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☆ Thais give digital spin to ancient 'floating basket' festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Over the centuries, people have sent 'krathongs' - small, baskets made from plants and loaded with flowers, candles and bamboo - down waterways to make wishes and pay their respects to water spirits. The beautiful 'floating basket' or Loy Krathong festival lights up Bangkok's canals and rivers at night - but often leaves organisers scrabbling to clear canals clogged up with hundreds of thousands of soggy vessels the next morning. This will help reduce waste," said 11-year-old Jirayada Surapant, showing off her design by a Bangkok canal on Monday evening. Across the capital, monks set out in row boats to scoop up the physical krathongs and recycle them into animal feed. Reporting by Napat Wesshasartar, Artorn Pookasook and Thomas Suen; Writing by Chayut Setboonsarng, Edited by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Loy Krathong, Loy, scrabbling, Mathee Vatchara Prachatorn, Napat Wesshasartar, Artorn Pookasook, Thomas Suen, Chayut Setboonsarng, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Thomson Locations: Samut Songkram, Thailand, BANGKOK, Bangkok

☆ Ten people die in Ukraine snowstorms
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/7] Ukrainian service members release a car which is stuck in snow following a heavy snowstorm in Odesa region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released November 28, 2023. Southern Ukraine was the worst affected, particularly the Black Sea region of Odesa. Cars and buses slid off frozen roads into fields and police battled high winds to tow the vehicles out. "As a result of worsening weather conditions, 10 people died in Odesa, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kyiv regions," Klymenko wrote on the Telegram app. Oleh Kiper, governor of the Odesa region where five people died due to the weather, said nearly 2,500 people had been rescued after becoming trapped by the snow.

Persons: Ihor Klymenko, Klymenko, Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Max Hunder, Andrew Heavens, Ed Osmond Organizations: Press Service, Operation Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Telegram, Thomson Locations: Odesa region, Ukraine, snowstorms, Southern Ukraine, Odesa, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kyiv

☆ U.S. to launch joint remote sensing satellite with India early next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NASA and Indian Space Research Organization logos are seen in this illustration taken May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the NASA plan to launch a joint remote sensing satellite for Earth observation in the first quarter of next year, deputy minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh said in a statement on Tuesday. Singh met a NASA delegation led by its administrator Bill Nelson in New Delhi, the statement said. Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jitendra Singh, Singh, Bill Nelson, Kanjyik Ghosh, Andrew Heavens Organizations: NASA, Indian Space Research, REUTERS, Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, Thomson Locations: New Delhi

[1/4] Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius leaves court after appearing for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/Files Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Nov 24 (Reuters) - South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, jailed nine years ago for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was granted parole on Friday effective from Jan. 5. His total sentence was lengthened to six years in 2016, less than half the 15-year minimum term sought by prosecutors. In 2017, the Supreme Court more than doubled his total sentence to 13 years and five months, saying the six-year jail term was "shockingly lenient". Pistorius was denied parole in March after it was ruled that he had not completed the minimum detention period required to be considered for parole.

Persons: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp, Siphiwe, Pistorius, Steenkamp, Mr Pistorius, Rob Matthews, I'm, Oscar, Matthews, Bhargav Acharya, Tannur Anders, Nick Macfie, Toby Chopra, Andrew Heavens Organizations: North, North Gauteng High Court, REUTERS, Rights, Paralympic, Appeal, Department of Correctional Services, Pistorius, Rehabilitation, Constitutional, Thomson Locations: North Gauteng, Pretoria, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG

☆ Collapsed Indian tunnel had no safety exit, was built through geological fault - panel member
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Manoj Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Rahul Grover Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - A tunnel which collapsed, trapping 41 workers in the Indian Himalayas this month, did not have an emergency exit and was built through a geological fault, a member of a panel of experts investigating the disaster said on Friday. Rescuers are still struggling to reach the construction workers 12 days after the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel caved in. Preliminary findings indicated the collapse may have been caused by a geological fault, known as a "shear zone", a member of the panel told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to talk to the media. "Once the rescue operations are over, we will conduct detailed investigations to find out loopholes in the construction," the panel member said. The tunnel was being built by the state-run National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation which is under India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Persons: Rahul Grover, Vishal Chauhan, Narendra Modi's, Hemant Dhyani, Manoj Kumar, YP Rajesh, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Media, REUTERS, Highways, Infrastructure Development Corporation, India's Ministry of Road Transport, National Highways Authority of India, Supreme, Reuters, YP, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, DELHI

