors such as transport and healthcare.

Persons: Karl, Josef Hildenbrand, Roland Busch, CNBC's Annette Weisbach, Busch Organizations: Getty, Siemens, Reuters Locations: Bavaria, Munich, London

☆ 'Underappreciated beneficiaries' of AI: Morgan Stanley shares Asian names and gives one 113% upside
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Many U.S. companies have caught the attention of investors amid the artificial intelligence boom, but there are "underappreciated beneficiaries" in Asia-Pacific, according to Morgan Stanley. Beneficiaries could be both AI adopters and enablers — or those that are a mix of both, according to Morgan Stanley. The greatest share of AI beneficiaries in Asia and emerging markets were found in IT and communications, it said. At the opposite end of the spectrum, sectors Morgan Stanley said had "unknown" AI impact included real estate, materials and energy. Here are some names in Morgan Stanley's screens of AI beneficiaries — enablers, adopters and those that are both — that it says have the "most potential for outperformance over the next 12 months."

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Financials, Morgan Stanley's, — Organizations: U.S Locations: Asia, Japan, States, Pacific, United States, Morgan

☆ Italy Looks to Use G7 Chair to Boost Support for Ukraine, Scrutinise AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Italy will chair the G7, which also groups the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France and Canada, throughout 2024 and will host a summit in June. However, the source said G7 leaders were determined to show they remained fully committed to Kyiv and could not risk showing signs of weakness two years after Russia invaded its neighbour. "We must change the narrative on Ukraine," the source said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin had lost significant financial, military and diplomatic clout since the invasion. Italy is planning to stage 20 ministerial meetings during its G7 presidency, kicking off with a three-day gathering from March 13-15 on industry, technology and digitalisation, which will put a spotlight on the fast-paced AI revolution. Rome will also propose creating a steering committee to ensure greater G7 coordination on AI.

Persons: Crispian Balmer, Angelo Amante ROME, Vladimir Putin, Giorgia Meloni, Angelo Amante, Nick Macfie Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, Kyiv, Italy's Locations: Italy, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Africa, China, Washington, Brussels, Kyiv, Puglia, Rome, Beijing

☆ McDonald's raises China bet, bucking Western firms' derisking trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] A woman sits on a swing attached to a giant sign of McDonald's, outside its themed exhibition in Beijing, China December 4, 2023. One advantage for McDonald’s: its majority partner in the China business, CITIC, provides top-level political cover, said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. McDonald's China, Carlyle Group and CITIC declined to comment. Other consumer-facing U.S. firms, including Starbucks (SBUX.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Coach owner Tapestry (TPR.N) and sportswear giant Nike (NKE.N), have remained similarly dedicated to the China market. Although the McDonald's China menu would be familiar to U.S. consumers, there are nods to local tastes, including taro pie, rather than apple.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, McDonald's, Jason Yu, Kantar, Yu, Carlyle, Wallace, Greg, Euromonitor, Ben Cavender, Casey, Kane Wu, Deborah Sophia, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Group, Carlyle Group, Starbucks, Apple, Nike, Research, Investment, China Market Research, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, U.S, Hong Kong, Macau, Yum China, Russia, Shanghai, Bengaluru

The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Staff/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The EU is falling behind Britain in tapping into savers' money to boost the stock market, despite reforms in continental Europe being a step in the right direction, an official with Germany's bourse told Reuters. For Maassen there is an opportunity in Europe to rival US capital markets. Maassen urged policymakers to speed up the implementation of the Capital Markets Union, a longstanding project to create a single market for capital beyond national borders. Earlier this month, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde called for a capital markets union, with a single supervisor and trading infrastructure, to finance its digitalisation and green transition.

Persons: Stefan Maassen, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, ThyssenKrupp, Maassen, Germany's, Christine Lagarde, Lagarde, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Anousha Sakoui, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Germany's bourse, Reuters, Capital Markets, Deutsche, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Schott Pharma, OLB Bank, DKV, New York Stock Exchange, EU, Capital Markets Union, European Union, European Central Bank, ., Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, EU, Europe, we're, U.S

☆ EU executive approves 900 mln euros in funds for Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

