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☆ US, Britain Carry Out Strikes Across Yemen in Retaliation for Houthi Attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

A U.S. official said more than a dozen locations were targeted in strikes that were not just symbolic but intended to weaken the Houthis' military capabilities. The United States and allies had deployed a naval task force to the area in December, and the situation had escalated in recent days. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is in hospital due to surgery complications, said in a statement that the strikes targeted Houthi drones, ballistic and cruise missiles, costal radar and air surveillance. The United States also accused Iran of being involved operationally in the Houthi attacks, providing the military capabilities and intelligence to carry them out. The United States has troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq, and has previously retaliated for attacks there by Iran-backed groups.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, Houthis, Sanaa, Ali Ahmad, Mahmoud, James Heappey, Brent, Lloyd Austin, Tesla, Andreas Krieg, Andrew Mills, Maher Hatem, Jeff Mason, Kanishka Singh, Eric Beech, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan Organizations: British, U.S, Hamas, U.S . Defense, Washington, King's College, United, West Bank Locations: ADEN, Yemen, Iran, Gaza, Sanaa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Hajjah governorate, United States, Israel, Europe, Asia, U.S, Britain, Africa, Germany, London . Saudi Arabia, U.N, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Washington, Doha, Dubai

☆ Four new work benefits that may help you save more in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But for anyone who doesn’t have emergency savings, or who has student loans to pay or who is a long-term part-time worker, that challenge is especially hard. Making student loan payments could help boost your 401(k)Paying off student loans can put a crimp in how much someone can save for retirement. That way, the employee can accrue retirement savings even if they aren’t able to make significant contributions themselves. Boosting emergency savings and access to fundsSecure 2.0 includes two provisions that pertain to emergency savings. That means in 2025, any part-timer who has logged 500 years annually in 2023 and 2024 would be eligible to start saving in their employer’s 401(k) and would be eligible for the employer match.

Persons: Brian Graff, Graff, Gen Xers, NIRS, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Retirement Association, National Institute on Retirement Security, Boomers, ARA, Employees, Secure Locations: New York

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. Brent crude futures were down 60 cents, or 0.7%, at $79.98 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures lost 68 cents, or 0.9%, to $74.86. OPEC+ is looking at deepening oil production cuts despite its policy meeting being postponed to this Thursday, an OPEC+ source said on Monday. The Middle East crisis had impacted oil prices as investors worried about impacts on supply.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Rebecca Babin, Goldman Sachs, Arathy Somasekhar, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Mohi Narayan, Peter Graff, Mark Potter, Tomasz Janowski, Cynthia Osterman, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, HOUSTON, Brent, . West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, Reuters, Saudi, CIBC Private Wealth, ING, OPEC, United, International Energy Agency, Qatar, Hamas, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, Saudi, Russia, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Turkey, United States, Gaza, Houston, London

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. Brent crude futures were down 60 cents, or 0.7%, at $79.98 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures lost 68 cents, or 0.9%, to $74.86. "We still expect an extension of the unilateral Saudi and Russia cuts through at least the first quarter of 2024," the bank added. Higher crude stockpiles in the United States have also put downward pressure on prices, analysts said. The Middle East crisis had impacted oil prices as investors worried about impacts on supply.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Rebecca Babin, Goldman Sachs, Arathy Somasekhar, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Mohi Narayan, Peter Graff, Mark Potter, Tomasz Janowski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, HOUSTON, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, Reuters, Saudi, CIBC Private Wealth, ING, OPEC, United, International Energy Agency, Qatar, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, Saudi, Russia, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Turkey, United States, Gaza, Houston, London

☆ In setback, Wilders' first post-election appointee resigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The swift departure of Gom van Strien, appointed on Friday by Wilders, underlines the difficulties ahead for coalition talks as Wilders seeks to form a government with himself as prime minister. "Therefore I have informed Geert Wilders and the chairwoman of parliament I will lay down my work as scout immediately," he said in a statement. Wilders' PVV booked major gains in the Nov. 22 election. Van Strien had been due to meet with VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz on Monday. Newspaper NRC Handelsblad first reported on Saturday that Van Strien was sued in March by a subsidiary of Utrecht University over alleged fraud.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Wilders, Van Strien, Gom van Strien, PVV, Mark Rutte, Dilan Yesilgoz, Pieter Omtzigt, Toby Sterling, Peter Graff, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Freedom Party, VVD Party, NSC Party, NRC, Utrecht University, Thomson Locations: The Hague, Netherlands, AMSTERDAM, Dutch, Wilders

