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☆ Finland plans more measures to stop asylum surge from Russia border
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Finnish Border Guards escort migrants arriving at the Raja-Jooseppi international border crossing station in Inari, Finland, November 25, 2023. Some 900 asylum seekers from nations including Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen have entered Finland from Russia in November, an increase from less than one per day previously, according to the Finnish Border Guard. Finland blames a change in Russian border protocol for the increase and calls this a hybrid attack. Finland infuriated Russia when it joined NATO in April, ending decades of military non-alignment, due to the war in Ukraine. If this continues, more measures will be announced in the near future," Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told a press conference.

Persons: Korhonen, Petteri Orpo, Ulf Kristersson, Orpo, Jens Stoltenberg, " Stoltenberg, Anne Kauranen, Anna Ringstrom, Andrew Gray, Louise Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Alison Williams Organizations: Finnish Border Guards, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Finnish Border Guard, Kremlin, NATO, Border Guard, Swedish, Frontex, Monday, European Union, Thomson Locations: Inari, Finland, Russia, Moscow, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, United States, Ukraine, Sweden, EU, Brussels, Finland's, NATO, East, Africa, Belarus, Poland, Minsk, Helsinki, Stockholm

☆ Budget demands highlight tensions in Israel's wartime coalition
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli Emergency cabinet minister and opposition politician Benny Gantz leaves after he addressed the press in Kiryat Shmona, Israel November 14, 2023. Gantz, in a strongly-worded letter to Netanyahu that his office made public, referred to a meeting of the broader cabinet scheduled for Monday that will deal with the proposed budget changes. Gantz repeated his opposition to the inclusion of "coalition funds" in the proposed budget and said there should be no extra money for purposes beyond the war effort or supporting economic growth. Should the meeting take place and the budget remain as is, Gantz said his faction would "vote against the proposed budget and weigh its next steps". Most of the coalition funds had been cut, and those that remained were apolitical, it said.

Persons: Benny Gantz, Evelyn Hockstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gantz, Netanyahu, Netanyahu's, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Bezalel, Ari Rabinovitch, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Finance, The Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: Kiryat Shmona, Israel, Gaza

[1/2] A satellite imagery of the world's largest iceberg, named A23a, seen in Antarctica, November 15, 2023. Courtesy of European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNov 24 - The world's largest iceberg is on the move for the first time in more than three decades, scientists said on Friday. At almost 4,000 square km (1,500 square miles), the Antarctic iceberg called A23a is roughly three times the size of New York City. This will funnel it toward the Southern Ocean on a path known as "iceberg alley" where others of its kind can be found bobbing in dark waters. "Over time it's probably just thinned slightly and got that little bit of extra buoyancy that's allowed it to lift off the ocean floor and get pushed by ocean currents," said Marsh.

Persons: berg, Oliver Marsh, it's, Gloria Dickie, Olga Vyshnevska, William Maclean Organizations: European, Copernicus, REUTERS Acquire, Antarctica's, Ronne Ice Shelf, British Antarctic Survey, Antarctic, Thomson Locations: Antarctica, New York City, Soviet, Weddell, A23a, South Georgia, South Africa, London

A sign is seen at the arrivals passport control area of Terminal 5, at Heathrow Airport, London, Britain, March 23, 2023. High levels of legal migration have for more than a decade dominated Britain's political landscape, and will be a key battleground again in the vote which is expected next year. For the year ending December 2022, the ONS revised up the net migration figure to 745,000, a new record high and up 139,000 on its previous estimate. It also said the net migration number for the year ending June 2023 was 672,000, up from 607,000 a year earlier. "The government remains completely committed to reducing levels of legal migration," he said in a statement.

