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☆ U.S. handling of balloon incident 'hysterical', says China's top diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 18 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat Wang Yi said on Saturday that the U.S. handling of the balloon incident had been "unimaginable" and "hysterical" - an "absurd" act that had violated international norms. The incident, which had prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit early this month to Beijing, has further aggravated already strained relations between Washington and Beijing. "We ask the U.S. to show its sincerity and correct its mistakes, face up and resolve this incident, which has damaged Sino-U.S. relations," he said. "We hope the U.S. could pursue a pragmatic and positive policy towards China, and work with China to push Sino-U.S. relations back to the track of healthy development." Reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; editing by Jason Neely and Clelia OzielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. declares Russia committed 'crimes against humanity' in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MUNICH, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The Biden administration formally concluded that Russia has committed "crimes against humanity" during its nearly year-long invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday. The U.N.-backed Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has not yet concluded that the war crimes it says it has identified amount to crimes against humanity. Russia, which says it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine to eliminate threats to its security and protect Russian-speakers, has denied intentionally targeting civilians or committing war crimes. The Biden administration has sought to bring alleged war criminals to justice, including training Ukrainian investigators, imposing sanctions, blocking visas and hiking penalties under U.S. war crimes laws. Kyiv has been pushing for a new international war crimes organization to focus on the Russian invasion, which Moscow has opposed.

☆ After a bumper run, analysts say these 3 oil and gas stocks are set for another 50% rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The oil and gas sector provided investors stellar returns in 2022 when the rest of the market failed to perform. The S & P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Index was up 45% last year. Analysts and fund managers say several key factors may push up oil prices in the near future. Earthstone Energy Shares of Earthstone , a Texas-headquartered independent oil and gas company, are expected to go up by 85.8% by analysts over the next year. Meanwhile, the benchmark S & P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Index has risen by 3% over the same period.

[1/2] The Epic Games logo, maker of the popular video game "Fortnite", is pictured on a screen in this picture illustration August 14, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/Illustration/File PhotoNEW DELHI, Feb 14 (Reuters) - U.S. firm Epic Games is challenging Google in an Indian tribunal for not complying with some portions of an antitrust directive, alleging that the tech giant is not hosting the gaming company's app store on Google's Play Store app. Maker of the popular video game "Fortnite", Epic operates its own app store, Epic Games Store, that offers games and other apps for download. The company claims in the filing it is "exploring launching" the Games Store app on Google Play Store and has been "adversely affected" by Google not complying with the CCI order. Epic is known for campaigns against Apple (AAPL.O) and Google for charging high app store commissions.

☆ Paxos ordered to cease minting Binance stablecoin by New York regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Cryptocurrency firm Paxos will cease issuing new Binance USD, or BUSD , stablecoins under the direction of New York state's financial regulator, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said Monday. "We were informed by Paxos they have been directed to cease minting new BUSD by the New York Department of Financial Services," Zhao said on Twitter. Paxos' BUSD product is related to, but separate from, Binance's self-issued Binance-pegged BUSD. "The Department has not authorized Binance-Peg BUSD on any blockchain, and Binance-Peg BUSD is not issued by Paxos," NYDFS said. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission settled with crypto exchange Kraken over allegations of unregistered offering and sale, in connection with Kraken's crypto staking platform.

☆ China's top diplomat to attend Munich Security Conference, visit Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Feb 13 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat Wang Yi will attend the Munich Security Conference this month and plans to visit several countries including Russia, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday. Wang, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will also visit France, Italy and Hungary this month, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing. The 59th Munich Security Conference will be held over Feb. 17-19, with several global leaders attending, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. (This story has been refiled to correct to Wang on second reference in paragraph 2)Reporting by Martin Pollard; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alec Baldwin attorneys seek to reduce possible penalty in Rust movie set manslaughter case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Actor Alec Baldwin departs his home, as he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust", in New York, January 31, 2023. Alec Baldwin's attorneys filed a motion Friday arguing New Mexico prosecutors have wrongly charged the actor under a statue that doesn't apply to his case — and which carries a mandatory five-year jail sentence. If the case ends up going to trial, jurors would have to decide which involuntary manslaughter charge Baldwin is guilty of, if either. "The prosecutors in this case have committed an unconstitutional and elementary legal error by charging Mr. Baldwin under a statute that did not exist on the date of the accident," Baldwin's attorneys wrote in the motion. Baldwin's attorneys argue the new version of the statute cannot apply to conduct that occurred before it was enacted and called retroactively applying the enhancement "flagrantly unconstitutional."