EU support is crucial to Ukraine, which has been struggling to push back a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. EU officials said Hungary's amended recovery plan is worth a total of 10.4 billion euros over several years - or about 5% of Hungary's 2023 GDP - including 4.6 billion euros under RePowerEU: 0.7 billion euros in grants and 3.9 billion in loans. EU officials said Hungary would use the RePowerEU money to modernise its electricity sector through smart metres and digitalisation of energy companies. EU officials expected two payments of around 460 million euros each to follow next year. EU officials told Reuters last month that the bloc was considering unlocking aid for Hungary to win Budapest's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Laszlo Balogh, Viktor Orban, Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hungarian, European Union, National Bank of Hungary, REUTERS, Ukraine EU, European Commission, Ukraine, Kyiv, Fidesz, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, Brussels, Russia, EU, Moscow

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. In recent weeks, talks have hit stumbling blocks over the extent to which companies should be allowed to self-regulate. Alexandra van Huffelen, Dutch minister for digitalisation, told Reuters the OpenAI saga underscored the need for strict rules. "Please don't gut the EU AI Act; we need it now more than ever." Reporting by Martin Coulter and Supantha Mukherjee; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Altman, Carlos Barria, Altman, OpenAI’s, Brando Benifei, ”, Alexandra van Huffelen, Gary Marcus, Martin Coulter, Supantha Mukherjee, Susan Fenton Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, European Commission, EU, Reuters, Microsoft, New York University, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, European, OpenAI, France, Germany, Italy

☆ Zelenskiy calls for rapid operations changes for soldiers, sacks commander
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday demanded rapid changes in the operations of Ukraine's military and announced the dismissal of the commander of the military's medical forces. "In today's meeting with Defence Minister Umerov, priorities were set," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. Zelenskiy said he had replaced Major-General Tetiana Ostashchenko as commander of the Armed Forces Medical Forces. "The task is clear, as has been repeatedly stressed in society, particularly among combat medics, we need a fundamentally new level of medical support for our soldiers," he said. Umerov acknowledged the change on the Telegram messaging app and set as top priorities digitalisation, "tactical medicine" and rotation of servicemen.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy's, Rustem Umerov, Umerov, Zelenskiy, Tetiana Ostashchenko, Valery Zaluzhniy, Ostashchenko, Anatoliy Kazmirchuk, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr, Chris Reese Organizations: Sunday, Russia, Defence, Armed Forces Medical Forces, Russian, Major, Thomson Locations: Dnipro, Kherson, Ukrainian, Ukraine, United States, Kyiv

Yasunori Ogawa, Seiko Epson Corporation President and Representative Director and CEO, talks about their strategy at the company office in Tokyo, Japan, October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Miho Uranaka Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Printing giant Seiko Epson (6724.T) is betting on growth in the Middle East and Africa as demand ebbs in its home market of Japan and other developed nations, its chief executive said. The Middle East, Turkey, and Africa were growth highlights in fiscal 2022. "Our products are not yet widely distributed in the Middle East, and there is tremendous potential there," Yasunori Ogawa said in an interview after the company posted quarterly results on Friday. To eke out more growth in developed markets, Epson plans to shift its portfolio more towards commercial and industrial customers looking to reduce waste.

Persons: Yasunori Ogawa, Miho Uranaka, Ogawa, stokes, Rocky Swift, Stephen Coates Organizations: Seiko Epson Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, Seiko Epson, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, East, Africa, Turkey, India, Dubai

Reuters reviewed a confidential draft of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) "guide to AI ethics and governance," whose content has not previously been reported. In contrast to the EU's AI Act, the ASEAN "AI guide" asks companies to take countries' cultural differences into consideration and doesn’t prescribe unacceptable risk categories, according to the current version reviewed. With almost 700 million people and over a thousand ethnic groups and cultures, Southeast Asian countries have widely divergent rules governing censorship, misinformation, public content and hate speech that would likely affect AI regulation. The ASEAN guide advises companies to put in place an AI risk assessment structure and AI governance training, but leaves specifics to companies and local regulators. EU officials and lawmakers told Reuters that the bloc would continue to hold talks with Southeast Asian states to align over broader principles.

Persons: Stephen Braim, Alexandra van Huffelen, Fanny Potkin, Supantha Mukherjee, Panu, Sam Holmes Organizations: Reuters, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN Digital, Companies, IBM, Google, ASEAN, Technology, United States, NIST, U.S . Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards, Meta, Southeast, EU, European Commission, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, STOCKHOLM, Thailand, United, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Brussels, Singapore, Stockholm, Bangkok