In the southern town of Khan Younis, which has been housing thousands of displaced families including from heavily bombarded northern Gaza, streets were packed with people on the move. "A four-day truce is not enough, those (in the north) of Gaza, may God give them patience. SOME PEOPLE STAYAlaa Al Moubachar, sitting outside a Khan Younis medical centre with her children, said the neighbourhood where she lived in Gaza City had been destroyed. "I just want to go back, even if just for an hour to see my house and the neighbourhood, to see Gaza (City) and what happened to it." Some Palestinians in Khan Younis say they will wait until the end of the war before returning home.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, KHAN YOUNIS, Ahmad Wael, trudging, Souad Abou Nasirat, We're, Al Moubachar, Ahmad Kabalan, Israel, Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff Organizations: REUTERS, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Khan, Gaza City, City

"We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce." A U.S. State Department official called the truce a "hopeful moment" but said work would continue to free all the hostages. Israel had received an initial list of hostages to be freed and was in touch with families, the prime minister's office said. Hamas said 30 people had been killed in an Israeli strike on a school affiliated with the UNRWA in Jabalia. Israel says Hamas fighters use residential and other civilian buildings, including hospitals, as cover.

Persons: Majed Al, Ansari, Joe Biden, Abu Ubaida, Daniel Hagari, Israel, U.N, Philippe Lazzarini, Abu Mustafa, Neighbour Khaled Hamad, Gilad Korngold, Khan Younis, Nasser, Al Shifa, Muhammad Abu Salamiya, Peter Graff, Andrew Heavens, Deepa Babington, William Maclean, Mark Heinrich, Jonathan Oatis, Diane Craft Organizations: Gaza Hamas, UNRWA, Hamas, Qatari, Doha, U.S . State Department, West Bank, UNRWA's, REUTERS, Gaza, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Palestinian, Gaza, DOHA, GAZA, Israel, Qatar, Gaza City, Massachusetts, Nantucket, U.S, Rafah, Jabalia, Indonesian, Gaza's

☆ Israel-Hamas war: Four-day truce agreed, 50 hostages to go free
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Hamas and allied groups captured around 240 hostages when Islamist gunmen rampaged through southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Beyond that, the truce could be extended day by day as long as an additional 10 hostages were freed per day. Hamas said the initial 50 hostages would be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children imprisoned in Israel. The truce deal is a first small step towards peace in the most violent ruction of the 75-year-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict. To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel," Netanyahu said in a recorded message.

Persons: Guterres, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al, Alexander Ermochenko, Mona, Joe Biden, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Antonio Guterres, Netanyahu, James Mackenzie, Dan Williams, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Andrew Mills, Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Lincoln, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich, Cynthia Osterman, Stephen Coates, Simon Cameron, Moore, Nick Macfie Organizations: Hamas, Israeli, State, Foreign Ministry, Reuters, REUTERS, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Israel’s Defence Ministry, Saudi Foreign, Thomson Locations: GAZA, JERUSALEM, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Israel ., Jabalia, U.S, Jerusalem, Doha, Washington, Cairo

☆ Israel's far-right finance minister demands expanded war cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Israel's far-right finance minister, who has so far been excluded from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet, called on Monday for lawmakers taking a harder line towards Hamas to be included in decisions about the war. "I think this grave mistake necessitates the expansion of the war cabinet," said Smotrich, arguing that letting in fuel gave Hamas a lifeline during the war. Smotrich, in a statement, said the war cabinet should include "opinions that until today have not been heard", including from those with a record of calling for Hamas to be eliminated. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Steve Scheer Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Smotrich, Ari Rabinovitch, Steve Scheer, Peter Graff Organizations: Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Likud, Finance, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel, Israel's, U.S, Gaza

