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☆ Ukraine says its war-torn economy is beginning to recover
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine’s gross domestic product grew by 2.2% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2023, the economy ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry said in a statement the economy had started to recover after an extremely difficult 2022, when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Nadiia Bigun, deputy economy minister, said the number of Ukrainian entrepreneurs had surpassed the levels before the war. The central bank has increased its forecast for GDP growth to 2.9% in 2023 from an earlier target of 2%, and expects economic growth to quicken to 3.5% next year. The World Bank expects GDP growth of 0.5% in 2023.

Persons: Nadiia Bigun, ” Organizations: quicken, Bank Locations: Russia, Ukraine

[1/5] A view of Palestinian goods trucks in front of the commercial crossing of Kerem Shalom after the Israeli ban on Gaza exports deals a blow to the long-suffering economy, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip September 5, 2023. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the Israeli decision "would increase the already existing tension because of continued Israeli blockade and aggression against our people". In Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian economy minister Khaled Assaili demanded Israel cancel the ban which stops Gaza exports to Israel and the West Bank. Gaza exports are estimated at $134 million per year, mostly to Israel and the West Bank, according to the enclave's ministry of economy. As well as fish and agricultural produce, Gaza exports significant quantities of textiles and other products.

Persons: Kerem Shalom, Abu Mustafa, Bahar, Mohammad Al, Hajj, Hazem Qassem, Khaled Assaili, Assaili, Osama Nofal, Wadhah Bseisso, Nidal, Peter Graff Organizations: REUTERS, Israel, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Palestinian Industries Union, Thomson Locations: Kerem, Rafah, Gaza, Israel, Ramallah, Hamas

FILE PHOTO-Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti delivers a speech at the G7 High-Level Corporate Governance Roundtable in Niigata on May 11, 2023. "It may be that the tax is inappropriate, it can certainly be improved upon ... but I do not accept that it is considered an unfair tax," Giorgetti said at The European House - Ambrosetti economic forum. Bank shares tumbled before the economy ministry clarified that the new tax would amount to no more than 0.1% of their total assets. Forza Italia is also seeking an exemption for small banks and wants a guarantee the levy will not be extended beyond 2023. Giorgetti did not comment on his government ally's proposals on the bank tax.

Persons: Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti, KAZUHIRO, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgetti, Antonio Tajani, Siena, Giselda Vagnoni, Giancarlo Navach, Hugh Lawson, David Evans Organizations: Economy, Finance, Bank, League, Forza Italia, Monte, Thomson Locations: Niigata, Italy, Cernobbio

☆ Peru slashes growth outlook amid falling copper investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LIMA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Peru lowered its economic growth forecasts for 2023 and 2024 on Tuesday amid poor weather, lower private investment in mining, and anti-government protests earlier this year. The South American country's economy is expected to grow 1.1% this year, the economy ministry said in Peru's official gazette. Next year, Peru's economy is expected to grow 3.0%, the ministry added, down from a previous estimate of 3.4%. That makes El Nino the largest immediate threat to Peru's economy, the government said. Meanwhile, Peru's estimated current account deficit was lowered to 1.6% of GDP, down from the 2.1% of GDP previously expected.

Persons: LIMA, El, Peru's, Alex Contreras, Marco Aquino, Kylie Madry, Isabel Woodford, David Holmes, Alistair Bell, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Peruvian Fiscal, El, El Nino, Finance, year's, U.S, Thomson Locations: Peru

☆ Argentina offers financial aid to crisis-hit workers and pensioners
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Eliana Raszewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Argentine one hundred peso bills are displayed in this picture illustration taken September 3, 2019. Massa said workers will receive 400 billion pesos in loans, while self-employed workers will be offered six months of tax relief and those on food benefits will receive additional stipends. "The goal is that every economic sector receives some state support," Massa said. Meanwhile, tensions have risen and a series of lootings have taken place across the country. ($1 = 350 Argentine pesos)Reporting by Eliana Raszewsi; Writing by Lizbeth Diaz and Sarah Morland; editing by Diane Craft and Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Sergio Massa, Massa, Javier Milei, Patricia Bullrich, Eliana Raszewsi, Lizbeth Diaz, Sarah Morland, Diane Craft, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, Sunday, International Monetary Fund, South, Thomson Locations: BUENOS AIRES

☆ Russian finance minister expects 2023 GDP to grow by 2.5% or more, agencies report
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Russia's economy is set to grow by 2.5% or more in 2023, while inflation is expected to be around 6%, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was quoted on Saturday as saying. The central bank forecasts GDP growth of 1.5%-2.5% this year. He forecast inflation would return to the target of 4% in 2024. The central bank has forecast it will fall to 5.0%-6.5% this year. "We together with the Central Bank will be taking all measures to bring inflation down to our targeted level," Siluanov said.