☆ Exclusive: China's Nio explores investment, tech alliances with Mercedes - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Nio, when contacted, denied it talked to Mercedes on a collaboration, calling it "untrue", without elaborating. Mercedes said in a separate response that there were no collaboration plans with Nio at the moment. Chinese EV companies may also be able to navigate potential trade barriers better by forging such tie-ups. Nio, whose investors include Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), has publicly called for more such tie-ups with established automakers. ($1 = 7.3127 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: William Li, Ola Kaellenius, Nio, Mercedes, Leapmotor, Elon Musk, Tesla, Nio's Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Ilona Wissenbach, Muralikumar Organizations: HK, Mercedes, Benz, Nio, EV, Volkswagen, SAIC, Audi, VW's, Tencent Holdings, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Tesla, Frankfurt

☆ Explainer: What's at stake in Telecom Italia grid deal?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TIM is selling NetCo, a venture comprising both TIM's domestic fixed-access network and international wholesale telecoms operator Sparkle. TIM's landline network covers nearly 89% of the country's households and its fibre cable stretches over 23 million kilometres across the country. Beyond TIM's grid, a second major network is being rolled out by Open Fiber, a company controlled by CDP and Australian investment group Macquarie. There had long been talks of trying to combine TIM's network with Open Fiber but competition concerns have hampered such a deal so far. With its 24% voting stake, Vivendi could throw a spanner in the works at any TIM shareholder meeting to vote on a deal or challenge it in the courts.

Persons: Yara, Pietro Labriola's, Giorgia, Elvira Pollina, Keith Weir, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, KKR, Italian Treasury, Telecom Italia's, TIM, WHO, Vivendi, Treasury, Trade, Macquarie, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM, Sept 21 (Reuters) - European Union lawmaker Brando Benifei, who is leading negotiations on artificial intelligence rules, on Thursday urged EU countries to compromise in key areas in order to reach agreement with the bloc's executive by the end of the year. The thorniest issues are biometric surveillance and copyrighted material used by ChatGPT and other generative AI. Lawmakers want a ban on AI use in biometric surveillance but EU countries led by France want exceptions for national security, defence and military purposes. Lawmakers also want AI legislation to cover copyrighted material used by companies like OpenAI, backed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), while EU countries say the bloc's current copyright rules offer sufficient protection. Copyright should be dealt with in the copyright law," she told Reuters, chiming with EU countries on the second matter.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Brando Benifei, Benifei, Alexandra van Huffelen, Svenja Hahn, Guillaume Couneson, Linklaters, Foo Yun Chee, Martin Coulter, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Union, European Commission, Microsoft Corp, Reuters, UN, Assembly, Global Tech Sector, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, STOCKHOLM, France, Europe, New York, Spain, London

☆ Portugal's telecom watchdog working with operators to bar Huawei
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Portugal's telecom watchdog said on Monday it is working with operators to implement a high-level resolution which effectively bars Huawei's equipment from the country's 5G mobile networks, despite legal objections from the Chinese company. Huawei filed a lawsuit with a Lisbon court against the resolution at the end of August, seeking "protection of its legitimate interests and legal rights under the law". Portugal's main operators, Altice, NOS (NOS.LS) and Vodafone (VOD.L) have already said they will not use Huawei equipment in 5G core networks, amid European and U.S. concerns that Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure could compromise security. "It is work that is ongoing and we hope that it will be carried out successfully. We can assure the Portuguese that we are also working together with the operators", he added.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Joao Cadete de Matos, Matos, Mario Campolargo, Sergio Goncalves, Alexander Smith Organizations: Huawei Technologies, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, Portugal's, Huawei, Vodafone, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Rights LISBON, Portuguese, Lisbon, Beijing

☆ Belgium urges Apple to update iPhone 12 software across EU- minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Belgium's state secretary for digitalisation said on Friday he had asked Apple to upgrade the iPhone 12 software across EU countries, adding however that based on a preliminary review by the Belgian regulator the handset presents no danger to users. Mathieu Michel said in a statement that while a review of the phone by the IBPT regulator was still underway, the first results were "reassuring" and there was no need for a recall of the phone in Belgium. Belgium said on Thursday it would review potential health risks linked to Apple's iPhone 12, raising the prospect that more European countries might ban the model after France ordered a halt to sales due to breaches of radiation exposure limits. Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, writing by GV De Clercq, editing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: digitalisation, Mathieu Michel, Tassilo Hummel, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: Apple, GV, Thomson Locations: Belgian, Belgium, France

PARIS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Belgium said on Thursday it would review the potential health risks linked to Apple's iPhone 12, becoming the latest European country to react after France ordered a halt to sales citing breaches of radiation exposure limits. Apple on Wednesday said the iPhone 12, launched in 2020, was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with radiation standards and that it was contesting France's findings. But Paris' move to halt iPhone 12 sales until Apple fixes the radiation issues detected in two tests raised the prospect of further bans in Europe. Researchers have conducted a vast number of studies over the last two decades to assess health risks resulting from mobile phones. According to the World Health Organisation, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use.