Persons: Toby Melville, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, James, Simon Clarke, Labour Party's, Yvette Cooper, Muvija M, Sarah Young, Kylie MacLellan, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Heathrow Airport, REUTERS, ONS, EU, Labour, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, United Kingdom, Rwanda, Ukraine, Hong Kong

☆ Transport won't be ready, Paris mayor says ahead of 2024 Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Paris' Mayor Anne Hidalgo attends the 105th session of the Congress of Mayors organised by the "France's Mayors' Association" (AMF), in Paris, France, November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Paris will not be ready for the Olympics and Paralympics in terms of transport and sheltering the homeless, city mayor Anne Hidalgo has said. "There will be places where (public) transport will not be ready because there will not be enough trains and not frequently enough," Hidalgo told news show Quotidien in thinly veiled criticism of Paris region president Valerie Pecresse. The Ile de France (Paris region) Regional Council, led by right-winger Pecresse, is in charge of transports in the region. Socialist Hidalgo said the RER (regional express train) station at Porte Maillot in western Paris would not be ready for the July 26-Aug 11 Games.

Persons: Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Sarah Meyssonnier, Anne Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Valerie Pecresse, Pecresse, I'm, Julien Pretot, Ken Ferris Organizations: Mayor, Mayors, Association, REUTERS, Rights, Olympics, Regional Council, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Porte

☆ Muslims in shock over anti-Islam party's Dutch poll win
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Bart H. Meijer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] People walk past shops in Kanaleneiland, an immigrant-dominated area of the central Dutch city of Utrecht, Netherlands November 23, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw Acquire Licensing RightsTHE HAGUE, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Dutch Muslims expressed shock on Thursday at the election win of far-right populist Geert Wilders, who has previously called for mosques and the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands. "These election results are shocking for Dutch Muslims. Muslims make up around 5% of he Dutch population of almost 18 million people. After his surprise win, Wilders said he wanted to be prime minister for all Dutch people, but that appeared to do little to assuage concerns about what he might do later.

Persons: de Wouw, Geert Wilders, Wilders, Mark Rutte's, Muhsin Koktas, Mehdi Koc, Taheri, Koc, Kemal Yildiz, Yildiz, Stephanie van den Berg, Bart Meijer, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, HAGUE, Freedom Party, Labour, The Hague, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kanaleneiland, Dutch, Utrecht, Netherlands, The

☆ Wall St gains before holiday, investors optimistic Fed done raising rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2023. Among the day's economic data, the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. Still, stocks have risen sharply in recent weeks on the view that Fed is done hiking rates. She said stocks tend to rise just before the Thanksgiving holiday and also to rally heading into year-end. The S&P 500 posted 45 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 80 new highs and 89 new lows.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Quincy Krosby, Caterpillar, decliners, Amruta Khandekar, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Deere, Dow, Nasdaq, Financial, U.S, Dow Jones, Wall, Deere & Co, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, Charlotte , North Carolina

Shein's website drew 28.6 million unique monthly visitors in October, up 7.25% from a year earlier, according to Similarweb. Amazon trounces both online retailers with 56% of its 268 million unique monthly visits in October resulting in purchases, its data shows. Temu, which launched in the U.S. in September 2022, is offering deals for cheap goods for the holiday shopping season. Shein is ramping up holiday marketing in the U.S. and Europe as it extends its reach and products on its platform. Peter Pernot-Day, head of corporate strategy at Shein, said Shein has advised its marketplace sellers "to optimize their product listings" by "providing competitive pricing and keeping inventory up to date."

Persons: David, Dee, Delgado, Temu, Shein, Inditex's Zara, Melissa Minkow, Peter Pernot, Arriana McLymore, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Missguided, CI, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Singapore, Europe, Similarweb, New York

☆ Soccer clashes, Taylor Swift fan death tarnish Rio de Janeiro ahead of G20
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TV images showed Rio state cops beating Argentina fans with truncheons as chairs rained down upon them. On Wednesday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Rio's state military police traded blame over arrangements for the mixed seating section of Brazil and Argentina fans where the trouble erupted. Rio's policing of high-profile soccer matches was already under scrutiny after the Copa Libertadores final this month. In October, three doctors enjoying a late-night beer along one of Rio's beaches were brutally murdered after being confused for rival gangsters. A few days later, militias set fire to dozens of Rio buses after police killed one of their bosses in an operation.

