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☆ Amazon's biggest generative AI product launch was rushed and flawed, leaving insiders looking for answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Q should be more polished, given how far behind we are," one of the Amazon employees told BI. An Amazon spokesperson said Q is not based on a single AI model, and its launch followed standard operating procedure. They said Q primarily used Claude Instant 1.2, a cheaper, lighter, and faster version of the AI model that was released in August. More approachable, but too simpleCurrently, Amazon Q is only offered in preview mode to select customers. Some AWS employees, however, say it feels like the company is in a mad dash to release new products, even if they are subpar.

Persons: —, Q, That's, Anthropic's Claude, It's, Google's Bard, Claude, Andy Jassy, Richard Brian Bedrock, Dario Amodei, Anthropic, Randall Hunt, Hunt, Corey Quinn, Quinn, Amazon's Trainium, Adam Selipsky, Selipsky, Amazon's Organizations: Service, Amazon, Business, Microsoft, Google, Claude, AWS's, Oracle, Duckbill, Nvidia, AWS

CHANNELVIEW, Texas — For nearly 20 years, Texas environmental regulators have kept a disturbing secret. AdvertisementTexas Community Health News; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality"Any exposure to a carcinogen increases your risk of developing cancer. AdvertisementTim Doty, a former TCEQ mobile air monitoring expert, at the industrial edge of River Terrace Park in Channelview, Texas. In fact, the agency rarely fines companies that violate Texas air pollution laws. Mark FelixHoneycutt's toxicology division soon took an even more dramatic step to weaken Texas' benzene guidelines.

Persons: Loren Hopkins, Hopkins, Mark Felix, TCEQ, AirToxScreen, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee, Tim Doty, Doty, Solv, He'd, Glenn Shankle, Kelly Keel, Todd Riddle, Riddle, Lopez, Joe Lopez, Dora, Joel Lopez, Randy Lopez, It's, Joel, Felix Benzene, wildcatters, Houston —, Forbes, Lorenzo de Zavala, Alison Cohen, Cohen, Tim Doty's, Houston Mayor Bill White, Shankle, Michael Honeycutt, Valerie Meyers, Meyers, Mark Felix Meyers, Richard Hyde, John Sadlier, Ryder, Hyde, hadn't, Russell Allen, Matt Baker, Jacintoport, Cloelle Danforth, Public Health Watch —, Danforth, Mark Felix Honeycutt's, Eric Schaeffer, Schaeffer, Honeycutt, Jim Tarr, polluters, upended, Mark Felix Fracking, Barnett, Glenn Shankle —, —, Rick Perry, Perry, Sadlier, David Bower, misstep, Baker, Bower, Michael Burgess, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Mark Felix Meanwhile, Randy, That's, Carolyn Stone, Stone, Carolyn Stone's, Mark Felix The, Cynthia Benson, Benson, Mark Felix Tim Doty, Mark Felix K, Jordan Gass Organizations: Public Health Watch, Texas Commission, Environmental, American Petroleum Institute, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Navy, Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, General, Health, Public Health, Rice University, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Community Health, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney, polluters, Mark Felix Public Health, TCEQ, Solv, Mark Felix Public Health Watch, myelodysplasia, Houston, Oil, Gas Watch, Texas, Houston Ship, University of California, Houston Mayor, ., . Texas Community Health, NASA, Exxon Mobil, Public, Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Management, Civil, Air Alliance Houston, Republican, Fort, United, Texas toxicologist, EPA, Texas Tribune, Google, Land Office, . Geological Survey, National Oceanic, Firefighters, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Channelview, Improvement Coalition, Health Watch, San Jacinto, K, Texas Legislature, Solv Group, Services Locations: , Texas, Texas, Houston, Channelview's Jacintoport, San Jacinto, California, Jacintoport, Channelview , Texas, AirToxScreen Harris County, Channelview, Harris County, United States, North Channelview, Gulf, Terrace, Joel's, Houston , Texas, Spindletop, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Port of Houston, San Francisco, . Texas, That's, polluters, lacquers, Dallas, Fort Worth, Fort Worth City, Austin, Round, Minnesota, Galveston, U.S