London CNN —South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster in response to the country’s drawn-out energy crisis, calling it “an existential threat” to Africa’s most developed economy. Blackouts in South Africa — or load-shedding as they’re known locally — have been lasting for as long as 12 hours a day. Dwayne Senior/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesRamaphosa said Thursday that the national state of disaster would begin with immediate effect. Eskom has very little backup power, which makes it difficult to take units offline to perform crucial maintenance work. Years of mismanagement and systematic corruption are believed to be the key reasons why Eskom has been unable to keep the lights on.

☆ French Senate to open commission of inquiry into TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The French Senate will open a commission of inquiry into Chinese social media company TikTok to look into its use and strategy of influence, according to a statement from senator Claude Malhuret's office. The commission of inquiry will aim to shed light on whether TikTok promotes certain content in some parts of the world, excluding China, in order to undermine its foreign users or not, according to Claude Malhuret, the lead senator on the topic. It will also look into the platform's obligations in terms of protecting personal data. The commission, approved last night by a conference of the presidents of political groups in the Senate, will start working from March 1 with 19 members of the Senate. Reporting by Marine Strauss, Blandine Henault; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kim Jong Un abruptly reappears after 36 days out of the spotlight and orders North Korea to 'prepare for war'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kim Jong Un had not been seen in public for 36 days, fueling speculation about his health. But North Korea's leader attended a meeting with military officials on Monday, reports said. He was discussing war strategies as tensions rise around the Korean peninsula, the reports said. Kim's Jong Un's longest-ever break from the spotlight was in 2014, when he was not seen for 40 days. Tensions have been rising around the Korean Peninsula after Pyongyang condemned planned joint military drills between its rival, South Korea, and the US in the area.

☆ North Korea calls for strengthened war readiness posture, expanded drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The meeting comes as North Korea is widely expected to stage a military parade to mark the founding anniversary of its armed forces on Wednesday. Commercial satellite imagery has shown North Korean troops practicing in formation in Pyongyang, and South Korea has also said it was monitoring increased related activities. The military meeting also follows North Korea on Thursday condemning drills by the United States and its allies, saying they have reached an "extreme red-line" and threaten to turn the peninsula into a "huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone." In Thursday's statement, the North Korean foreign ministry condemned a visit to South Korea by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and said Pyongyang was not interested in dialogue as long as Washington pursues hostile policies. When asked about the tensions with North Korea during a stop in the Philippines, Austin said that the U.S. goal was to promote greater security and stability and that it remained committed to defending South Korea.

☆ How to snag discounts through Beni, an online shopping tool that hunts for resale deals on Poshmark, eBay, and The RealReal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Danni Santana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Beni, a browser extension, helps shoppers curate resale listings while browsing retail sites online. BeniShoppers are required to download the Beni extension on Google Chrome or Safari. Then, they must enable the extension while shopping online to view resale listings. "So let's say you find a Patagonia jacket that you really love, we'd show you 20 jackets often that are exactly the same from places like eBay or The RealReal," Pinner said. In return for real-time listings data, Beni markets new resale items to customers as they shop outside of their platforms.