Persons: Ricardo Moraes, Taylor, Nilton Santos, Daniel Scioli, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Gabriel Stargardter, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Soccer, Estadio Maracana, REUTERS, DE, Police, year's, Olympic Games, Nilton, Argentina, Brazilian Football Confederation, CBF, Copa Libertadores, Boca Juniors, Fluminense, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Argentina, Rio de Janeiro, DE JANEIRO, Maracana, Rio, Copacabana, India, Rio's

☆ Morning Bid: Japanese stocks party like it's 1990
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A man walks past an electronic board displaying Japan's 10-year government bonds level, the current Japanese Yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and Nikkei share average, outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, October 31, 2023. It's been a mixed start for most of Asia in this holiday-truncated week, though Japanese shares extended their bull streak to hit highs not seen since 1990. The Nikkei is up more than 8% so far this month, and almost 29% for the year so far. The entire market capitalisation of the Topix is 454 trillion yen ($3.03 trillion), yet Japanese companies held 555 trillion yen in internal reserves at the end of the financial year. Recent surveys show inflation expectations are finally picking up which may prompt households to invest some of the 1,000 trillion yen they currently keep in cash and deposits into equities and bonds.

Persons: Kim Kyung, It's, financials, de, de Cos, Bank of England Governor Bailey, Fed's Barkin, Wayne Cole, Christopher Cushing Organizations: U.S ., Nikkei, REUTERS, Nasdaq, Bank of Japan's, Hamas, Tech, Nvidia, Futures, PPI, Bank of France, Bank of Spain, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Israel, United States, Gaza, de Galhau

☆ Hundreds of Thais to be evacuated from Myanmar via China amid heavy fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (Reuters) - More than two hundred Thai nationals trapped by the surge in fighting in northern Myanmar between junta soldiers and armed ethnic-minority groups are being evacuated to Thailand via China, the Thai foreign ministry said on Sunday. The Thai foreign ministry said a group of 266 Thais and an unspecified number of Filipinos and Singaporeans are being evacuated from Laukkaing in northern Shan State to the Myanmar-China border with help from the Myanmar authorities. The ministry did not specify the timing of the repatriation flights but said the group is travelling to the Chinese border on Sunday. Thai authorities earlier said some trapped in Myanmar were victims of human trafficking and some might be involved with telecom fraud gangs. The evacuation to China comes a day after 41 Thai nationals were repatriated by land back to Thailand after a coordination between the Thai authorities and Myanmar army.

Persons: Panu, Tom Hogue Organizations: United Nations, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Thai, Laukkaing, Shan State, Kunming, Bangkok, Southeast Asia

☆ Lebanon and Palestine draw 0-0 in World Cup qualifier held in UAE
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - Palestine drew 0-0 with Lebanon on Thursday in a World Cup qualifier played without fans in the United Arab Emirates due to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Despite starting official training only four days ago, the Palestinians started the game well. Karim Darwich missed a good chance for Lebanon three minutes into the second half and Palestine, ranked 94th by FIFA, had a Tamer Seyam shot saved by Lebanon goalkeeper Moustafa Matar. Lebanon's Ali Al Haj shot into the side netting after 87 minutes before Matar saved Oday Dabbagh's close-range shot with his out-stretched leg in the final minute. The Palestinians usually host games at Al-Ram's Faisal Al-Husseini Stadium on the West Bank but they will meet Australia next in Kuwait on Nov. 21.

Persons: Hassan Maatouk, Atta Gaber, Karim Darwich, Moustafa Matar, Lebanon's Ali Al Haj, Matar, Oday Dabbagh's, Ram's Faisal Al, Ashraf Hamed Atta, Toby Davis Organizations: United, Palestinian, FIFA, Al, West Bank, Australia, Thomson Locations: Palestine, Lebanon, Emirates, Israel, Gaza, Beirut, Sharjah, Asia, Kuwait

☆ Alec Baldwin: New videos show Alec Baldwin on ‘Rust’ set with prop gun days before fatal gunfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Melissa Alonso | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A series of videos exclusively obtained by NBC News show actor Alec Baldwin handling at least one prop gun during filming of the movie “Rust,” days before a deadly on-set shooting. The new videos are among dozens requested from Rust Movie Productions LLC by special prosecutors in the spring, NBC reported. CNN has reached out to attorneys for Baldwin and prosecutors for comment but has not heard back. His attorneys told CNN in October they will address the case in court. “It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, told CNN in a statement.