☆ Mixed emotions as first group of Israeli hostages return from Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ari Rabinovitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"But I stress to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: We are committed to bringing back all our hostages." As well as the Israeli hostages, 10 Thais and one Filipino, who were taken captive at the same time, were also freed under a separate agreement, Qatari mediators said. The military said the released hostages had undergone initial medical checks inside Israel and would be taken to hospitals where they would be reunited with their families. The rest of a group of at least 50 Israeli hostages due to be exchanged under a Qatari-brokered agreement are expected to be freed in the coming days and more hostages could be added if the truce deal is extended. The military campaign has killed around 14,000 Palestinians, according to medical authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza and reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Corinne Moshe, Adina Moshe, Al Qahera, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel's Kan, Erez, Shelly Shem Tov, Omer Shem Tov, Omer, Ari Rabinovitch, Henriette Chacar, Andrew Heavens, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Qatari, Reuters, Israel's, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt

"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

☆ Mediator Qatar says truce in Gaza to start on Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in north Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 23, 2023. Israel has said the truce could last beyond the initial four days, as long as the militants free at least 10 hostages per day. Ansari did not give details on how many Palestinian women and children will be released from Israeli jails on Friday or when this would take place. Qatar hopes to negotiate a subsequent agreement to release additional hostages from Gaza by the fourth day of the truce. "We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce," he said.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Majed Al, Ansari, Cross, Andrew Mills, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights DOHA, Doha, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Doha, Qatar

☆ Jewish groups criticize Pope on 'terrorism' remark, seek clarification
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Pope Francis speaks during the weekly general audience, at the Vatican, November 22, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Jewish groups have criticised Pope Francis and demanded clarifications over his comments that they saw as accusing both Hamas and Israel of "terrorism". Francis made the comments on Wednesday after meeting separately with Jewish relatives of hostages held by Hamas and with Palestinians with family in Gaza. In a toughly worded statement on Thursday, the Council of the Assembly of Italian Rabbis (ARI) accused the pope of "publicly accusing both sides of terrorism". But the AJC added: "Later in the day, he described the Israel-Hamas war as 'beyond war' as 'terrorism.'

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, Simon Wiesenthal, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Philip Pullella, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, Hamas, Gunmen, Twitter, American Jewish Committee, Simon, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, St, Hamas, U.S, Nazi Germany, Ukraine

☆ Another Israel-Hamas prisoner swap will take place this month - Palestinian official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Samia Nakhoul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The Israel-Hamas deal agreed on Wednesday for the freeing of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners will be repeated later this month, a Palestinian official told Reuters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that would mean a total release of 100 of the around 240 people Hamas seized during its Oct. 7 killing spree in southern Israel. In return, Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges - a number corresponding to a list of women and teenaged male inmates it published on Wednesday as candidates. They would need four or five days to organise it will involve 50 Israeli (hostages) in return for 150 Palestinian (prisoners)," the Palestinian official said. He said the prisoners would include elderly, women and children and the conditions will be the same.

Persons: Israel, Samia Nakhoul, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Reuters, Palestinian, Hamas, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Israel, Gaza

[1/5] Mourners carry the coffins of Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah fighters who were killed by US airstrike in Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad during a funeral in Baghdad, Iraq November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani Acquire Licensing RightsBAGHDAD, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Iraq's government condemned overnight U.S. airstrikes south of Baghdad that killed eight members of Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah, saying they were a "dangerous escalation" not coordinated with authorities. The U.S. has carried out two series of strikes in Iraq since Tuesday, in response to more than 60 attacks by Iran-aligned militias against forces in the region, and destroyed a Kataib Hezbollah operations centre and a command and control node. Kataib Hezbollah said the strikes in Iraq killed eight of its members in its stronghold of Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad. In a statement, it threatened to attack a wider array of targets if U.S. strikes continued.