☆ Exclusive: EU industry chief Breton to hold video call with Twitter's Musk - EU official
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - EU industry chief Thierry Breton will hold a video call with Twitter owner Elon Musk on Tuesday to discuss two key EU tech initiatives, a European Commission official said on Tuesday. "The call is to discuss Twitter's implementation of the Digital Services Act and its implementation of the Code of Practice on disinformation," the official said. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip BlenkinsopOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Texas oil regulator advises pipeline operators to prepare for severe winter conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 29 (Reuters) - The Texas oil regulator on Sunday advised oil and gas pipeline operators to secure equipment and facilities after forecasts for severe weather over the next several days. The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), which oversees the state's oil and gas industries, issued the notice after the National Weather Service forecast wintry precipitation and ice accumulations across several parts of the state. The oil regulator advised the operators to secure all personnel, equipment and facilities to prevent injury or damage, and monitor and prepare operations for potential impacts. It also asked the operators to "heed" all watches, warnings and orders issued by local emergency officials and monitor weather reports. Some sleet will be possible," the National Weather Service said in a forecast for portions of north central, northeast and south central Texas.

☆ Seven EU countries oppose new EU funding as response to U.S. subsidy plan - letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Plans by the European Commission to create new European Union funding for the green industry are facing mounting opposition in the 27-nation bloc, as seven EU countries openly rejected the idea in a letter to the EU executive. The letter, seen by Reuters and dated Jan. 26, was signed by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Ireland, Estonia and Slovakia and addressed to the European Commission vice president responsible for trade, Valdis Dombrovskis. All 10 countries say the EU should be using funds already approved instead of seeking more money. But in their letter, the seven countries said the EU should first spend the money it had already agreed to raise through the 800 billion euro post-pandemic recovery and resilience fund (RRF) of grants and cheap loans. "We have to ensure that the economy can better absorb the already agreed EU funding," the seven countries wrote.

☆ George Santos' new treasurer says he doesn't work for him and that his name was signed without his consent
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Fundraising committees associated with George Santos listed a new treasurer on Wednesday. But the man listed said he doesn't work for Santos, and his name was signed without his consent. A legal expert told ABC News that this could be against the law. But that treasurer, Thomas Datwyler, now says he doesn't work for Santos, informed the campaign that he didn't want to work for them, and was listed as serving in the position without his consent. "On Monday, we informed the Santos campaign that Mr. Datwyler would not be serving as treasurer," Datwyler's attorney Derek Ross told ABC News.

☆ Google makes changes to Android in India after antitrust setbacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Aditya Kalra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Hoping to block the implementation of the CCI directives, Google had approached the Supreme Court, warning that growth of its Android ecosystem will stall. The court had also said a lower tribunal - where Google first challenged the Android directives - can continue to hear the company's appeal and must rule by March 31. The U.S. search giant also said it is updating the Android compatibility requirements to introduce changes for partners to build non-compatible variants of Android. In Europe, Google was fined for putting in place what the Commission called unlawful restrictions on Android mobile device makers. Regarding in-app billing, Google said it will start offering users choice billing to all apps and games starting next month which will help developers offer an option to choose alternative systems alongside Google's when purchasing in-app digital content.

☆ India tests domestic operating system days after Google's antitrust setback
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Commuters watch videos on their mobile phones as they travel in a suburban train in Mumbai, India, April 2, 2016. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade/File Photo/File PhotoNEW DELHI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - India's government on Tuesday tested locally developed mobile operating system BharOS, a move seen as challenging the dominance of Google's Android just days after the U.S. giant suffered a major antitrust setback in the country. The government endorsement of the operating system comes after Google lost its fight in India's Supreme Court to block an antitrust order that will force the company to change how it markets its Android operating system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for self-reliance to boost and promote everything from local manufacturing to domestic startups. The operating system has been developed by a startup incubated at an Indian Institute of Technology in southern India.

☆ Factbox: The sun never sets on Google's antitrust woes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O), whose clout in search, the Android smartphone operating system and online advertising upended those markets, faces antitrust fights in the United States, Europe and India. The order, for example, requires Google to allow users to delete apps like its YouTube subsidiary from Android phones. The U.S. Justice Department first sued Google in 2020 for violating antitrust law to maintain dominance in search and to extend its dominance into other areas. SOUTH KOREA: The antitrust regulator fined Alphabet's Google 207 billion won ($176.64 million) in September 2021, saying it abused its dominant market position to restrict competition in the mobile operating system market. These include allegations Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.

