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[1/6] A man sings for customers touring the Erhai lake on a sightseeing bus, in Dali, Yunnan province, China November 10, 2023. Many are former city-dwellers in search of an elusive prize in authoritarian China: Space for open discussion and exchange of ideas. POLICE OVERSIGHTThe local government has sought to attract young tech talent and in September asked digital nomads for input on policies, two community organisers told Reuters. Many digital nomads who use co-working spaces are involved with technologies like blockchain, according to organisers, which they say has drawn scrutiny from local authorities. Since digital nomads, unlike university students, "are not subject to structured discipline, they are harder to manage", she said.

Persons: Florence Lo, DALI, Trump, Xi Jinping, Minhua Ling, Dali, Xi's, Bai Yunxi, Xi, Bai, Chen Zhengyun, Chen, Ling, Laurie Chen, Katerina Ang Organizations: REUTERS, Geneva Graduate Institute, Reuters, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Dali, Yunnan province, China, China's, Israel, Gaza, Yunnan, Beijing

☆ Chasing a Different China Dream, Young Digital Nomads Head for the Hills
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Many are former city-dwellers in search of an elusive prize in authoritarian China: Space for open discussion and exchange of ideas. POLICE OVERSIGHTThe local government has sought to attract young tech talent and in September asked digital nomads for input on policies, two community organisers told Reuters. Many digital nomads who use co-working spaces are involved with technologies like blockchain, according to organisers, which they say has drawn scrutiny from local authorities. "We are more low-key and don't emphasise digital nomads in our marketing anymore," one co-working space staffer told Reuters, adding that conservative local governments in rural towns like Dali are "cautious of emerging technologies". Since digital nomads, unlike university students, "are not subject to structured discipline, they are harder to manage", she said.

Persons: Laurie Chen DALI, Trump, Xi Jinping, Minhua Ling, Dali, Xi's, Bai Yunxi, Xi, Bai, Chen Zhengyun, Chen, Ling, Laurie Chen, Katerina Ang Organizations: Geneva Graduate Institute, Reuters, Communist Party Locations: China, China's, Israel, Gaza, Dali, Yunnan, Beijing

☆ Is the rule of Myanmar's junta under threat?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Importantly, they were joined also by members of so-called people's defence forces, a loosely organised movement backed by Myanmar's parallel, National Unity Government (NUG). HOW SERIOUS A THREAT IS THE JUNTA FACING? It is too soon to predict the extent to which the military's rule in the rest of the country could be under threat, analysts say. But the 1027 offensive has given a black eye to a well-equipped military with decades of experience fighting insurgencies. With its reputation at stake, the junta is unlikely to concede easily and risk a domino effect of challenges to its authority in more regions of a country where its rule is deeply unpopular.

Persons: Martin Petty, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Liberation Army, Arakan Army, National Unity Government, AA, Security, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, Myanmar's Khawmawi, India, Zokhawthar, Champhai district, India's, Mizoram, Shan State, China, Rakhine State, Kayah, Thailand, Sagaing, Chin State

Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the elected government in a coup on February 1, 2021, presides over an army parade on Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2021. "This is the weakest the Tatmadaw has been since the coup," the diplomat said, referring to Myanmar's military and asking not to be named. Maung Saungkha, leader of the Bamar People's Liberation Army, which contributed troops to the offensive, told Reuters the rebel alliance had spent more than a year preparing to take on the better-armed military. CHINA'S SHADOWSo far, rebel troops have faced unexpectedly weak opposition from the military, according to analysts and resistance leaders who spoke to local media. In a statement announcing the operation, the alliance said they intended to remove those enclaves, which they said were protected by the junta.