☆ Hungary's Orban erects billboards vilifying EU's von der Leyen
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Hungary's ruling party unveiled billboards vilifying European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Monday, the first time it has made her a personal target in a campaign similar to one against her predecessor that angered Brussels. The billboards, erected overnight to launch a campaign for next June's European parliamentary election, depict Von der Leyen alongside Alex Soros, the son of liberal Hungarian-born financier George Soros, a perennial target of hostility from Orban's Fidesz Party. Soros is Jewish and some critics view the central role he plays in Fidesz propaganda as evidence of anti-Semitism, which Fidesz strongly denies. Similar billboards showing Von der Leyen's predecessor Jean-Claude Juncker alongside the elder Soros drew a rebuke from Brussels in 2019. Orban sent out a survey on Friday to Hungarians asking whether the EU should allocate more funds to Ukraine or grant it membership.

Persons: Ursula Von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Alex Soros, George Soros, Soros, Von der, Jean, Claude Juncker, Orban, Krisztina, Peter Graff Organizations: Fidesz Party, Jewish, Fidesz, EPP, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Brussels, Hungarian, Hungary, Europe, Russia, Ukraine

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg concerned by secessionist rhetoric in Bosnia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Daria Sito-Sucic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shakes hands with Bosnian Prime Minister Borjana Kristo during his visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, November 20, 2023. Bosnia emerged from a 1992-1995 war with a federal structure uniting a Serb-dominated republic with a federation of Croats and Bosniak Muslims. "We are concerned by secessionist and divisive rhetoric as well as .. foreign interference including Russia," Stoltenberg told reporters in Sarajevo, his first stop during a tour of the Western Balkans region. NATO has warned about risks for Bosnia from foreign interference, particularly from Russia, and agreed to help to shore up its ability to defend itself. Every country has the right to choose its security arrangements without foreign interference," Stoltenberg said after meeting the chairwoman of Bosnia's Council of Ministers, Borjana Kristo.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Borjana Kristo, Amel, Milorad Dodik, Stoltenberg, Christian Schmidt, " Stoltenberg, Borjana, Daria Sito, Toby Chopra, Peter Graff Organizations: NATO, Bosnian, REUTERS, Rights, Representative, UN Security Council, Bosnia's, Ministers, Thomson Locations: Sarajevo, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Rights SARAJEVO, Serbia, Russia, Western Balkans, Yugoslavia, masse, EU, Ukraine, Balkans, Bosnian, Russian Bosnian Serbs

With Al Ahli hospital shaking from Israeli tank fire and no more anaesthetics left to operate, British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta told his team it was time to leave the last fully functioning hospital in Gaza City. All northern hospitals have effectively ceased functioning. Abu Sitta said a message had been received at Al Ahli hospital saying it had been surrounded by Israeli tanks. He said patients needing treatment remained at Al Ahli, and that another hospital in northern Gaza had been unable to take them. "Basically, the whole of northern Gaza now has no functioning hospital," he said.

Persons: Ghassan Abu Sitta, it's, Abu Sitta, Israel, Al Ahli, Al Shifa, Nidal al, Abir Al, Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff Organizations: Reuters, Hamas, Maxar Technologies, REUTERS, Al, Thomson Locations: Gaza, GAZA, Ahli, Gaza City, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza's, Al Ahli, Hamas, Abir Al Ahmar, Dubai

Israel said its troops uncovered unspecified weapons and "terror infrastructure" inside the hospital compound after killing fighters in a clash outside. Once inside, they said there had been no fighting and no friction with civilians, patients or staff. Other photos showed Israeli troops in tactical formation walking past makeshift tents and mattresses. "We can confirm that incubators, baby food and medical supplies brought by IDF tanks from Israel have successfully reached the Shifa hospital. The Israeli troops dismounted and spread out in the yard, and began searching the basement and entering buildings.