Persons: Alec Baldwin, Baldwin, Halyna Hutchins, Joel Souza, ”, Luke Nikas, Alex Spiro Organizations: CNN, NBC News, Rust Movie, NBC Locations: Mexico, New Mexico, Santa Fe

☆ Focus: Giorgio Armani fashions his own legacy with succession plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Elisa Anzolin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] Giorgio Armani appears at the Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2024 collection fashion show during Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, September 21, 2023. All are currently board members and, apart from Rosanna, all work for the Armani group. The Armani group has almost 9,000 employees. Any eventual stock market listing requires the favourable vote of the majority of directors "after the fifth year following the entry into force of this statute". The Armani group declined to comment on a potential listing in the mid-term.

Persons: Giorgio Armani, Claudia Greco, Armani, Pantaleo Dell'Orco, Guido Corbetta, Rosanna, Silvana, Roberta, Andrea Camerana, Dell'Orco, women's, Bernard Arnault, Sergio Galeotti, Hans Wilsdorf, Gucci, Corbetta, outlast, Elisa Anzolin, Keith Weir, Alexander Smith Organizations: Milan, REUTERS, Reuters, Milan's Bocconi University, Armani, Entertainment, VIP Relations, Rolex, Kering, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy, MILAN

☆ Spain to provide bodyguards for fugitive Catalan Puigdemont amid amnesty row
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont sits inside a car, on the day a deal was signed with Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) for Spanish government support, which is expected to include an amnesty law for Catalan separatist activists, in Brussels, Belgium November 9, 2023. Tensions are running high in Spain over a controversial amnesty law agreed with Puigdemont's party Junts that will exculpate hundreds of politicians and activists involved in an attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain that peaked in 2017. Puigdemont, who is the subject of an extradition order for leading the failed attempt, is likely to be the most high profile beneficiary of the amnesty law, a draft of which was registered in parliament on Monday. Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, of the centre-right People's Party that is leading protests against the amnesty, said the security agreement was "surprising". The prospect of amnesty has brought thousands of opponents to the streets for 12 days in a row.

Persons: Carles Puigdemont, Yves Herman, Pedro Sanchez's, Puigdemont, Felix Bolanos, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, He's, Junts, Sanchez, Charlie Devereux, Joan Faus, Emma Pinedo, Aislinn Laing Organizations: Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, PSOE, Catalan, REUTERS, Rights, Socialist, Reuters, People's, Spanish, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights MADRID, Spain, Catalonia, Catalan, Waterloo, Copenhagen

☆ Israel weapons makers leave stands empty at Dubai Airshow
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

DUBAI, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The exhibition stands of Israeli weapons makers Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems were empty at the start of the opening day of the weeklong Dubai Airshow on Monday, amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. It was not immediately clear why there were no staff at either exhibition stand, which were located close to the pavilion of United Arab Emirates state arms maker EDGE. IAI and EDGE signed joint development programmes at the last Dubai Airshow in 2021. The IAI exhibition stand was blocked off with red rope. The UAE became the most prominent Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel in 30 years under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

Persons: Rafael, Gaza –, Abraham, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed, Alexander Cornwell, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, United Arab, EDGE, Palestinian Hamas, UAE, Israel, Elbit Systems, Reuters, The, U.S, Abraham Accords, Arab League, of Islamic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, Israel, Gaza, United Arab Emirates, Palestinian, Israeli, UAE, Arab, U.S, The UAE

☆ Ford's production workers at Kentucky, Louisville vote against new labor deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: A United Auto Workers (UAW) union member wears a pin while picketing outside Ford's Kentucky truck plant after going on strike in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Luke Sharrett/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 13 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers (UAW) production workers at Ford's (F.N) Louisville assembly and Kentucky truck plants have voted against a proposed four-and-a-half year contract, while the skilled trades workers voted in favor of the deal, the union's local unit said on Facebook. The UAW Local 862 union said that 55% of the production workers voted against ratifying the contract. However, 69% of the skilled trades workers cast votes in favor of the contract. The union did not disclose the overall percentage of the votes in favor of the deal, or the total number of votes cast.