Persons: General Min Aung Hlaing, Stringer, Maung Saungkha, Nobel, Aung, Suu Kyi, Min Aung, Richard Horsey, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Armed Forces, REUTERS, Junta, United States Institute of Peace, United Nations, Liberation Army, Reuters, National Unity Government, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Liberation Army, Crisis, Thomson Locations: Naypyitaw, Myanmar, BANGKOK, China, Myanmar's, Shan, Beijing, Suu, Sagaing, Arakan

☆ How Modi's BJP seeks Muslim vote in India's 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Yp Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Specifics of the BJP's Muslim outreach strategy, such as the messaging it is using to target voters in these seats, have not been previously reported. The campaign is part of a larger push to woo India's 200 million Muslims, with whom the BJP and Modi have a long and fraught history. ECONOMY-FIRST AND MUSLIM VOTERSThe BJP's website states that secularism in India has become "minority appeasement ... at the cost of majority". They shared details of internal party strategy on condition of anonymity. BJP leaders such as Islam, a former India head of Deutsche bank, said the opposition has taken Muslim votes for granted and neglected their welfare.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Nafis Ansari, Ansari, Jamal Siddiqui, Modi Mitrs, Syed Zafar Islam, Siddiqui, doesn't, Hilal Ahmed, Yasser Jilani, Ujir Hossain, Mohammed, Hossain, Hossain Dada, Qasim, Amana Begam Ansari, Critics, Ahmed, Ghanshyam Tiwari, Tiwari, Rupam Jain, Katerina Ang Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Rivals, Analysts, Indian, Reuters, Centre, Congress, Deutsche, Samajwadi Party, Thomson Locations: Balasinore, Indian, Ahmedabad, Madhya Pradesh, India, Delhi, West Bengal, BJP

☆ How India’s Hindu nationalist BJP seeks Muslim vote in 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Yp Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

☆ It's starting to look like majoring in computer science isn't the road to the promised land of money and job security after all
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many computer science majors say job hunting has become tougher after layoffs hit the industry. Ben Leong, a Singaporean computer science professor, said getting a job was never easy. He told Insider he picked his major because he was interested in technology — and also because of the industry's salaries. Wong told Insider last month that he's applied to 17 jobs and has heard back from five companies. AdvertisementAdvertisementBryan Ho, a 23-year-old junior studying computer science at the National University of Singapore, told Insider he's applied for roughly 100 internships.

Persons: Ben Leong, —, Joel Wong, Wong, Bryan Ho, he's, Ho, Ethan Ang, Ang, sprees, That's, Leong, Aline Lerner, Insider's Kali Hays, NodeFlair's Ang Organizations: Service, National University of Singapore, Tech, Facebook, Google, Big Tech, MIT Locations: Singapore, Asia, The Singapore, Southeast Asia

Filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin have given audiences thrilling and sometimes terrifying front-row seats to incredible feats of human ambition in their documentary work. But there would be at least one big difference in bringing “Nyad” to life: actors. Political Cartoons View All 1233 ImagesIn fiction, she found creative collaborators in their decorated core cast: Annette Bening, who plays Nyad, Jodie Foster as her friend and coach Bonnie Stoll, and Rhys Ifans as the ship's navigator. Vasarhelyi wasn’t without any experience working with actors, either, and in fact learned from the best. With their other films, the filmmakers had loved watching their subjects get to see audiences respond to them and their work.

Persons: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold’s, El Capitan, they’d, Diana Nyad, “, ”, Nyad, ” Vasarhelyi, Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Bonnie Stoll, Rhys Ifans, Chin, Vasarhelyi, Nyad ”, Mike Nichols, Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Tom Stoppard, Julia Cox, ” Chin, Foster, “ There's, Bening, Annette, Diana, Oscar, Claudio Miranda, Ang, Pi ”, Miranda, it’d, you’re, We’re Organizations: Key West, Netflix, Associated Press, Formula Locations: Northern Thailand, The, Cuba, Key, Covent Gardens

Details of how Japan is paring back military procurement due to currency fluctuations have not been previously reported. China, which has not ruled out using military force to bring Taiwan under its control, has expressed concern about Japan's military spending plans, accusing it of displaying a "Cold War mentality." In December, defence ministry officials discussed an order for 34 twin-rotor Chinook transport helicopters at roughly 15 billion yen per aircraft, two of the sources said. She declined to comment on whether the defence ministry had dropped an order for the seaplane. A ministry spokesperson confirmed the companies delivered a letter on Oct 25 to Defence Minister Minoru Kihara urging the government to proceed with the defence procurement as planned.