☆ S&P 500 rallies to key 4,600 level and nears all-time high. What chartists say happens next
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors are watching the S & P 500 after it rallied back toward the key 4,600 level to see if it can break out to new all-time highs. A record high in the S & P 500 looks promising after the broader index on Friday closed at 4,594.63, or its best level since March 2022. In July, the last time the S & P 500 tested the threshold, the rally was led by mega-cap tech stocks. On Monday, the market rally took a breather; the S & P 500 ended the session lower by 0.5%, and it stood about 5% below its record. In fact, one market technician on Monday said the S & P 500 could plunge back to its bear market lows in 2024.

Persons: Stocks, Wolfe, Rob Ginsberg, Ginsberg, BTIG's Jonathan Krinsky, you've, JPMorgan's, Jason Hunter, Hunter, CNBC's, Adam Turnquist, he's, Oppenheimer's Ari Wald, Wald, JC O'Hara, Roth MKM, Lululemon, O'Hara, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Chris Hayes Organizations: Broadcom Locations: oversold

☆ Suspected U.S. strike in Iraq kills five militia members, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 3 (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. air strike killed five members of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group north of the city of Kirkuk as they were preparing to launch projectiles at U.S. forces in the country, three Iraqi security sources said. U.S. military officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iraqi armed groups have claimed more than 70 such attacks against U.S. forces since Oct. 17 over Washington's backing of Israel in its bombardment of Gaza. The U.S. in November launched two series of strikes against what it said were Iran-aligned armed groups who had engaged in attacks against their forces. Those strikes killed at least 10 militants who were identified both as members of shadowy militia Kataeb Hezbollah and of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, an official security institution composed mainly of Shi'ite Muslim armed groups, many with close links to Iran.

Persons: Timour, Sharon Singleton Organizations: U.S, Hezbollah, Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, United, Thomson Locations: Iran, Kirkuk, U.S, Syria, Gaza, Israel, United States, Iraq, State

☆ Suspected U.S. Strike in Iraq Kills 5 Militia Members, Sources Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - A suspected U.S. air strike killed five members of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group north of the city of Kirkuk as they were preparing to launch projectiles at U.S. forces in the country, three Iraqi security sources said. U.S. military officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iraqi armed groups have claimed more than 70 such attacks against U.S. forces since Oct. 17 over Washington's backing of Israel in its bombardment of Gaza. The U.S. in November launched two series of strikes against what it said were Iran-aligned armed groups who had engaged in attacks against their forces. Those strikes killed at least 10 militants who were identified both as members of shadowy militia Kataeb Hezbollah and of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, an official security institution composed mainly of Shi'ite Muslim armed groups, many with close links to Iran.

Persons: Timour, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Hezbollah, Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, United Locations: Iran, Kirkuk, U.S, Syria, Gaza, Israel, United States, Iraq, State

☆ Amazon's AI chatbot, Q, might be in the throes of a mental health crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon Web Services unveiled Q, its business-focused generative AI chatbot, last week. Q was designed to be a more reliable alternative to consumer-focused AI chatbots. AdvertisementAmazon's Q , the AI chatbot for workers its cloud division unveiled on Tuesday, appears to have a few issues. It's not uncommon for generative AI chatbots to falter. It wasn't long after Microsoft released its consumer-focused generative AI assistant, Sydney, that it went viral with its own hallucinations .

Persons: —, Slack, it's, It's Organizations: Amazon Web Services, Service, Microsoft Locations: Sydney

☆ At climate summit, Turkey, South Africa hit out at Israel over Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan delivers a national statement at the World Climate Action Summit during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 1, 2023. "The current situation in Gaza constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity; those responsible must be held accountable under international law," he said. The war against the innocent people of Palestine is a war crime that must be ended now," he said in his address. The "international youth delegate" said he would try to raise awareness at the COP28 conference of the Palestinian cause. The assault sparked outrage in the Arab world, though most Western leaders have supported what they say is Israel's right to defend itself.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Al Sudani, Israel, Cyril Ramaphosa, Jordan's King Abdullah, Mohammed Ursof, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Rishi Sunak, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Isaac Herzog, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Herzog, Oded Joseph, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Abdul Latif Rashid, Gustavo Petro, Alexander Cornwell, Nadine Awadalla, Jana Choukeir, Huseyin Hayatsever, Mai Shams El, Richard Valdmanis, William Maclean Organizations: United Nations, Change, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Hamas, United, U.S, State Department, Palestinian Authority, Dubai, UAE, Foreign Ministry, Reuters COP28, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Africa, Palestine, UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, COP28