Persons: Anton Siluanov, Siluanov, Ksenia Orlova, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Central Bank, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW

The logo of Russian technology giant Yandex is on display at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2022. Moscow already demands a 50% discount on all foreign deals after consultants selected by the Russian government have valued the business. But three people familiar with the exit process for foreign companies said that some deals are facing demands for additional discounts before the government gives a green light. Another person, who works on M&A transactions and with foreign companies, said deals exceeding $100 million were at particular risk of being denied. In its biannual financial stability review, the central bank said foreign companies under pressure to leave Russia were doing so on "unfavourable" terms.

Persons: Evgenia, Carlsberg's, Intesa, Vladimir Putin's, Suren Gortsunyan, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Alexey Kupriyanov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Victor Goury, Josephine Mason, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Heineken, Arnest, Companies, Nasdaq, Russia, Dyakin, Partners, Aspring, Nato, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russian, London, Laffont, Gdansk

☆ Argentina to freeze fuel prices until Oct 31 to curb inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Aug 17 (Reuters) - Argentina's economy ministry said on Thursday it will freeze fuel prices until October 31 after an agreement with the industry as a measure to help tamp down triple-digit inflation. In a statement, the ministry said the government will cut taxes in exchange for the price freezes, but added that the tax benefits can be "taken away" if companies violate the agreement. The agreement followed a meeting between economy minister Sergio Massa and executives from oil companies such as YPF (YPFD.BA) and Vista (VIST.BA) earlier in the afternoon. The South American nation has been battling against sky-rocketing annual inflation which topped 113.4% through July, with monthly inflation set to rise again in August. Reporting by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Brendan O'BoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Carolina Pulice, Brendan O'Boyle Organizations: Thomson

☆ Germany economy ministry supports 'fair' distribution of wind power expansion costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Joachim HerrmannBERLIN, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Germany's economy ministry is in favour of distributing the network costs of expanding renewable energies "fairly" among the country's federal states, a spokesperson for the ministry said on Sunday. Prices in the north have been comparatively high due to connection costs for wind turbines to the power grid that are passed on to the residents of the regions where the turbines are located. The premiers of the northern states said the difference in prices was hurting local support for constructing new wind turbines. "It is important that they (the federal states) work together for a fair distribution," the spokesperson told Reuters. I can well understand the frustration of many citizens and regions," Mueller told Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung in an interview published on Saturday.

Persons: Joachim Herrmann BERLIN, Klaus Mueller, Mueller, Andreas Rinke, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung, Thomson Locations: Oberharmersbach, Germany

☆ EU to analyse US tech curbs in China, says issue also key to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The European Commission will analyse the U.S. ban on new U.S. investment in China in sensitive technologies as the issue is also important to the European Union's economic security, the EU executive said on Thursday. U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order to prohibit or restrict U.S. investments in Chinese entities in three sectors: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies and certain artificial intelligence systems. "We will be analysing the Executive Order closely. We are in close contact with the US administration and look forward to continued cooperation on this topic," a Commission spokesperson said in an email. "We recognise the significance of the topic, which was an important element in the recent Joint Communication on economic security."

Persons: Joe Biden, Foo Yun Chee, Andreas Rinke, Rachel More, Jason Neely, Matthias Williams, Christina Fincher Organizations: European, Wednesday, EU, Member States, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, China, Russia, Berlin, Brussels

☆ Taiwan pitches deeper Europe engagement after TSMC Germany investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Ben Blanchard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TAIPEI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Taiwan chipmaker TSMC's (2330.TW) 3.5 billion euros ($3.83 billion) investment in Germany will drive deeper engagement between the island and Europe, Taiwan's economy minister said on Wednesday, pitching the political benefits of the deal. "TSMC's investment in Europe will help bring even closer cooperation between Taiwan and the EU," Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua told reporters in Taipei, when asked if signing the BIA would get more Taiwanese chipmakers to the bloc. Taiwan has repeatedly called for progress on a BIA with the European Union. The EU included Taiwan on its list of trade partners for a potential bilateral investment agreement in 2015, but it has not held talks with Taiwan on the issue since. The TSMC investment in Germany will need approval by Taiwan's economy ministry, and Wang said they will also consider the company's "vigorous" investments at home when weighing the German plans.