Persons: Tomohiro, Fumio Kishida, Christopher Johnstone, Johnstone, Biden, Kishida, outlays, spender, Nancy Pelosi's, Yoji Koda, Lockheed Martin, Minoru Kihara, Kevin Maher, Nobuhiro Kubo, Takaya Yamaguchi, Tim Kelly, Yoshifumi Takemoto, Katerina Ang Organizations: Defense Force, East Fuji Maneuver, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Bank of Japan, Center for Strategic, International Studies, National Security, East, Japan's Ministry of Defence, Embassy, Pentagon, Russian, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Boeing Co, Kawasaki, Industries, Maritime Self Defense Force, Raytheon, Lockheed, Japan Business Federation, NMV Consulting, U.S . State Department's Office, Japan Affairs, Thomson Locations: Japan, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Taiwan, Tokyo, Washington, Beijing, East Asia, U.S, East China, Ukraine, China, U.S .

☆ Afghans Return to Taliban Rule as Pakistan Moves to Expel 1.7 Million
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

Pakistan is home to over 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, about 1.7 million of whom are undocumented, according to Islamabad. Cash-strapped Pakistan, navigating record inflation and a tough International Monetary Fund bailout program, also said undocumented migrants have drained its resources for decades. The information minister for Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan, told Reuters it is opening three more border crossings. Pakistani citizens who help undocumented migrants obtain false identities or employment will face legal action, Bugti warned. There are more than 2.2 million Afghan migrants in Pakistan with some form of documentation recognized by the government that conveys temporary residence rights.

Persons: Shahid, Muhammad Rahim, Abdul Mutaleb Haqqani, Azizullah, Sohrab Goth, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Cash, Samar Abbas, Sarfaraz Bugti, Bugti, Abbas, Uzair Ahmed, Majida, we've, Muhammad, Ariba Shahid, Charlotte, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Saleem Shahid, Katerina Ang Organizations: Reuters, Pakistani Interior Ministry, Foreign, Monetary Fund, Sindh Human Rights Defenders Network, Islamabad, Federal, UNHCR, International Organization for Migration, Karachi East Police, Afghan Ministry, Refugees, World Bank, U.N Locations: Shahid KARACHI, Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistani, Afghanistan, Islamabad, Sindh, Balochistan, AFGHANISTAN, Charlotte Greenfield, Kabul, Quetta

Persons: Akhtar Soomro, Muhammad Rahim, Abdul Mutaleb Haqqani, Azizullah, Sohrab Goth, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Cash, Samar Abbas, Sarfaraz Bugti, Bugti, Abbas, Uzair Ahmed, Majida, we've, Muhammad, Ariba Shahid, Charlotte, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Saleem Shahid, Katerina Ang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Pakistani Interior Ministry, Foreign, Monetary Fund, Sindh Human Rights Defenders Network, Islamabad, Federal, UNHCR, International Organization for Migration, Karachi East Police, Afghan Ministry, Refugees, World Bank, U.N, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Karachi, Rights KARACHI, Pakistani, Afghanistan, Islamabad, Sindh, Balochistan, AFGHANISTAN, Charlotte Greenfield, Kabul, Quetta

☆ China rushes to swap Western tech with domestic options as U.S. cracks down
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