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Boeing, Amazon, Delta, Spotify, Alibaba, Johnson & Johnson and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday: Stifel initiates Boeing at buy Stifel said it sees a "favorable" setup for Boeing shares. Citi downgrades Spotify to neutral from buy Citi said in its downgrade of Spotify that the risk/reward is less compelling. Jefferies initiates Arcos Dorados as a buy Jefferies said the Latin American McDonald's franchisee is a "consistent compounder." Jefferies initiates CSG Systems as buy Jefferies said in its initiation of the software-as-a-service company that it sees burgeoning growth. Jefferies initiates Amdocs as buy Jefferies said it sees opportunity for the Israel-based software and systems integration supplier. "

Persons: Stifel, TD Cowen, Morgan Stanley downgrades Alibaba, Morgan Stanley, it's, Alibaba, Tesla, Cantor Fitzgerald, Cantor, Jefferies, Piper Sandler, TXRH, Wells, Wells Fargo, Emerson, Oppenheimer, Goldman Sachs, Bonnie Herzog's, MarketWise, Redburn, Johnson Organizations: Boeing, Delta, Air Lines, Citi, Spotify, RBC, Western Alliance, Novo Nordisk, Arcos, American, Crescent Energy, Fortrea Holdings, ISI, Aspen Technology, Emerson, JPMorgan, Constellation Brands, Constellation, UBS, Bank of America, Norfolk Southern, of America, Norfolk, CSG Systems, Communication Service, Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Westinghouse, Johnson, Innovative Medicine, Pharmaceutical Locations: Europe, China, Arcos, 4Q24, reaccelerate, Aspen, Norfolk, Israel

☆ At Least 10 Killed in East Iraq Attack -Two Security Sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed and 14 others wounded in an attack with roadside bombs and gunfire on a vehicle and rescuers in Iraq's eastern Diyala province on Thursday evening, two security sources said. The sources said the attack near the town of Amraniyah targeted relatives of a local MP and included two roadside bombs and sniper fire from unknown assailants. They did not elaborate further on possible motives for the attack. Security forces imposed a curfew in the area following the attack. (Reporting by Timour Azhari)

Persons: Timour Azhari Organizations: Security Locations: BAGHDAD, Diyala

☆ Ukraine got the top tanks it wanted from the West, but they're not yet changing the game
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Ukraine got the Leopard, Challenger, and Abrams tanks it asked its Western partners for. It's up to Ukraine to either use the tanks to defend against Russian offensives or preserve them for next spring, experts told Business Insider. AdvertisementNow, almost two years into the war, Ukraine has a force of advanced Western tanks at its disposal. Advertisement"These Western type of tanks are qualitatively superior to even the best Russian tanks that the Russians are using in Ukraine," Gentile told Business Insider. There are also questions of whether or not these will be the only Western tanks Ukraine gets, or if there are more in the pipeline.

Persons: Abrams, —, Seth G, Jones, Harold Brown, There's, Gian Gentile, RAND's, Austin Berner Ukraine, M1 Abrams, Gentile, Iraq's, DANIEL LEAL, hasn't, it's, Philipp Schulze, there's, they're Organizations: Russian, Service, Leopards, Transnational, Center for Strategic, International Studies, RAND's Arroyo Center, US Army, Army Staff, Challenger, M1, Soviet, Defense, Ministry of Defence, Getty, Business, Bundeswehr, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Fort Benning, Ga, Soviet, Russia, Soviet Union, England, Zaporizhzhia, Azov, Crimea, Avdiivka, Russian, Lower Saxony, Bergen

The logo of NVIDIA as seen at its corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California, in May of 2022. The company was set to erase more than $40 billion in market capitalization if losses hold, based on its current share price of $482.20. Nvidia, which has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence developments with its tailor-made graphics processing units, said its China business will take a hit from tighter export controls. Still, it forecast current-quarter revenue of $20 billion, plus or minus 2%, beating analysts' average estimate by more than $2 billion, according to LSEG data. "This disconnect between stellar earnings and an uncertain future in China is causing investor concern," said Scott Acheychek, CEO of REX Shares, which offers a fund linked to Nvidia shares.