Persons: Al Shifa, Israel, Dr Ahmed El Mohallalati, Martin Griffiths, Peter Lerner, Joe Biden, Thomas White, Nidal al, Maayan Lubell, James Mackenzie, Crispian Balmer, Abir Al Ahmar, Claudia Tanos, Peter Graff, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Al, Palestinian, Hamas, Military, UN, Reuters, Troops, Israel Defence Forces, United, Medical, Fourth Geneva Convention, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Gaza City, Israel, GAZA, Gaza's, Al, Gaza, United States, Rafah, Jerusalem, Dubai

☆ WHO: north Gaza hospitals are under bombardment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Asked about the Gaza health ministry's allegation of an Israeli strike on the courtyard of Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said: "I haven't got the detail on Al Shifa but we do know they are coming under bombardment." She said there was also "significant bombardment" on Rantissi hospital, the only hospital providing paediatric services in North Gaza. Gaza families have been sheltering at the hospital, the territory's largest, which is inside Gaza City encircled by Israeli troops. None of that aid can reach northern Gaza, he added. "If there is a hell on earth today, it's name is northern Gaza," he said.

Persons: Doaa, Israel, Margaret Harris, Al Shifa, Harris, Jens Laerke, Laerke, Emma Farge, Linda Pasquini, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, WHO UN, U.N, World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Al Shifa, Israel, Gaza City, GENEVA, Gaza, North Gaza, Egypt, Palestinian

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attend an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Israel's finance ministry said on Friday it would divert to the war effort some 1.6 billion shekels ($440 million) this year out of billions earmarked for parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition government. They expressed alarm last month at the government's plan to transfer 9 billion shekels ($2.2 billion) to ultra-Orthodox and far-right-wing pro-settler parties, as part of an agreement Netanyahu made with them to secure his ruling coalition. The finance ministry's proposal would cut around 70% of 2.5 billion shekels of funding for coalition partners still due to be paid in the current 2023 budget. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a letter on Friday that he planned to cut some 4 billion shekels ($1 billion) from the 2023 budget excluding war funding, and increase war funding by a further 9 billion, on top of 22 billion shekels already allocated.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Maytaal, Peter Graff Organizations: Israeli Finance, Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel

Gaza City, the Hamas militant group's main bastion in the territory, is now surrounded by Israeli forces. The military said troops have advanced to the heart of the city, while Hamas says its fighters have inflicted heavy losses. Air strikes had also killed a Hamas weapons maker, Mahsein Abu Zina, and several fighters, the Israeli military said. The Israeli military had told them they should move south of the Wadi Gaza wetlands along the main Salah al-Din Road. Hamas's armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said its fighters had destroyed an Israeli tank in Gaza City.

Persons: General Guterres, Khan Younis, Mohammed Abu Daqa, Daniel Hagari, Mahsein Abu Zina, U.N, General Antonio Guterres, Christian Lindmeier, Mohammed Al, Masri, Rights Israel, Salah, Al Shifa, Israel's, Yahya Sinwar, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Angel, Emily Rose, Maayan, Rami Amichay, Matt Spetalnick, Michael Perry, Angus MacSwan, Mark Heinrich, Simon Cameron, Moore, Peter Graff, Alex Richardson Organizations: Jihad, Reuters NEXT, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Reuters, ABC, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Palestinian, Iran, Geneva, Beach, Gaza City, Wadi Gaza, al, Washington, Israeli, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv

☆ German Military Exports to Israel up Nearly 10-Fold as Berlin Fast-Tracks Permits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - German defence export approvals to Israel so far this year have risen nearly tenfold from last year, with Berlin treating permit requests as a priority since Hamas militants attacked Israel last month, a German government source said on Wednesday. As of Nov. 2, the German government has approved the export of close to 303 million euros' ($323 million) worth of defence equipment to Israel. By comparison, 32 million euros' worth of defence exports were approved in all of 2022. The majority of individual export permits - 185 out of 218 - were granted after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. "Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, applications for the export of military equipment to Israel are being prioritised and approved by the federal government," said the source.