China spent 1.4 trillion yuan ($191 billion) replacing foreign hardware and software in 2022, marking a year-on-year increase of 16.2%, according to IT research firm First New Voice. Two firms awarded the Harbin tenders were subsidiaries of China Electronics Corporation and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation - both heavily targeted by U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Department of Commerce, China Electronics Corporation and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation did not return requests for comment. Despite heavy spending on domestic substitution, however, foreign firms are still dominant suppliers for banking and telecoms database management. Non-Chinese companies held 90% of market share for banking database systems at the end of 2022, according to EqualOcean, a tech consultancy.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Kendra Schaefer, Mo Jianlei, Eric Zheng, Brenda Goh, Katerina Ang Organizations: REUTERS, Companies Beijing, Reuters, New, Trivium China, Liberation Army, Tech, Chinese Academy of Sciences, BMC, U.S, Cyberspace Security, China Telecommunications Corporation, Qualcomm, U.S . Treasury, Google, Apple, China Electronics Corporation, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Microsoft, Adobe, China Tobacco, Microsoft Windows, Chinese Academy of Engineering, European Union Chamber of Commerce, of Commerce, Shanghai, U.S . Department of Commerce, HUAWEI, Huawei, IDC, Financial, Lenovo, HK, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING, Washington, State, Beijing, Gansu province, Harbin, Xiamen, U.S, American, Shanghai

U.S. intelligence agencies released no new imagery or other new evidence to make their case. A spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said The Times and intelligence agencies had different interpretations of the video. On Tuesday, U.S. intelligence officials reaffirmed their assessment that Israel was not responsible for the explosion. The evaluation reflected a higher degree of certainty by U.S. intelligence officials that Israel was not responsible for the blast. If the United States gets additional information that would point in a different direction, the official said, intelligence agencies will release it.

Persons: Al Jazeera, Al, Israel, Biden, ’, Rishi Sunak, ” Mr, Sunak Organizations: Ahli Arab Hospital, New York Times, National Intelligence, Times, Hamas, Health Ministry, Palestinian, United States Locations: Al, Ahli, Gaza, U.S, Palestinian, Al Jazeera, Israel, Jihad, Israeli, United, “, Gaza City

☆ Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

SI Innotec, which was fined in August 2022, and Park, who received a suspended prison sentence, deny wrongdoing and have appealed. The equipment was not designed solely for military purposes and did not involve sensitive technology, SI Innotec told Reuters. SI Innotec said the contract, at CSBC's request, listed the equipment's primary use as for wind power generation. "The accused were fully aware that the subject equipment would be used to manufacture a military submarine", the court ruled. It was at this point that Seoul's foreign ministry told DAPA it disapproved of the deal, one of them said.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Narwhal, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Park Mal, sik, China's, DAPA, Moon Jae, Taiwan's, Innotec, SI Innotec, Moo, sik —, —, Yang Hyang, Yang, KHNT's, KHNT, Cho Hyeon Gyu, 1,343.1000, Ben Blanchard, Faith Hung, Tian, Katerina Ang, Josh Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Administration, Keumha Naval Technology, South, Police, Foreign Ministry, Democratic Progressive Party, Indigenous Defense, South Korean, Foreign Trade, SI, Thomson Locations: Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Rights SEOUL, Beijing, Seoul, U.S, China, South Korea, Park, Taipei, Netherlands, Pacific, Beijing . U.S, Changwon, Korea

☆ Exclusive: Combat veteran is likely replacement for China's missing defence minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

China's defence ministry and State Council information office did not respond to requests for comment. If his departure is confirmed, Li will be the second senior minister to lose his job in recent months. Qin Gang was removed as foreign minister in July, one month after he was last seen in public. U.S. defence officials have long wanted to reestablish routine communications with counterparts directly involved in command decisions. Qin was made foreign minister in Dec. 2022 and Li became defence minister in March.