Persons: Scott Acheychek, Nvidia's, Kyle Rodda, NVDA, Stifel, Arsheeya Bajwa, Chavi Mehta, Arun Koyyur Organizations: NVIDIA, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Nvidia, REX, Thomson Locations: Santa Clara , California, China, Bengaluru

[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

☆ 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

The group usually has one active case against financial regulators, but currently has two against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and one against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), he said. To be sure, the financial regulators have been sued many times during previous administrations, including by pro-reform advocacy groups. "There are some financial regulators that are walking right into it," he added. In September, for example, bank groups accused regulators including the Federal Reserve of violating the APA with a new capital rule. According to research by Wharton School professor David Zaring, neither industry groups nor individual lenders have filed more than one suit over the past decade challenging Fed policymaking.

Persons: Jim Bourg, Gibson, Dunn, Crutcher, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump's, Tom Quaadman, Jack Inglis, CFPB, Dennis Kelleher, Trump, Eugene Scalia, Gibson Dunn, Scalia, Antonin Scalia, Rebeca Romero Rainey, David Zaring, Kelleher, Douglas Gillison, Chris Prentice, Pete Schroeder, Nate Raymond, Jody Godoy, Megan Davies, Nick Zieminski Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Democratic, Republican, Reuters, APA, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Securities and Exchange Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Funds, Alternative Investment Management Association, Fifth Circuit, Appeals, Better Markets, Biden, American Bankers Association, Labor, Supreme, Independent Community Bankers of, Federal, Wharton School, Thomson Locations: Washington, Independent Community Bankers of America

☆ Stocks in Asia hit 2-month high, dollar defensive on Fed view
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A passerby walks past an electric monitor displaying various countries' stock price index outside a bank in Tokyo, Japan, March 22, 2023. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.97% higher at 510.11 having touched 511.05, the highest since Sept. 18. In rest of Asia, Japan's Nikkei (.N225) edged higher and remained close to the 33-year high it toucehd on Monday. The Japanese yen strengthened 0.22% to 148.03 per dollar, lifting away from the one-year low of 151.92 it touched last week. The Australian dollar , often seen as a barometer of risk appetite, touched a three-month high of $0.65775 earlier in the session.

Persons: Issei Kato, DAX, Wall, Sam Altman, Ben Bennett, Nicholas Chia, murmurs, Hong, HSI, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Jacqueline Wong, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, . Federal, Nvidia, Microsoft, Stock, Traders, Legal, General Investment Management, Standard Chartered, Japan's Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Europe, Thursday's U.S

☆ Asian stocks hit 2-month high on Wall St rally, Fed view
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.91% higher at 509.82 having touched 510.42, the highest since Sept. 18. The index is up 7% for the month and on course for its biggest monthly gain since January. The index is up roughly 28% this year, making it the best performing stock market in Asia. Lower yields kept the dollar on the back foot, with the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against a basket of six major currencies, down 0.058% at 103.37. The Australian dollar , often seen as a barometer of risk appetite, touched a three-month high of $0.65775 earlier in the session.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Hong, HSI, Wall, Sam Altman, Ben Bennett, Rob Carnell, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Rights, . Federal, Japan's Nikkei, Microsoft, Nvidia, Stock, Traders, Legal, General Investment Management, Treasury, OPEC, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Thursday's U.S, Russia, U.S, China

The Nasdaq boasted its highest closing level since July 31 while the S&P 500 registered its highest close since Aug. 1. Its biggest boost came from Microsoft (MSFT.O) shares which touched a record high and ended up 2%. The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) ended less than 1% below its 2023 closing peak reached in late July. Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 27, 2023. The S&P 500 posted 29 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 78 new highs and 90 new lows.