Persons: Luke Sharrett, Ford, Stellantis, Gokul, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, REUTERS, Facebook, UAW Local, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Detroit's Big, General Motors, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Ford's Kentucky, Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, Ford's, F.N, Louisville, Kentucky, Flint, Michigan, Bengaluru

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Bali, Indonesia, November 14, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening communication and managing competition when they meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this week. Biden and Xi have known each other for more than a decade and have shared hours of conversation over six interactions since Biden's 2021 inauguration. However, they have met only once in person since then and Xi has not visited the United States since 2017. Sullivan said that at APEC Biden would put forward his economic vision for the region and speak about "how the United States is the preeminent driver of inclusive, sustainable economic growth in the Asia Pacific."

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Kevin Lamarque, President Joe Biden, Xi, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Sullivan, Nancy Pelosi, we've, Matt Murray, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, David Brunnstrom, Alistair Bell Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, President, Economic Cooperation, San Francisco Bay Area, Biden, House, U.S ., United, U.S, APEC, Wednesday, APEC Biden, Thomson Locations: Bali , Indonesia, Asia, San Francisco Bay, U.S, People's Republic of China, United States, Washington, China, Taiwan, San Francisco, Israel, Ukraine, North, Russia, Beijing, Iran, East

An Israeli military spokesperson said Hamas had lost control of northern Gaza. The Israeli military said 46 had been killed since its ground operations there began. ISRAEL SAYS IT WILL HELP EVACUATE BABIESIsrael's chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said the Israeli military would help evacuate babies from the hospital. "The staff of the Shifa hospital has requested that tomorrow we help the babies in the pediatric department to get to a safer hospital. 'TOTALLY SCARY ATMOSPHERE'Ahmed al-Mokhallalati, a senior plastic surgeon at Al Shifa, told Reuters there had been continuous bombardment for more than 24 hours.

Persons: Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Al Shifa, Ashraf Al, Qidra, Moshe Tetro, Daniel Hagari, Israel, Avi Dichter, Dichter, Ahmed al, Al Shati, Al Nasr, Ahmed Siam, Al, Nidal al, Maytaan, Maytaal Angel, Emily Rose Jerusalem, Crispian Balmer, Ari Rabinovitch, Adam Makary, Omar Abdel, David Brunnstrom, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Israeli Defense Forces, Reuters, Al, Medical, Israel Defense Forces, Quds Brigades, Thomson Locations: Gaza, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza's, Rafah, Egypt, Israeli, Israel, Tel Aviv, Gaza City, COGAT, ISRAEL, Al, Quds, Al Shifa, Al Nasr, London, Brussels, Saudi Arabia

☆ Israel does not seek to occupy Gaza, but 'credible force' needed -Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference with defense minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet minister Benny Gantz in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv , Israel , 28 October 2023. Netanyahu's comments this week suggesting that Israel would be responsible for Gaza security indefinitely drew pushback from the United States, Israel's main ally. Speaking to U.S. television's Fox News on Thursday, Netanyahu said: "We don't seek to conquer Gaza, we don't seek to occupy Gaza, and we don't seek to govern Gaza." Netanyahu said a civilian government would need to take shape in Gaza but that Israel would make sure an attack like Oct. 7 does not happen again. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told PBS this week the PA would not return to Gaza "on the back of an Israeli tank".

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz, Washington, Israel, Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Rami Ayyub, Grant McCool Organizations: Hamas, television's Fox, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Palestinian, PBS, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, ABIR, Gaza, United States, deradicalized

☆ Former US astronaut Frank Borman dies at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NASA astronaut Frank Borman in an undated photo. Borman served as the commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the world. Born in Gary, Indiana, on March 14, 1928, he was the oldest American astronaut still living; that mantle now passes to Jim Lovell, who is also 95 but eleven days younger. Like most of his fellow generation of astronauts, he trained as a test pilot before being selected for NASA's second astronaut program in 1962. In 1970 Borman retired from NASA and the Air Force and became an adviser to Eastern Airlines.