Persons: Iraq's, Thaier, Kataib, Mohammed Shia Al, Sudani, Ahmed Rasheed, Timour, Timour Azhari, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Israel, Hamas, Iraq's, Islamic State, Popular, Forces, Islamic, United, Thomson Locations: Jurf, Baghdad, Iraq, Rights BAGHDAD, Iran, U.S, United States, Gaza, Syria, Israel, Ain, Asad, Iranian, Islamic State, Iraqi, State

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The United States is treating a reported plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government "at the senior-most levels," the White House said on Wednesday. The Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that U.S. authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved. It stated he threatened in video messages to not let Air India operate anywhere in the world. The case comes against the historical backdrop of a bombing in 1985 of an Air India aircraft flying from Canada to India that killed 329, and for which Sikh militants were blamed. Pannun told Reuters on Tuesday that his message was to "boycott Air India not bomb."

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannun, Adrienne Watson, Biden, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Hardeep Singh, Shivam Patel, Krishn Kaushik, Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom, Andrew Goudsward, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Alistair Bell Organizations: India's, White, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Financial Times, Air India, Indian, Washington, FBI, U.S . Justice, India's National Investigation Agency, Sikh, Reuters, Air, Justice, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, DELHI, United States, India, New Delhi, Canada, Vancouver, U.S, New York, Air India

☆ U.S. thwarts plot to kill Sikh separatist, issues warning to India - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. The Financial Times said that the sources did not say if the protest to India resulted in the plot being abandoned by the plotters, or if it was foiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Apart from the diplomatic warning to India, U.S. federal prosecutors have also filed a sealed indictment against at least one suspect in a New York district court, the FT report said. Pannun, like Nijjar, is a proponent of a decades-long, but now a fringe demand to carve out an independent Sikh homeland from India named Khalistan. The Financial Times report mentioned that the U.S. shared details of the thwarted plot with a wider group of allies after Canada's public accusation.

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Pannun, Shivam Patel, Krishn Kaushik, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson Organizations: India's, White, REUTERS, Financial Times, U.S, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indian, Khalistan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, DELHI, United States, India, New Delhi, Canada, Vancouver suburb, U.S, New York, Canadian

☆ Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah Militia Says 5 Killed by US Strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia said five of its members were killed in its stronghold of Jurf al-Sakhar south of Baghdad in U.S. strikes that Washington said came in response to attacks by Iran-aligned militias against their forces in the region. The attacks began on Oct. 17 and have been linked by Iraqi militia groups to U.S. support for Israel in its bombardment of Gaza following attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel. The strike by fighter aircraft targeted and destroyed a Kataeb Hezbollah operations centre and a Kataeb Hezbollah Command and Control node near Al Anbar and Jurf Al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad, a U.S. defense official said. An Iraqi military official said at least three Kataeb Hezbollah members had been killed and seven wounded in the overnight U.S. strikes. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed and Timour Azhari in Baghdad; Editing by Jacqueline Wong asnd Andrew Heavens)

Persons: Washington, Jurf, Mohammed Shia Al, Sudani, Ahmed Rasheed, Timour, Jacqueline Wong asnd Andrew Heavens Organizations: Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah Command Locations: BAGHDAD, Jurf, Baghdad, U.S, Iran, The U.S, Iraq, Israel, Gaza, Al Anbar, Iraqi, United States

BAGHDAD, Nov 21 (Reuters) - U.S. forces were attacked at an airbase west of Baghdad early on Tuesday and a U.S. military aircraft responded in self-defence, U.S. officials said, in the first U.S. retaliation on Iraqi territory to dozens of recent militant drone and missile attacks. Ain al-Asad airbase was attacked by a close-range ballistic missile which resulted in eight injuries and minor damage to infrastructure, two U.S. officials said. The U.S. had so far limited its response to numerous recent attacks against its forces in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, claimed by Iran-aligned Iraqi militia groups, to three separate sets of strikes in Syria. U.S. and international forces that make up the global coalition to fight the remnants of Islamic State have been targeted more than 60 times in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, U.S. officials say. Dozens of U.S. servicemen suffered minor injuries in the attacks but have all returned to duty, U.S. officials say.