Persons: Wang Mei, Wang, TSMC, Ben Blanchard, Jeanny Kao, Stephen Coates Organizations: European Union, BIA, Washington, EU, Trade Organisation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Germany, Europe, Beijing, Taipei, United States, Japan

☆ China targeting German tech 'through back door' with licences - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reinhard Becker | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The flags of Germany and China are seen ahead of a meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Berlin, Germany, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Fabrizio BenschBERLIN, Aug 9 (Reuters) - China is going after licences to boost its access to German technology as investment regulation makes company acquisitions in the sector increasingly difficult, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing a study. Tech licences are one way for China to try to get in "through the back door", he told Reuters. As a result, direct investments and takeover bids by Chinese companies have attracted scrutiny in Berlin in recent months. Through licensing agreements, Chinese companies can gain legal permission to use German technology.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Li Qiang, Fabrizio Bensch BERLIN, Juergen Matthes, China's Cosco, Rachel More, Kirsti Knolle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Tech, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Germany, China, Berlin, Russia, Hamburg

☆ TSMC to decide in favour of German factory on Tuesday - Handelsblatt
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) logo is seen while people attend the opening of the TSMC global R&D center in Hsinchu, Taiwan July 28, 2023. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File PhotoBERLIN, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC's (2330.TW) board of directors will decide in favour of building a factory in the German city of Dresden, the Handelsblatt daily reported on Monday, citing government sources. The German government will support the construction of the factory with 5 billion euros ($5.49 billion), according to the sources. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, has been in talks with the German state of Saxony since 2021 about building a fabrication plant, or "fab", in Dresden. It will operate the factory in a joint venture with partners Bosch (ROBG.UL), Infineon (IFXGn.DE) and NXP (NXPSM.UL), the sources told Handelsblatt.

Persons: Ann Wang, Bosch, Handelsblatt, Miranda Murray, Friederike Heine Our Organizations: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, REUTERS, Infineon, European, Intel, Thomson Locations: Hsinchu, Taiwan, German, Dresden, Saxony, Berlin, Europe, Brussels

☆ Poland finds leak on one part of Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A view shows a leak detected in Druzhba oil pipeline as reported by Polish pipeline operator PERN, in Chodecz, Poland August 5, 2023, in this picture obtained from social media. The leak was detected near Chodecz, central Poland, on one of the two lines of the western section of the Druzhba through which crude oil reaches Germany, PERN said. Germany stopped buying Russian oil in January, but German media have reported that Kazakh oil was being imported through the line. The Druzhba oil pipeline is one of the world's largest and can carry 2 million barrels per day. Flows through the Druzhba pipeline have dropped sharply since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pipeline infrastructure has been hit several times since in attacks that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine.

Persons: Anna Trzeciakowska, Grzegorz Jankowski, Vera Eckhert, Pavel Polityuk, Frances Kerry, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS Companies, Firefighters, State Fire Services, TVN24, German Economy Ministry, Thomson Locations: Chodecz, Poland, WARSAW, Russia, Europe, Moscow, Ukraine, Germany, Wloclawek, Eastern, Central Europe, Belarus, Nord, Baltic

"China is not trying to supplant the IMF," said Matthew Mingey, a senior analyst with Rhodium Group. "When China has allowed these swap lines to be tapped, in many cases it's to unlock an IMF bailout or ensure an IMF programme stays on track." In turn, China is a major customer for Argentina's soy, corn and poultry exports. "China has every incentive to tightly manage Argentine drawings under the swap lines as the risks are very high." The swap line that the People's Bank of China (PBOC) signed in 2009 with Buenos Aires was the first agreed with a Latin American country.

Persons: Matthew Mingey, Buenos, Mark Sobel, Sobel, Sergio Massa, Martin Castellano, Alejandro Werner, Werner, Mingey, Jorgelina, Rosario, Karin Strohecker, Jorge Otaola, Joe Cash, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, IMF, U.S . Treasury, Reuters, World Bank, TAG, People's Bank of China, Buenos Aires, Economy, Institute of International Finance, Relations, Georgetown Americas Institute, Western Hemisphere Department, Thomson Locations: China, Argentina, Beijing, Washington, Latin America, Buenos Aires, U.S, Buenos, American, United States, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Ukraine

The German cabinet approved a new hydrogen strategy, setting guidelines for hydrogen production, transport infrastructure and market plans. Produced using solar and wind power, green hydrogen is a pillar of Berlin's plan to transition away from fossil fuels. "A domestic supply that fully covers demand does not make economic sense or serve the transformation processes resulting from the energy transition as a whole," the document said. But Germany's limited renewable energy space will make it heavily dependent on imported hydrogen, experts say. We simply need space for wind and photovoltaic to be able to produce the hydrogen," Philipp Heilmaier, an energy transition researcher at Germany energy agency, told Reuters.