Persons: Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Liu Zhenli, Liu, Li Shangfu, Li, Qin Gang, Qin, Nancy Pelosi, Xi Jinping, Xi, James Char, Lloyd Austin, Alexander Neill, Willy Lam, Chang Dingqiu, Katerina Ang, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Political Consultative, REUTERS, Rights, Defence, Reuters, Russia, Joint Staff Department of, Central Military Commission, State, U.S . Department of Defense, ., CMC, Xiangshan, National, Committee, Communist Party's, U.S, Pentagon, People's, Army, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Washington, PUBLIC, National Defence, Joint Staff Department, Pacific Forum, Jamestown Foundation, Xinhua, Air Force, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, United States, U.S, Taipei, ., Singapore, Honolulu, Vietnam

RAW Chief Ravi Sinha, the only serving official publicly affiliated with the agency, did not return messages seeking comment. All six officials denied that RAW engages in targeted killings, noting that the agency has no mandate for such operations. Fallout from the Vancouver incident has also raised concerns that RAW will come under greater global monitoring, Indian intelligence officials and analysts said. "The current developments have undoubtedly increased global curiosity about RAW," said Dheeraj Paramesha Chaya, an expert on Indian intelligence at Britain's Hull University. "Our footprint is growing in parts of the world which were not important earlier," a recently retired senior RAW official said, without providing specifics.

Persons: Blair Gable, Justin Trudeau's, Hardeep Singh, RAW's, Narendra Modi, Ravi Sinha, Sinha, Ajit Doval, Paramesha, Trudeau, David Headley, Headley, Adrian Levy, Levy, Modi, Krishn Kaushik, Sanjeev Miglani, Katerina Ang Organizations: High Commission of, REUTERS, Canadian, Reuters, RAW, National, Britain's Hull University, Ottawa, Washington Post, MUMBAI RAW, Indian Foreign Ministry, Indian, Islamabad, American Embassy, Intelligence Bureau, Hull, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, India deniability, South, CIA, U.S . Council, Foreign Relations, PRS, Thomson Locations: High Commission of India, Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, DELHI, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vancouver, India, Ottawa, Mumbai, West, Delhi, China, Washington, U.S, MUMBAI, Islamabad, North America, Chicago, United States, London, Britain, Australia, South Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia, New Delhi

☆ Singapore is 'well positioned' for the AI boom, says Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSingapore is 'well positioned' for the AI boom, says Singapore Semiconductor Industry AssociationAng Wee Seng, executive director of the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association, says the country is one of the largest exporters of chips.

Persons: Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association Ang Wee Seng Organizations: Singapore, Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association Ang, Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association

Details of how the Taliban intend to expand and manage mass surveillance, including obtaining the U.S. plan, have not been previously reported. "At the present we are working on a Kabul security map, which is (being completed) by security experts and (is taking) lots of time," he said. The Taliban strongly denies that an upgraded surveillance system would breach the rights of Afghans. A July U.N. monitoring report said there were up to 6,000 Islamic State fighters and their family members in Afghanistan. The Afghan "home base" locations of Islamic State fighters are in the eastern mountainous areas, said Schroden.

Persons: Ali Khara, Abdul Mateen Qani, Washington, didn't, Qani, Amrullah Saleh, Saleh, Jonathan Schroden, Matt Mahmoudi, ETIM, ETIM couldn't, Afghanistan Thomas West, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Charlotte, Jonathan Landay, David Kirton, Liz Lee, Katerina Ang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Islamic, Huawei, U.S, of Interior, Reuters, U.S.A, U.S State Department, RIC, Bloomberg News, Foreign Ministry, NATO, Center for Naval, Protect Journalists, Taliban, Amnesty International, East Turkestan Islamic, Security, Special, State, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: China, Kabul, Afghanistan, Rights KABUL, Islamic State, —, Turkey, Turkish, Pakistan, United States, East Turkestan, Xinjiang, State, Russian, Charlotte Greenfield, Islamabad, Washington, Shenzhen, Beijing, Ankara

Farmers across the agrarian heartland that makes Thailand the world's second-largest rice exporter should be poised to benefit. These pressures on the sector, reported in detail for the first time by Reuters, are squeezing debt-laden Thai farmers despite tens of billions of dollars in subsidies over the past decade. Successive governments have spent 1.2 trillion Thai baht ($33.85 billion) on price and income interventions for rice farmers in the last decade, estimates Somporn. The average Thai farmer's income has dwindled. Unstable income for Thai rice farmersIn the years since Sripai followed her family into the paddy fields, the challenges have multiplied, but current prices offer a rare opportunity.