Persons: Ferenc Gaal, Miranda Murray, Peter Graff Organizations: BERLIN, dpa Locations: Israel, Berlin, Germany

☆ Dow closes up more than 510 points to kick off a busy week for the US economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Apple shares rose 1.2% on Monday ahead of its quarterly results due after Thursday’s close, which will be closely watched after the carnage in tech stocks last week. Other Big Tech stocks also rallied Monday. Alphabet shares rose 1.9%, Meta Platforms added 2%, Microsoft gained 2.3% and Amazon increased 3.9%. McDonald’s shares also rose 1.7% on Monday after the fast-food chain beat top- and bottom-line expectations. Traders largely expect that the Fed won’t hike rates for the rest of the year, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

Persons: New York CNN — Stocks, Dow, Jerome Powell, Thursday’s, Eli Lilly, stoking, ”, Tom Graff Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Federal, Nasdaq, Big Tech, Traders, Treasury Department, Treasury, Apple, Microsoft, Anheuser, Busch, Stellantis, CVS, Kraft Heinz, Pfizer, Starbucks, Investors Locations: New York

1967 - War and Israeli military occupationIsrael captured the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. Seizing the angry mood, the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood created an armed Palestinian branch, Hamas, with its power base in Gaza. [1/3]Smoke rises after Israeli strikes on the seaport of Gaza City, in Gaza, October 10, 2023. Israel stopped tens of thousands of Palestinian workers from entering, cutting off an important source of income. Conflict cycleGaza's economy has suffered repeatedly in the cycle of conflict, attack and retaliation between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.

Persons: Napoleon, Samson, Alexander the Great, shutdowns, Yasser Arafat's, Arafat, Israel, Mohammed Salem, Israel evacuates, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah al, Stephen Farrell, Nidal, Rosalba O'Brien, Peter Graff Organizations: Crusaders, Ottomans, United Nations, UNRWA, West Bank, Hamas, Brotherhood, Fatah, Oslo Accords, Palestinian Authority, REUTERS, Islamic, Palestinian, Gaza International, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Asia, Africa, Gaza City, Islam, Ottoman Empire, British, Palestine, Israel, Sinai, Ashkelon, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israeli, Gaza's Jabalya, Oslo, Palestinian, Jericho, Authority, United States

Over the last century Gaza passed from British to Egyptian to Israeli military rule. 1950s & 1960s - Egyptian military ruleEgypt held the Gaza Strip for two decades under a military governor, letting Palestinians work and study in Egypt. 1967 - War and Israeli military occupationIsrael captured the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. Hamas formedTwenty years after the 1967 war, Palestinians launched their first intifada, or uprising, after an Israeli military truck crashed into a vehicle carrying Palestinian workers near Gaza's Jabalia refugee camps, killing four. [1/4]A view shows the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza Strip, November 6.

Persons: Napoleon, Samson, Alexander the Great, shutdowns, Yasser Arafat's, Arafat, Israel, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Israel evacuates, Mahmoud Abbas, Stephen Farrell, Nidal, Rosalba O'Brien, Peter Graff, Alistair Bell Organizations: Crusaders, Ottomans, United Nations, UNRWA, West Bank, Hamas, Brotherhood, Fatah, Oslo Accords, Palestinian Authority, REUTERS, Islamic, Palestinian, Gaza International, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Asia, Africa, Gaza City, Islam, Ottoman Empire, British, Palestine, Israel, Sinai, Ashkelon, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israeli, Gaza's, Oslo, Palestinian, Jericho, Authority, Deir Al, United States

☆ Moldova Blocks Access to Russia's Main News Agencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova blocked access to the websites of major Russian news media including the Interfax and TASS news agencies on Monday, accusing them of taking part in an information war against the country. Moldova, a small country with a Romanian-speaking majority located between Ukraine and NATO-member Romania, has accused Moscow of trying to overthrow its pro-Western government since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russian troops occupy a small, mainly Russian-speaking breakaway region, and Moldova's main opposition parties have long had close ties to Moscow. In a separate decree, Moldova also suspended the licenses of six domestic TV channels. Since June 2022, Moldova has already banned TV stations from broadcasting news and analysis programmes from Russia, allowing broadcasts in Russian of only entertainment shows and movies.