Persons: Simone Peter, Bettina Stark, Watzinger, Philipp Heilmaier, Volker Wissing, Riham Alkousaa, Christian Kraemer, Rachel More, Kirsten Donovan, David Evans Organizations: Reuters, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Germany, Canada, Norway, United Arab, Australia

If it cannot secure fresh funds before an approaching deadline, Argentina risks defaulting on repayments to the IMF. Analysts say the central aim of these economic adjustments is to signal to the IMF that Buenos Aires is committed to the program. The left-wing administration has been locked in negotiations with the IMF for months over whether to front-load tranches of the $44 billion program. Both parties said on Sunday that an agreement on the fifth IMF review was close, but not yet finalized. Reporting by Lucinda Elliott in Montevideo, Anna-Catherine Brigida in Buenos Aires, Rodrigo Campos in New York.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Eduardo Levy Yeyati, Eyeing, Marina dal, EcoGo, Alejo Czerwonko, Yeyati, Lucinda Elliott, Catherine Brigida, Rodrigo Campos, Jorgelina de, Karin Strohecker, Catherine Evans Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Economy, Peronist, IMF, Reuters, Emerging, UBS, Analysts, Thomson Locations: BUENOS AIRES, Buenos Aires, Argentina, refinance, Washington, Beijing, Montevideo, Anna, New York, Jorgelina de Rosario, London

☆ Germany earmarks 20 billion euros for chip industry in coming years
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, July 25 (Reuters) - Germany plans to invest around 20 billion euros ($22.15 billion) in the semiconductor industry in the coming years, the economy ministry said on Tuesday, amid growing alarm over supply chain fragility and dependence on South Korea and Taiwan for chips. The money will be drawn from the Climate and Transformation Fund from 2024 onwards, the ministry said, adding that it could only give funding for individual projects after European Commission approval. It said Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC (2330.TW) expressed interest in investing in a semiconductor production facility in Germany and that the ministry was in close contact with the company over an investment decision. Last month, Berlin agreed subsidies worth nearly 10 billion euros with the U.S. chipmaker Intel to build two facilities in the eastern city of Magdeburg. ($1 = 0.9029 euros)Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, Editing by Friederike HeineOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: TW, Riham Alkousaa, Friederike Heine Our Organizations: Transformation, U.S, Intel, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, Berlin, Magdeburg

☆ IMF expects deal with Argentina in the coming days
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Miguel Lo Bianco/File PhotoBUENOS AIRES, July 23 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should in the coming days finalize the basis for a staff level agreement with Argentina over a review of the country's $44 billion loan with the IMF, the Washington-based fund said on Sunday. "The teams of the Economy Ministry and Central Bank of Argentina and the IMF staff have finished the core aspects of the technical work of the next review," the IMF said on Twitter. "The central objectives and parameters that will be the basis for a "staff level agreement" have been agreed, which is expected to be finalized in the next few days before moving towards the review of the Argentina program," it added. Argentina faces maturities with the IMF worth some $3.4 billion between July 31 and Aug. 1, at a time when the central bank's net reserves are about $6.5 billion in the red. An Economy Ministry source told Reuters the disbursement program for the second half of 2023 has already closed and that the staff level accord could be sealed on Wednesday or Thursday.

Persons: Miguel Lo Bianco, Hernan Nessi, Nick Zieminski Organizations: IMF, REUTERS, Monetary Fund, Economy Ministry, Central Bank of, Twitter, Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Washington, Central Bank of Argentina

☆ Spain's right-wing parties could win a parliamentary majority, exit polls show after key election
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Voters in Spain head to the polls on July 23 to cast their votes and elect Spain's next government. PP secured between 145 and 150 seats, followed by the incumbent socialist party PSOE with between 113 and 118 seats, according to initial exit polls published by RTVE. It is so far unclear if the far right party Vox came in third or fourth, given that exit polls put it neck-to-neck with the left-leaning Sumar party. Exit polls suggest that the right wing bloc could potentially have a working majority. Spain's economy experienced a growth rate above 5% in 2022 and is set to expand by about 1.5% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Persons: Spain's, Javier Mostacero Carrera, Pedro Sanchez, RTVE, Vox, Francisco Franco, Alberto Feijóo's, Sanchez Organizations: Universitat de Barcelona, Voters, PP, Partido, PSOE, Vox, International Monetary Fund Locations: BARCELONA, SPAIN, Barcelona, Spain, Madrid