Persons: Bristol Myers, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Bruce Zaro, Dow, Brendan McDermid, Germany's Bayer, decliners, Sinéad Carew, Amruta, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: Microsoft, Bristol, Dow, Nasdaq, Nasdaq's, Nvidia, Apple, Granite Wealth Management, Dow Jones, Federal, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Graphics, Traders, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sunday, Boeing, Deutsche Bank, NYSE, Thomson Locations: Providence , Rhode Island, New York City, U.S, Thursday's U.S, New York

☆ Jim Cramer believes Broadcom will get more investor attention when shares cross the $1,000 mark
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch audio feature in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Jim thinks AVGO shares will cross $1,000 which will get more people's attention. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Jim, AVGO, Goldman Sachs, Jim Cramer's Organizations: CNBC, Broadcom, VMware, U.S, Adobe, Jim Cramer's Charitable Locations: China

☆ Iraq's Kataeb Hezbollah says attacks aim to 'drain' US, sanctions 'ridiculous'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Timour Azhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Military vehicles of U.S. soldiers are seen at the al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq, January 13, 2020. The United States has blamed Iran and militia groups it supports for the more than 60 attacks since mid-October as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Hamas war, which began on Oct. 7. At least 59 U.S. military personnel have been wounded in the attacks, though all have returned to duty so far. The U.S. State Department also designated militia group Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its secretary general, Abu Ala al-Walai, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. In a statement posted on Telegram late on Friday, Walai described the sanctions as "a medal of honour."

Persons: Asad, John Davison, Abu Ali Al, Askari, Sayyid, Abu Ala, Walai, Timour Azhari, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, United, Saturday, Treasury, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, U.S . State Department, Terrorists, Militia, Israel, Thomson Locations: U.S, Anbar province, Iraq, Rights BAGHDAD, Iran, Syria, United States, Israel, State, Gaza

Ten days after that, Russia said a Hamas delegation was in Moscow for talks. Moscow has offered to host a regional meeting of foreign ministers and Putin has said that Russia is well placed to help. "My explanation is it's because the war is becoming the organising principle of Russian foreign policy and (because of) ties with Iran, which brings military materiel to the table. The central Russian war effort is more important than, for example, the relationship with Israel." "We're going to finish this war (with Hamas) ... After this, Russia will pay the price," Weitmann said in a stormy October interview with Russian state broadcaster RT.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yosri, Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sergei Markov, Washington, Hanna Notte, Moscow, Alexei Pushkov, Pushkov, Markov, Alex Gabuev, Anatoly Viktorov, Alexander Ben Zvi, Mikhail Bogdanov, Amir Weitmann, Weitmann, we're, Andrew Osborn, Mike Collett, White, Nick Macfie Organizations: Hamas, West Bank, REUTERS, West, EU, Kremlin, U.S, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Likud, RT, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Russian, Gaza, Israel, Hebron, Russia, Moscow, United States, U.S, EU, Iran, Tehran, Ukraine, Berlin, Washington, Palestine, Arab, Jerusalem, Syria

☆ Hyundai unveils its first high-performance electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Hyundai Motor Company is pictured at the New York International Auto Show, in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) unveiled its first high-performance electric vehicle(EV), an N sport variant of its IONIQ 5 crossover SUV. The N brand is the company's high-performance brand, akin to AMG for the Mercedes and the M lineup for the BMW. The IONIQ's N variant will be powered by dual motors producing 641 horsepower, nearly double the output of the most powerful variant of the standard outgoing model. Hyundai unveiled the performance EV in Los Angeles on Wednesday, ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show opening on Friday.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Nathan Gomes, Tasim Zahid Organizations: Hyundai Motor, New York, REUTERS, Hyundai, South, AMG, Mercedes, BMW, Los Angeles Auto, Audi, Porsche, Dodge, EV, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

It also slightly raised its 2023 forecast for growth in global oil demand and stuck to its relatively high 2024 prediction. Last week, oil prices slid to their lowest level since July, hurt by concerns that demand could wane in in top oil consumers U.S. and China. A U.S. crackdown on Russian oil exports could potentially disrupt supply, supporting prices further. Iraq's oil minister expects to reach an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government and foreign oil companies to resume oil production from the Kurdish region's oilfields and resume northern oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline. Focal points for the market include the International Energy Agency's latest monthly oil market report later in the day.