Persons: Somporn, Sripai, Danai Saengthabthim, Srettha Thavisin, King Chulalongkorn, Nipon Poapongsakorn, Thailand's, KNIT's, Yingluck Shinawatra, Yingluck, Devjyot Ghoshal, Pasit, Katerina Ang, Kay Johnson Organizations: Farmers, Reuters, Research, Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, Bank for Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperatives, Agriculture, El, National Water Resources, Thailand Development Research, Nipon, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Kaeo, Chai, India, East, Asia, Africa, Rice, Chai Nat, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam

☆ Chinese defence minister under investigation for corrupt procurement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The investigation into Li relates to procurement of military equipment, according to a regional security official and three people in direct contact with the Chinese military. Eight senior officials from the Chinese military's procurement unit, which Li led from 2017 to 2022, are also under investigation, according to two of the people in direct contact with the military. Reuters' detailed examination of the allegations against Li and the timing of the probe is based on interviews with sources who interact regularly with senior Chinese political and defence leaders, and regional officials with close knowledge of Chinese politics. The Financial Times reported on Friday, citing U.S. officials, that the U.S. government believes Li has been placed under investigation. Chinese officials initially said Qin's absence was also due to health reasons.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, U.S . State Department didn't, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Qin Gang, Qin, Xi Jinping, Lloyd Austin, Katerina Ang, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, Foreign Ministry, State Council, Defence Ministry, Financial Times, U.S, U.S . State Department, Beijing, Qin, Liberation, Rocket Force, Support Force, U.S . Defence, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Japan, U.S, Tokyo, Russia, Belarus, Vietnam, Hanoi, China, United States, Singapore

☆ China's defence minister, not seen in weeks, skipped Vietnam meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's State Council Information Office, as well as its defence and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Vietnam event. Asked about Emanuel's post this week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told reporters she was "not aware of the situation." China's defence minister is mainly responsible for defence diplomacy and does not command combat forces. Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions dropped to facilitate better discussions between the two sides' militaries. He then headed the military's procurement unit from 2017 until he became defence minister.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Beijing couldn't, Qin Gang, Xi Jinping, Qin, Washington, Li's, Joe Biden, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Li Shangfu hasn't, Alfred Wu, Lee, Xi, Lloyd Austin, Yew Lun Tian, Antoni Slodkowski, John Geddie, Katerina Ang Organizations: Reuters, China's, Information, Qin, Liberation, Rocket Force, Communist Party, U.S, . U.S, Foreign, Defense, Foreign Ministry, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public Policy, U.S . Defence, Support Force, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HANOI, Vietnam, China, Beijing, Hanoi, Japan, Russia, Belarus, Singapore, U.S

☆ Armani stages star-studded fashion spectacle in Venice
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] The 80th Venice Film Festival - Armani fashion show "One Night Only" - Venice, Italy, September 2, 2023 - Models present creations by designer Giorgio Armani as a part of a special fashion show to celebrate cinema. REUTERS/Yara Nardi Acquire Licensing RightsVENICE, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani brought sparkle and stars to the canal city on Saturday with a "One Night Only" fashion show coinciding with the 80th Venice Film Festival. The Venice Film Festival has lacked its usual star power this year with many Hollywood A-listers forced to shun the event because of the actors' strike. However, Armani, one of Italy’s greatest postwar designers, had no problem filling the city's old armoury with glitz and glamour. Armani’s "One Night Only" fashion spectacles have previously been held in cities including Tokyo, New York, London and Dubai.