Persons: Frank Borman, Borman, Jim Lovell, Borman's crewmate William Anders, Susan, Eric Beech, Dan Whitcomb, Bill Trott, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NASA, Apollo, Handout, REUTERS, Former U.S, Eastern Airlines, American, Air Force, U.S . Military Academy, Gemini, Texas Air Corp, Politico, Thomson Locations: Former, Billings , Montana, Gary , Indiana, Arizona, Las Cruces , New Mexico, U.S

☆ Drone, explosive attacks target US forces across Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There had been four attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria in the past 24 hours, a separate U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The security sources said the patrol was accompanied by Iraqi counter-terrorism forces and that a vehicle in the patrol was damaged. A drone was also launched at al-Harir air base in Erbil which house U.S. and international forces but was downed before reaching its target, security sources said. It added that the base had been evacuated of U.S.-led coalition forces on Oct. 20. The U.S. military official said they "don't have any updates regarding adjustments in force posture throughout Iraq and Syria."

Persons: Kamal Ayash, Jamal al, Ahmed Rasheed, Timour, Idrees Ali, Timour Azhari, Mark Heinrich, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, Federal Iraqi, Pentagon, United, Thomson Locations: MOSUL, Iraq, U.S, Israel, Syria, Mosul, Ain, Asad, Baghdad, Erbil, Gaza, Iran, Tehran, Iranian, United States, Anbar, Badrani, Washington

The model, codenamed as “Olympus”, has 2 trillion parameters, the people said, which could make it one of the largest models being trained. OpenAI's GPT-4 model, one of the best models available, is reported to have one trillion parameters. As head scientist of artificial general intelligence (AGI) at Amazon, Prasad brought in researchers who had been working on Alexa AI and the Amazon science team to work on training models, uniting AI efforts across the company with dedicated resources. It has also partnered with AI model startups such as Anthropic and AI21 Labs, offering them to Amazon Web Services (AWS) users. Training bigger AI models is more expensive given the amount of computing power required.

Persons: OpenAI's, Rohit Prasad, Andy Jassy, Prasad, Krystal Hu, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, Alexa, AI21 Labs, Amazon Web Services, Amazon, Thomson Locations: San Francisco

☆ Australia records driest October since 2002 due to El Nino
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In its regular drought report, the Bureau of Meteorology said last month was Australia's driest October since 2002, with rainfall 65% below the 1961–1990 average. It said every part of Australia except the state of Victoria had below-average rainfall and Western Australia state -- by far the biggest grain-exporting region -- saw its driest October on record. After three years of plentiful rain, the El Nino weather phenomenon has brought hot and dry weather to Australia, with September the driest since records began in 1900. "Areas of (rainfall) deficiency have generally expanded and become more severe in south-west Western Australia, south-eastern Queensland, and parts of the Top End in the Northern Territory and far north Queensland. Its long range forecast predicts below-median rainfall through to at least January in northern, western and southern Australia.

Persons: Jill Gralow, Peter Hobson, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Meteorology, El, Thomson Locations: Moree, Australia, El Nino, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, Tasmania

☆ UN chief says Gaza deaths show something 'wrong' with Israel operation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Alessandra Galloni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the ReutersNEXT Newsmaker event in New York City, New York, U.S., November 8, 2023. Israel has struck Gaza - an enclave of 2.3 million people - from the air, imposed a siege and launched a ground invasion. The United Nations has been working to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. The United Nations also wants to be able to use the Kerem Shalom border crossing, controlled by Israel. "We are in intense negotiations with Israel, with U.S., with Egypt, in order to make sure that we have an effective humanitarian aid to Gaza," Guterres said.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Brendan McDermid, Guterres, Michelle Nichols, Will Dunham Organizations: United Nations, REUTERS, Hamas Palestinian, Reuters NEXT, . Security, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, Palestinian, Rafah, Egypt

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