Persons: Mathieu Michel, digitalisation, Michel, Marine Strauss, Tassilo Hummel, Giuseppe Fonte, Ingrid Melander, Mark Potter Organizations: Apple, World Health, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Belgium, France, Paris, Europe, Belgium's, U.S, Brussels, Rome

☆ Israel central bank says digital shekel launch an 'open question'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Bank of Israel in November 2021 stepped up its research and preparation for the possible issuance of a digital shekel to create a more efficient payments system after first considering issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in late 2017. "Whether or not we will issue a digital shekel is still an open question, as it is in most if not all other advanced economies," Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron said at a conference on digital currencies. Israel's central bank has been experimenting with a digital shekel with its Hong Kong counterpart and the Bank for International Settlements. Deputy Governor Andrew Abir said that for Israel, issuing a digital shekel would provide more competition in a financial system dominated by a few large banks and institutions. "I believe central banks should return to examine the possibility (of) remunerated CBDCs – that is, for the central bank to pay interest CBDC directly to the end users who hold it, and enjoy the security provided by the central bank.

Persons: Amir Yaron, Yaron, Israel, Andrew Abir, Abir, Steven Scheer, Alexander Smith, Mark Porter Organizations: The Bank of Israel, Bank of Israel, Hong Kong, Bank for International, Thomson Locations: Israel

☆ Lloyd's of London swings to first-half profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The interior of the Lloyd's of London building is seen in the City of London financial district in London, Britain, April 16, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Lloyd's of London (SOLYD.UL) swung to a first-half pre-tax profit of 3.9 billion pounds ($4.88 billion), helped by rises in premium rates and positive investment returns, the commercial insurance market said on Thursday. Lloyd's recorded a loss of 1.8 billion pounds for the same period a year ago. The COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war, inflation and climate change-fuelled natural catastrophes have helped insurers and reinsurers to raise premiums, improving their profits. Lloyd's saw a net investment return of 1.8 billion pounds, compared with a loss of 3.1 billion pounds a year earlier.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Lloyd's, ”, John Neal, Carolyn Cohn, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Global, Thomson Locations: London, City, Britain, Ukraine

☆ Portugal keen on new subsea cable to improve Europe-US connectivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, July 26 (Reuters) - Portugal is interested in hosting a new high-capacity subsea cable to North America to improve internet connectivity between Europe and the U.S., the secretary of state for digitalisation told Reuters on Wednesday. Subsea cables form the backbone of the world wide web, carrying 99% of global data traffic. Two high-capacity subsea cables already link Portugal with other continents - the Google (GOOGL.O)-owned Equiano cable that runs to South Africa via other African countries, and the EllaLink that runs to Brazil from Sines, south of Lisbon. "Our aim is to improve connectivity between Europe and the U.S., implying that Sines would become yet another gateway," Mario Campolargo said. Portugal already has mega-investments lined up in Sines to produce renewable energy and green hydrogen to power industry and energy-intensive data centres.

Persons: digitalisation, Mario Campolargo, Davidson Kempner, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip Organizations: Reuters, Google, Partners, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, North America, Europe, U.S, South Africa, Brazil, Sines, Lisbon

☆ Portugal won't compensate telcos for replacing "high-risk" equipment
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Europe and the U.S. have concerns that Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure could compromise security. The Security Assessment Commission created within the scope of the CSSC has over the past nine months assessed the security aspects of all existing equipment in Portugal, regardless of "technology, merit or quality", and applied the criteria of the EU 5G security toolbox. "Because there is this balance between security and the operators' return on investment, Portugal does not consider compensating them for replacing equipment," he said. Asked if the deliberation was aimed at Chinese suppliers such as Huawei, he said: "Of course not". Portugal's main operators, Altice, NOS (NOS.LS) and Vodafone (VOD.L) have already said they would not use Huawei's equipment in 5G core networks.