☆ Russian central bank surprises with sharper-than-expected rate hike to 8.5%
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Pro-inflationary risks have increased significantly over the medium-term horizon," the bank said in a statement. The central bank raised its year-end forecast for inflation - now just below 4% - to 5.0-6.5% from 4.5-6.5%, and said it was holding open the possibility of further hikes at future meetings. "The much larger-than-expected 100bp interest rate hike ... underscores policymakers’ concerns about inflation risks," said William Jackson, Chief Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics. Alfa Bank Chief Economist Natalia Orlova said the rate hike looked like a reaction to the situation on the currency market, given that the other inflation pressures mentioned had been evident at the previous central bank meeting on June 9. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina will shed more light on the bank's forecasts and policy in a media briefing at 1200 GMT.

Persons: William Jackson, Natalia Orlova, Wagner, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Alexander Marrow, Andrew Osborn, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Reuters, Capital Economics, Alfa Bank, Central Bank Governor, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ US, Mexico agree on labor rights plan for Mexican Goodyear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, July 19 (Reuters) - The United States and Mexico reached an agreement to remedy violations of workers' rights at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co (GT.O) plant in the Mexican city of San Luis Potosi, both countries said on Wednesday. The Mexican government has committed to carry out a number of measures under the agreement, the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office said in a statement. Goodyear must also inform workers of their labor rights and respect union activity, the USTR said. Mexico will carry out periodic inspections of the plant, and if warranted, could impose sanctions on people, labor organizations or the company, the USTR said. The remediation plan comes after a petition from a Mexican independent union, which found Goodyear was offering employees fewer benefits than an industry-wide agreement required.

Persons: Goodyear, Raul Cortes, Valentine Hilaire, Kylie Madry, Brendan O'Boyle, Sonali Paul Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Goodyear Tire &, U.S . Trade, Goodyear, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, United States, Mexico, Mexican, San Luis Potosi, U.S

☆ Toilet limits for transgender woman 'unacceptable,' Japan's top court
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 11 (Reuters) - Japan's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that restricting a transgender woman's use of toilets at her workplace was "unacceptable", a decision that may help promote LGBT rights in the only G7 nation without legal protection for same-sex unions. A Tokyo District Court ruled in 2019 that these restrictions were unlawful, but the decision was reversed in 2021 by the Tokyo High Court. In Japan, transgender people can only legally change their gender on their family register if they have had gender reassignment surgery. The woman in the court case was unable to do so due to health reasons, media said. Some lawmakers formed a group to guarantee the safety of women in toilets and public baths or hot springs.

Persons: Elaine Lies, Simon Cameron, Moore, Emma Rumney Organizations: Japan's, Tokyo High, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan

☆ Broadcom to invest in a $1 billion EU-funded chip programme in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO.O) will invest in a European Union-funded programme to develop a semiconductor industry in Spain, Chief Executive Charlie Kawwas said late on Thursday. "Excited to announce our decision to invest in Spain's semiconductor ecosystem under their semiconductor support program," Kawwas said on his Twitter account. The project in which Broadcom would be involved could be worth $1 billion, the Spanish economy ministry said in an emailed statement. Broadcom did not say how much it would invest. Prior to Broadcom, the Spanish government had said U.S. tech giant Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O) was planning to open a new chip design centre in the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona.

Persons: Charlie Kawwas, Kawwas, Inti Landauro, Belen, Mark Potter Organizations: chipmaker Broadcom, Broadcom, Cisco Systems Inc, EU, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Union, Spain, Spanish, Europe, Barcelona

An Audi spokesman in Germany said no specific announcement was planned in Mexico. It was unclear how much Audi plans to invest. Both Audi and Volkswagen have outlined broad goals for boosting their EV production worldwide. Volkswagen last year said it would invest more than $7 billion in the next five years in North America, including for EV production. In Mexico, Volkswagen last year announced a $763 million investment to upgrade the Puebla plant, including a new paint division running on electric energy.

Persons: San Jose Chiapa, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico's, Marcelo Ebrard, Audi, Dave Graham, Beth Solomon, David Gregorio Our Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Audi, Volkswagen, EV, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, Germany, Mexican, Puebla, San Jose, North America

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