Persons: Dun Jiao, Tatiana Meel, Leon Li, Emily Chow, Edwina Gibbs, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Brent, ING, Organization of, Petroleum, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, U.S . Treasury Department, Kurdistan Regional Government, of Commerce, International Energy, APEC, Markets, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Rights SINGAPORE, U.S, China, Washington, Moscow, Iraq, Kurdish, Turkey, Shanghai

☆ Oil prices edge up after OPEC says market fundamentals are strong
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Tatiana Meel/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Oil prices inched up on Tuesday after an OPEC report said market fundamentals remained strong and due to concerns supplies might be disrupted as the U.S. cracks down on Russian oil exports. Last week, oil prices slid to their lowest level since July, hurt by concerns that demand could wane in in top oil consumers U.S. and China. Iraq's oil minister expects to reach an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government and foreign oil companies to resume oil production from the Kurdish region's oilfields and resume northern oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline. Oil prices were also supported by a U.S. crackdown on Russian oil exports, potentially disrupting supply. Focal points for the market include the International Energy Agency's latest monthly oil market report later in the day.

Persons: Dun Jiao, Tatiana Meel, Emily Chow, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Brent, Organization of, Petroleum, ANZ Research, Kurdistan Regional Government, of Commerce, U.S . Treasury Department, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, International Energy, Energy, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Rights SINGAPORE, U.S, China, Iraq, Kurdish, Turkey, Washington, Moscow

WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The United States has issued a new 120-day waiver allowing Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, stressing Tehran could only use the funds for humanitarian trade and seeking to blunt criticism of giving Iran the money. The move may also be controversial because Washington has asked Baghdad to curtail attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq by Iranian-allied militias, with mixed results. One U.S. official described the U.S. requests to Iraq as "a work in progress." U.S. and coalition troops have been attacked at least 55 times in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, injuring 59 personnel, though all have returned to duty. Reporting By Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk in Washington; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Grant McCool and Lincoln Feast.

Persons: parry, it's, Richard Goldberg, Trump, Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Arshad Mohammed, Grant McCool, Lincoln Organizations: United, Republicans, Congress, U.S . U.S, U.S, Washington, Pentagon, Foundation for Defense, Democracies, Thomson Locations: United States, Iraq, Iran, Tehran, U.S, Baghdad, Iranian, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Washington

☆ Iraq expects deal to resume Kurdistan oil output within three days
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Ahmed Rasheed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Iraq's oil minister, Hayan Abdel-Ghani, speaks during a press conference at Iraq's Majnoon oil field near Basra, Iraq, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Iraq reached understanding with Turkey on oil exportsBaghdad seeks deal to adjust KRG oil contractsBAGHDAD, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Iraqi oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani expects to reach an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and foreign oil companies to resume oil production from the Kurdish region’s oilfields within three days, he said on Sunday. Abdel-Ghani and top federal oil officials on Sunday started meetings with the KRG's ministry of natural resources and senior Kurdish energy officials to discuss the matter. "The purpose of this meeting is to resolve all issues to facilitate resumption of oil production and exports," Abdel-Ghani told reporters in Erbil. APIKUR's members include international oil and gas companies that have a direct or indirect interest in upstream oil or gas contracts in Iraq's Kurdistan region, many of which have had to stop output because of the pipeline closure.

Persons: Hayan Abdel, Ghani, Essam, Abdel, Ahmed Rasheed, William Maclean, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, Kurdistan Regional Government, of Commerce, ICC, Association of, Petroleum Industry, Thomson Locations: Basra, Iraq, Turkey, Baghdad, BAGHDAD, Kurdish, Erbil, Iraq's, Kurdistan, Ankara, Iraq's Kurdistan

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