Persons: Asad, Timour Azhari, Phil Stewart, Ali Idrees, Andrew Heavens, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: U.S, Israel, Hamas, Washington, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: BAGHDAD, Baghdad, U.S, Ain, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Gaza, Israel, State, Washington

☆ Qatar economic growth has normalised in 2023 following World Cup boom - IMF
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that Qatar’s economic growth has normalised in 2023 following the World Cup-driven boom. The IMF added that the economy of the world's top LNG exporter had a favourable medium-term outlook supported by LNG production expansion and intensifying reform efforts. "Broad fiscal discipline amid hydrocarbon windfalls in 2022-23 resulted in sizeable surpluses and rapid central government debt reduction," IMF said. Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Nayera Abdallah, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, IMF, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Rights DUBAI

☆ Civilian death toll in Ukraine tops 10,000 - U.N. Human Rights Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker inspects a site in a residential area damaged during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 21, 2023. REUERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022, with about half of recent deaths occurring far behind the front lines, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Tuesday. The U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine, which has dozens of monitors in the country, said it expects the real toll to be "significantly higher" than the official tally since corroboration work is ongoing. "Ten thousand civilian deaths is a grim milestone for Ukraine," said Danielle Bell, who heads the monitoring mission. Older people who may be unable or unwilling to relocate to safer places make up a disproportionate fraction of those killed in Ukraine, the U.N. data showed.

Persons: Valentyn, Danielle Bell, Emma Farge, Andrew Heavens, Bernadette Baum, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Rights, Human Rights, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow

☆ Israeli strike kills two reporters, third person in south Lebanon - state media, PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Nov 21 (Reuters) - An Israeli strike killed two journalists working for a Lebanese TV channel and a third person near the border with Israel on Tuesday, Lebanese state media and the channel, Al Mayadeen, said. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also blamed Israel, saying in a statement that the strike was an Israeli attempt to silence the media. A second Israeli strike on a car about seven miles from the border and near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed four people later in the day, the state news agency reported. Al Mayadeen named its killed journalists as Farah Omar, a correspondent, and Rabie al-Memari, a camera operator. The third person killed in the strike was Hussein Aqil, who was at the site where the crew was filming.

Persons: Al Mayadeen, Najib Mikati, Israel, Farah Omar, Rabie, Hussein Aqil, John Davison, Jana Choukeir, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie Organizations: Lebanese, Hezbollah, Hamas, Reuters, Protect Journalists, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Israeli, Lebanese, Israel, Tir, Tyre, Iran, Hamas, Gaza, Lebanon, United States

[1/3] Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 17, 2023. Closely watched U.S. treasury yields slipped after auction, while global oil futures gained $2 on the prospect of supply cuts. Europe's benchmark STOXX index (.STOXX) inched up 0.1%, with energy stocks (.SXEP) leading gains. The healthcare sector (.SXDP) fell after shares in Bayer (BAYGn.DE) dropped to their lowest in 14 years. The dollar index fell to 103.26, its weakest since the start of September, as investors appeared to solidify bets that the Fed could start cutting interest rates next year.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Dow Jones, Quincy Krosby, Krosby, Ricardo Evangelista, Goldman Sachs, Moody's, Brent, Chris Prentice, Wayne Cole, Lawrence White, Lincoln, Susan Fenton, Will Dunham, Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Nvidia, U.S, Bayer, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Nikkei, Trading, LPL, Tech, European Central Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, SYDNEY, Thursday's U.S, United States, Europe, Italy, New York, Sydney, London

[1/3] Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 17, 2023. The MSCI World Equity Index (.MIWD00000PUS) gained 0.38% by 10:37 a.m. EST (1537 GMT) and Europe's benchmark STOXX index (.STOXX) rose 0.08%. The tech-heavy index (.IXIC) gained 0.44% to 14,187.16, as the Dow Jones (.DJI) rose 0.25% to 35,035.33 and the S&P 500 index (.SPX) gained 0.27% to 4,526.14. The dollar index fell to 103.46, its weakest level since the start of September, as investors appeared to solidify bets that the Fed could start cutting rates next year. "Dovish minutes could trigger some downside risk for the dollar," Ricardo Evangelista, senior analyst at ActivTrades, said.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Dow Jones, Israel, Ricardo Evangelista, Goldman Sachs, Moody's, Brent, Chris Prentice, Wayne Cole, Lawrence White, Lincoln, Susan Fenton, Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Nvidia, Global, U.S, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Nikkei, Hamas, Tech, Treasury, European Central Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, SYDNEY, United States, Gaza, Europe, Italy, New York, Sydney, London