Persons: Mario Campolargo, Campolargo, Sergio Goncalves, David Evans Organizations: Huawei, Reuters, Union, U.S, EU, NATO, OECD, Vodafone, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, digitalisation, Europe, Beijing, EU

☆ China to be centre of Mercedes-Benz 2025 EV sales drive, Automobilwoche says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, July 23 (Reuters) - Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) is making China, the world's top auto market, central to its next electric vehicle (EV) campaign starting in 2025, its CEO told German magazine Automobilwoche. From 2025, all of Mercedes-Benz's new vehicle platforms will only make EVs under a strategy the German luxury automaker outlined in 2021. A senior executive told Automobilwoche the models the company plans to launch in China based on the upcoming MB.EA platform were being reviewed to ensure they better meet the needs of local customers, singling out space and digital content. China remains the most relevant market for Germany's automakers, but local brands are in control with an 81% share of the Chinese EV market in 2022, Counterpoint Research found. China also has a significant stake in Mercedes-Benz, whose top two shareholders are Beijing Automotive Group Co Ltd (1958.HK) and Geely (GEELY.UL) Chairman Li Shufu.

Persons: Ola Kaellenius, Automobilwoche, Li Shufu, Christoph Steitz, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Benz, Mercedes, EV, Research, Beijing Automotive Group Co, HK, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, China, Berlin, Ukraine

In mid-2020 Rome secured the lion's share of a 724-billion-euro kitty aimed at helping EU members emerge from COVID greener and more tech-friendly. Italy's 191.5 billion euros ($210 billion) of cheap loans and grants, to be received in tranches through 2026, was intended for productive investments in the bloc's most chronically stagnant economy. MICRO-PROJECTSMore than half the EU money is meant to go on digitalisation and ecological transition, with the rest devoted to sustainable transport, education, social cohesion and health. The government is still awaiting a 19-billion-euro tranche of the EU funds blocked in March over missed policy targets stemming from 2022. It brings Italy's byzantine rules closer to EU standards, but Gobbato said people will initially find it hard to adapt.

Persons: Flavio Lo Scalzo, Rome, Roberto Perotti, Giorgia Meloni, Mario Draghi, Giuseppe Conte, Carlo Messina, Intesa, Vittorio Soldavini, Davide Carlucci, It's, Gustavo Piga, Rome's, Ilaria, Dentons, Gobbato, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Milan's Bocconi University, Treasury, European Central Bank, Technology, Tor Vergata University, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy, ROME, MILAN, tranches, Brussels, Italy's, Italian, Parma

☆ Their parents made China the world's factory. Can the kids save the family business?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( David Kirton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Du, like tens of thousands of other young Chinese factory bosses, is inheriting a basic manufacturing business that can no longer rely on the labour-intensive model that made China the world's largest exporter of goods. Those skills would come in handy in a factory the Chinese state set up in 1951 and privatised in 2002. Like five of the other chang er dai who spoke to Reuters, Zhang never planned to take over the factory. Chang er dai, however, help lift the bottom, which is also important for preserving China's share of world manufacturing, two industry experts told Reuters. Not all chang er dai will get there.

Persons: Steven Du, Du, Zhang Zhipeng, Mao Zedong's, Du said, Zhang, Zhang Zeqing, Chang, Zhou Yuxiang, Tian Weihua, Tian, Zhang Ying, David Kirton, Marius Zaharia, David Crawshaw Organizations: Shenzhen Research Institute of High, Reuters, Apple, Agricultural Products, Lake Technologies, Science, Technology Innovation Research Institute, University of Arts, Workers, Thomson Locations: RUICHANG, China, Shanghai, Southeast Asia, India, New Zealand, United States, TW, Wisconsin, Ruichang, France, London, Ningbo

☆ Greece’s reform labours are only half complete
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Greece’s large current account deficit and domestic corruption undermine its attraction as an investment destination. The issue, rather, is whether Greece will be able to attract investment in the quantities needed for it to fulfil its potential. What’s more, investment is still only 14% of national income, even though this measure expanded during Mitsotakis’ first term as prime minister. Well-designed tax and benefit reforms could even reduce the country’s unemployment rate, which is currently 12%, thereby increasing its productive potential. All this would provide a buffer if Greece or the world economy is hit by further shocks in coming years.

Persons: Hercules, Mitsotakis, Bruegel, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Union, International Monetary Fund, Bank of, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Twitter, Thomson Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Mitsotakis ’, Bank of Greece, Mitsotakis

☆ Polish news websites hit by DDoS attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, May 18 (Reuters) - Several Polish news websites were hit by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that the government said could be the action of Russian hacking groups, the digitalisation minister was quoted as saying on Thursday. DDoS attacks work by directing high volumes of internet traffic towards targeted servers in a relatively unsophisticated bid to knock them offline. Asked whether Russian groups were behind the attacks, Cieszynski said "we have such information". According to PAP, the websites affected included those of daily newspapers Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita and Super Express. Reporting by Alan Charlish and Karol Badohal; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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