Persons: Giorgio Armani, Yara, Armani, Jessica Chastain, Sophia Loren, Sydney Sweeney, Rege, Jean Page, Ang Lee, Ava DuVernay, Hanna Rantala, Diane Craft Organizations: harlequin, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: Venice, Italy, Tokyo , New York, London, Dubai

☆ Emotional Tony Leung wins lifetime award at Venice
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The 80th Venice Film Festival - Award Ceremony for Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement - Venice, Italy September 2, 2023. Actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai reacts as he receives the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane Acquire Licensing RightsVENICE, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai received a Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, brushing away his tears as he was given a prolonged standing ovation. He also appeared in a trio of movies that won the top Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival -- "A City of Sadness" (1989), "Cyclo" (1995) and "Lust, Caution" (2007), directed by Ang Lee, who handed him his award on Saturday. In another major challenge, Leung said he was about to make his first European film, "Silent Friend", directed by Hungary's Ildikó Enyedi.

Persons: Tony Leung Chiu, Wai, Guglielmo Mangiapane, Leung, Wong Kar, Ang Lee, Andy Lau, Lau, Hungary's Ildikó, I'm, Hanna Rantala, Crispian Balmer, Ros Russell Organizations: Reuters, Golden, Thomson Locations: Venice, Italy, Hong Kong

☆ African climate summit seeks to shift focus to finance from floods, famine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Duncan Miriri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A report last year by the non-profit Climate Policy Initiative found Africa has received only 12% of the finance it needs to cope with climate impacts. The thousands of delegates are expected to debate solutions ahead of a U.N. climate summit next month in New York in September and the COP28 U.N. summit in the United Arab Emirates from the end of November. The summit's organisers also say they expect deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars to be concluded in Nairobi. In June, it hosted an auction where companies from Saudi Arabia bought more than 2.2 million tonnes of carbon credits. One project generating carbon credits in Kenya is BURN Manufacturing's production of clean cooking stoves to replace heavily polluting wood and charcoal-based fires.

Persons: Finbarr O'Reilly, Soipan Tuya, Amos Wemanya, Chris McKinney, Joseph Ng'ang'a, Duncan Miriri, Christophe Van Der, Aaron Ross, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Initiative, Kenyan Environment, United, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Africa Carbon Markets, Thomson Locations: Haute Uele, Congo, Rights NAIROBI, Africa, Nairobi, New York, United Arab, Gabon, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Egypt

☆ The GPT college classroom is almost here, but professors say AI isn't the real threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But some educators say the real threat isn't AI, but a "lagging and outdated approach to education." Rebecca Tan, a political science lecturer at the National University of Singapore, told Insider AI detection tools can be "notoriously inaccurate." Instead of relying on AI detection tools, educators need to get innovative as AI tools become ubiquitous — through ideas like having students submit the introductions to their essays first, Tan said. AdvertisementAdvertisementJonas said the key is to embrace AI tools in the classroom and teach students how to fact-check ChatGPT's responses. The real threat to education isn't AI, it's boring lessonsWhen asked about threats to education, Nanyang Technological University's Ang said: "AI tools are not the threat — a lagging and outdated approach to education is."

Persons: Madison White, Ian Chong, Rebecca Tan, OpenAI, Tan, Chong, Michael Rivera, Shannon Ang, Kai Jonas, Jonas, We've, Joana Cook, Ang, National University of Singapore's Tan, Hong Kong University's Rivera Organizations: Stetson University, Wall Street, National University of Singapore, Schools, Hong, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, shouldn't, Maastricht University, Leiden University, Johns Hopkins University, Nanyang Technological, National University of Singapore's Locations: Florida, Singapore, Netherlands, Hong Kong, United States, Nanyang, Hong

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