☆ China says Covid outbreak has infected 80% of population
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The possibility of a big Covid-19 rebound in China over the next two or three months is remote as 80% of people have been infected, a prominent government scientist said on Saturday. Hundreds of millions of Chinese are traveling across the country for holiday reunions that had been suspended under recently eased Covid curbs, raising fears of fresh outbreaks in rural areas less equipped to manage large outbreaks. China has passed the peak of Covid patients in fever clinics, emergency rooms and with critical conditions, a National Health Commission official said on Thursday. Nearly 60,000 people with Covid had died in hospital as of Jan. 12, roughly a month after China abruptly dismantled its zero-Covid policy, according to government data. But some experts said that figure probably vastly undercounts the full impact, as it excludes those who die at home, and because many doctors have said they are discouraged from citing Covid as a cause of death.

☆ China says COVID outbreak has infected 80% of population
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Jan 21 (Reuters) - The possibility of a big COVID-19 rebound in China over the next two or three months is remote as 80% of people have been infected, a prominent government scientist said on Saturday. Hundreds of millions of Chinese are travelling across the country for holiday reunions that had been suspended under recently eased COVID curbs, raising fears of fresh outbreaks in rural areas less equipped to manage large outbreaks. China has passed the peak of COVID patients in fever clinics, emergency rooms and with critical conditions, a National Health Commission official said on Thursday. Nearly 60,000 people with COVID had died in hospital as of Jan. 12, roughly a month after China abruptly dismantled its zero-COVID policy, according to government data. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Google vows to cooperate with India's antitrust authority after Android ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Indian visitors talk on their mobile phones outside the Google stall at the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi on Sept. 27, 2017. Google said on Friday it will cooperate with India's competition authority after the country's top court upheld an antitrust order forcing the U.S. firm to change how it markets its popular Android platform. On Thursday, Google lost a challenge in the Supreme Court to block the directives, getting seven days to comply. "We remain committed to our users and partners and will cooperate with the CCI on the way forward," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters, without explaining the steps it could take. India's highest court has said a lower tribunal — where Google first challenged the Android directives — can continue to hear the company's appeal and must rule by March 31.

☆ Google vows to cooperate with India antitrust authority after Android ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Aditya Kalra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India's highest court has said a lower tribunal - where Google first challenged the Android directives - can continue to hear the company's appeal and must rule by March 31. Hoping to block the implementation of the CCI directives, Google had challenged the CCI order in the Supreme Court by warning it could stall the growth of the Android ecosystem. There it was fined for putting in place what the Commission called unlawful restrictions on Android mobile device makers. In Europe, Google made changes later including letting Android device users pick their default search engine and said device makers will be able to license the Google mobile application suite separately from the Google Search App or the Chrome browser. Some analysts say Google will now need to make similar changes in India to comply with directives.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will step down by next month because she no longer has "enough in the tank" to do the job justice, she said. ET Wednesday) she would not seek re-election and planned to resign no later than Feb. 7. If a new leader is selected, Ardern said she will resign soon after and a new prime minister will be sworn in. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on May 13, 2020. Her liberal Labour Party won reelection two years ago in a landslide of historic proportions, but recent polls have put her party behind its conservative rivals.

Google challenged the directive in the Supreme Court saying it would hurt consumers and also its business, warning the growth of the Android ecosystem could stall. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which included the chief justice of India, extended the implementation date of CCI's directives by a week beyond Jan. 19, but declined to block the ruling despite Google's repeated requests. Google licenses its Android system to smartphone makers, but critics say it imposes restrictions such as mandatory pre-installation of its own apps that are anti-competitive. Google also says in its India filings that "no other jurisdiction has ever asked for such far-reaching changes". "We have not cut, copy and paste," N Venkataraman, a government lawyer representing the Competition Commission of India (CCI), told the top court.

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