Persons: Maia Sandu, Dorin Recean, Aleksandr Tanas, Yuliia Dysa, Peter Graff Organizations: Interfax, TASS, NATO, Moldova's Intelligence, Security Service, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: CHISINAU, Moldova, Romanian, Ukraine, Romania, Moscow, Russia, Republic Of Moldova

☆ Britain to push ahead with rules for cryptoassets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday it would legislate to implement its first set of rules to regulate the crypto sector, requiring market participants to be authorised before they can offer services to consumers. The European Union has already approved the world's first set of comprehensive rules for cryptoasset markets, which are already attracting crypto firms to set up base in the bloc. Britain's finance ministry said it would move ahead as proposed in a February public consultation, requiring firms undertaking cryptoasset activities to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. The rules focus on cryptoassets, such as bitcoin, and the underlying distributed ledger technology (DLT) or blockchain that underpins the sector. Crypto firms currently face only requirements to have safeguards against money laundering.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, bitcoin, Crypto, Huw Jones, Andrew Cawthorne, Peter Graff Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Financial, Authority, Thomson Locations: Britain, United States

☆ Hamas says Gaza water still cut off; Israel says some provided in south
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Hamas said on Monday that Israel had not resumed water supplies for the Gaza Strip despite pledging to do so, while an Israeli official responded that some water was being provided to an area in the south of the enclave. Israel stopped piping water to Gazans as part of a siege imposed after Hamas gunmen rampaged in its southern towns and village on Oct 7. Hamas interior ministry spokesman Eyad Al-Bozom said on Monday there had been no resumption of water supplies: "The residents drink unhealthy water, posing a serious health crisis threatens the lives of the citizens." Katz said on Sunday that resupplying water in southern Gaza would encourage Palestinian civilians to congregate there as Israel pummels Hamas targets in Gaza City to the north. Israel has told residents of the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, to leave for the south.

Persons: Israel, Eyad Al, Bozom, Israel Katz, Khan Younis, Katz, Nidal Al Mughrabi, Dan Williams, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Alex Richardson, Peter Graff Organizations: Israeli Energy, Infrastructure, Thomson Locations: GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, Gazans, Washington, Israeli, Bnei Sahila, Khan, Gaza City

Navalny aides said lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin and Alexei Liptser were being investigated on suspicion of belonging to an "extremist group". Later on Friday, a Moscow court remanded all three in investigative custody until Dec. 13, according to a statement posted by the court on Telegram. Navalny told the judge on learning of the investigations against his lawyers. REUTERS/Yulia Morozova/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights"As in Soviet times, not only political activists and political prisoners but also their lawyers are being persecuted." Navalny aide Leonid Volkov posted on the X social media platform that the three lawyers faced up to six years in prison if found guilty of belonging to an extremist group, "just for being Navalny's lawyers".

Persons: Navalny Putin, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, Alexei Liptser, Vladimir Putin, Kobzev, Yulia Morozova, Putin, Leonid Volkov, " Volkov, they’re, Volkov, Alexander Marrow, Maxim, Peter Graff, Diane Craft Organizations: IK, REUTERS, Kremlin, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Vladimir Region, Basmanny, Germany, Siberia

The head of the Israeli military, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, said lessons would be drawn from the security failures around Gaza that enabled the attack. Scores of Israeli and foreign hostages were taken back to Gaza; Israel says it has identified 97 of them. Amid international calls for a ceasefire to allow in aid, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said there would be no halt to the siege without freedom for Israeli hostages. The Israeli military said it does not comment on such reports. The Israeli military says it has responded with artillery fire to launches coming from Lebanese territory.

Persons: Abbas, Antony Blinken, Blinken, General Herzi Halevi, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Kan, Cross, Fabrizio Carboni, Israel Katz, Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Najib Mikati, Jordan, King Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Jerusalem's Mount Herzl, Ibrahim Hamdan, Hamdan, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, Nidal, Emma Farge, Jeff Mason, Peter Graff, Alexandra Hudson, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie, Toby Chopra, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, NATO, Public, International Committee, United Nations, Food Programme, ICRC, Israeli Energy, Israel, United Nations Security, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, Egypt, Israel, JERUSALEM, GAZA, TEL AVIV, Gaza, Syria, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Lebanese, Jerusalem's Mount, Jerusalem, Geneva

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