☆ Argentine ETF trading surges after election, led by small investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Suzanne Mcgee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Global X MSCI Argentina ETF , which offers exposure to a basket of the country's most liquid stocks, soared more than 13% on Monday and hit its highest level since September. While the South American country's markets are closed on Monday for a local holiday, U.S.-listed shares of Argentinian companies also surged in U.S. trading. The gains for the ETF came through large amounts of small trades, Todd Sohn, an ETF analyst at Strategas in New York, said. By mid-morning, the value of trading in the ETF had topped $11 million, compared with average of about $1 million a day throughout 2023. "These small country funds are ideal vehicles for small day traders who jump on events" like Sunday's presidential election in Argentina, Sohn said.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Argentina's Javier Milei, Todd Sohn, Sohn, Suzanne McGee, Megan Davies, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Argentina ETF, Management, Inc, U.S, Banco, Grupo Financiero, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, American, New York, ARGT, Grupo Financiero Galicia

☆ Napoleon hat fetches record $2.1 million at Paris auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A bicorne hat believed to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte sold for a record 1,932,000 euros ($2.11 million) at the Drouot auction house in Paris on Sunday. The price beat the 1,884,000 euros paid for another Napoleon hat at Drouot in 2014, a official at the auction house said. "One million four hundred fifty thousand (euros) to my left, 1.5 million, we have 1.5 million in the room, 1.5 million for Napoleon's hat. We're leaving it at 1.5 million for this major Napoleon symbol, I'm selling for 1.5 million (before fees), no regrets, sold," auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said as he brought down the hammer to applause. Ahead of the auction, Osenat told Reuters the black beaver felt hat in the traditional bicorne shape was a trademark for Napoleon, who had owned about 120 such hats throughout his life.

Persons: Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon, Jean, Pierre Osenat, Osenat, Ardee Napolitano, Geert De Clercq, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Reuters, Bonhams, Thomson Locations: Paris, London

☆ UK police question Russell Brand over sex assault allegations - The Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Comedian Russell Brand poses for photographers before signing copies of his new book entitled "Revolution" in central London, December 5, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Actor and comedian Russell Brand has been questioned by detectives from London's Metropolitan Police over allegations of historical sex offences, the Times newspaper reported on Sunday. Earlier that month the Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV's documentary show "Dispatches" reported four women had accused Brand, 48, of sex offences, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013. Brand has rejected what he has described as "very serious allegations", saying on his social media channels he has never had non-consensual sex. "He was interviewed under caution by detectives in relation to three non-recent sexual offences.

Persons: Russell Brand, Suzanne Plunkett, Brand, Kylie MacLellan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, London's Metropolitan Police, Times, Sunday, Sunday Times, Brand, Metropolitan Police, Thomson Locations: London, South London

☆ Jerusalem Christians rally round Armenian Church over land deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An Armenian priest enters a church at the monastery compound in the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City June 8, 2010. The Armenian community says the investor behind the land lease deal is an Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein, who owns a company registered in the United Arab Emirates - Xana Capital Group. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordanian forces in a 1967 war. "We are aware of a plan to encircle the outside the Old City with settlement projects. We suspect this Armenia Quarter deal is meant to be a continuation of this plan inside the city walls," Seidemann told Reuters.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Danny Rubinstein, Rubinstein, Hagop Djernazian, Daniel Seidemann, Seidemann, Crispian Balmer, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Armenian, Synod, Roman Catholic Churches, United Arab Emirates, Xana Capital, Catholic, Jerusalem's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem's Old, Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, Old City, Ottoman, Australian, Armenia, James's, City, Israel, East Jerusalem, Jordanian

Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 19, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsGAZA, Nov 19 (Reuters) - As Israel prepares to widen its military campaign in Gaza, Palestinians such as 80-year-old Mahrous Nasrallah wonder if there will be anywhere left to shelter in the tiny enclave where entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble. Since then, Gaza's Health Ministry says 12,300 Palestinians, including 5,000 children, have died in the Israeli military operation. Many, like Laila Abu Nemer who moved from Gaza City to the south, wonder how her family can survive the Israeli onslaught now in its seventh week. Nourhan Saqallah quit Gaza City and moved to Deir Al-Balah after Israel urged people to move to the south.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Israel, Mahrous Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Khan Younis, Laila Abu Nemer, Yahya Sinwar, Nourhan Saqallah, Michael Georgy, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Gaza's Health Ministry, Deir Al, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Beersheba, Gaza City, uproot, Israeli, Deir

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