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[1/3] The remains of a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel lies on a road where it fell in Ashkelon, southern Israel, October 10. An Israeli security source said Deif was directly involved in the planning and operational aspects of the attack. Deif said Hamas had urged the international community to put an end to the "crimes of the occupation", but Israel had stepped up its provocation. He also said Hamas had in the past asked Israel for a humanitarian deal to release Palestinian prisoners, but this was rejected. He was arrested by Israel in 1989 and spent about 16 months in detention, a Hamas source said.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Mohammed Deif, Al, Deif, Israel, Hamas's Al, Yehya Sinwar, Israel's, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Baraka, we've, Mohammad Masri, William Maclean, David Clarke Organizations: REUTERS, Brigades, Lebanese, Hezbollah, Tehran, Hamas, West Bank, Islamic University, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Ashkelon, Al Aqsa, DUBAI, Jerusalem's Al Aqsa, Jerusalem, Iran, Tehran, Washington, Khan

PGT's board of directors turned down Miter's fully-financed $33-per-share offer which it deemed inadequate, the sources said. PGT shares ended trading on Monday at $26.20. PGT manufactures and supplies windows and doors. The Venice, Florida-based company expanded into the overhead garage door market by acquiring Martin Door Holdings for approximately $185 million in 2022. It attributed the move to "a likely accumulation of PGT shares by a strategic investor," which it did not identify.

Persons: Miter's, PGT, Matt DeSoto, David Carnevali, Anirban Sen, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Brands, Koch Industries, Martin Door Holdings, Koch Equity Development, Koch, Thomson Locations: U.S, Venice, Florida, New York

Smoke rises in the aftermath of rocket barrages that were launched from Gaza, in Ashkelon, Israel October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLAUNCESTON, Australia, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Crude oil prices spiked higher in the wake of a massive Hamas attack on Israel, but the relatively modest increase masks the risk of an escalating Middle East conflict. These reactions from two key leaders in the Middle East underscore just how the Hamas attacks are likely to upend relationships in the Middle East. Overall, what the attacks by Hamas have likely achieved, for now at least, is place a pause on moves to normalise political relationships across the Middle East. There is no certainty as to how the current situation will play out, but uncertainty and heightened risks are likely bullish for crude oil prices.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Brent, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ebrahim Raisi, Joe Biden, Biden, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Brent, Hamas, Gaza, United Arab Emirates, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Rights LAUNCESTON, Australia, Israeli, Iran, Saudi Arabia, IRAN, Tehran, East, U.S, Saudi, Russia

☆ Israelis desperately seek word on missing kin from Hamas attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Though long used to war, Israel was blindsided by the multi-pronged attack by Hamas gunmen in which hundreds were killed. One mother spoke with Reuters after giving her DNA sample and handing over a brush with hair follicles from her son, who was at an outdoor dance party that was stormed by Hamas gunmen. Outside the police center, a man prayed with a rabbi as his fiancee filled in a report for her missing brother. Its location was Khan Younis, a city in Gaza. "I surely identified my wife, my two daughters and my mother-in-law on some kind of a cart, and terrorists of Hamas all around them," he said.

Persons: Yoni Asher, Miro Maman, Nir Oz, Khan Younis, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ganot Hadar, Israel, Airport City

☆ Deadly Afghanistan earthquakes over the years
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Mayank Bhardwaj | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Afghan man walks past a damaged house after the recent earthquake in Wor Kali village in the Barmal district of Paktika province, Afghanistan, June 25, 2022. Afghanistan, hemmed in by mountains, has a long history of strong earthquakes, many in the rugged Hindu Kush region bordering Pakistan. KUNAR, September 2022As Afghanistan was recovering from strong earthquakes three months earlier, tremors hit Kunar province in September, killing eight. HINDU KUSH, 2002Twin earthquakes in the Hindu Kush in March 2002 killed a total of 1,100. HINDU KUSH, 1991An earthquake in the Hindu Kush killed 848 people across Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Soviet Union.

Persons: Ali Khara, Afghanistan's, Mayank Bhardwaj, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Afghan, Barmal, Paktika province, Afghanistan, DELHI, Pakistan, BADAKHSHAN, Badakhshan, Jurm, KUNAR, Kunar, Paktika, India, Soviet Union, Iran, TAKHAR, Takhar

Work is under way on a joint statement that would be issued during the visit, four people informed about the negotiations told Reuters. China's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters GraphicsSTATE VISIT PREPARATIONSOne of the sources said China had sent a team to Hanoi to organise accommodations for Xi's delegation. China's foreign minister Wang Yi was expected to visit Hanoi in mid-October to help finalise the joint statement, the source added, if sufficient progress on the text has been made. As China's president, Xi travelled to Vietnam twice, with his latest visit in 2017, when he attended an Asia-Pacific summit with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and other leaders.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Florence, Joe Biden's, Xi, Pham Thu, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Martin Pollard, Yew, Tian, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Graphics STATE, Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Vietnam, HANOI, BEIJING, Hanoi, Washington, Vietnam's, United States, Europe, Asia, U.S, Singapore, South

☆ Discovery of Dutch prince's Nazi membership card revives calls for inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Tosterling Bart H. Meijer | Bart H. Meijer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The card, which showed Bernhard first joined in 1933, was found by historian Flip Maarschalkerweerd, the Royal Information Service. via Reuters TV Acquire Licensing RightsAMSTERDAM, Oct 6 (Reuters) - The discovery of a Nazi membership card in the name of late Dutch Prince Bernhard, a German who married into the Dutch royal family in the 1930s, revived calls on Friday for an inquiry into his ties to Adolf Hitler's party. Prince Bernhard, the grandfather of Dutch King Willem Alexander, died in 2004. The Dutch government confirmed the card was found but has resisted calls for an inquiry. The card, which showed Bernhard first joined in 1933, was found by historian Flip Maarschalkerweerd, the Royal Information Service said.

Persons: Bernhard, Flip Maarschalkerweerd, Dutch Prince Bernhard, Adolf Hitler's, Prince Bernhard, Dutch King Willem Alexander, Prince Bernhard's, Bernhard von Biesterfeld, Maarschalkerweerd, Juliana, King Willem Alexander, Prince, Willem, Alexander, Toby Sterling, Bart Meijer, Anthony Deutsch, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Royal Information Service, Reuters, Rights, Nazi, NSDAP, for Information, Documentation Israel, Institute for, Genocide, De Volkskrant, Allies, Germany, NOS, Thomson Locations: Dutch, Nazi, U.S, Netherlands

A pair of shoes is pictured in a window of a Birkenstock footwear store in Berlin, Germany, January 21, 2021. Birkenstock is the latest high-profile listing to put investor focus on the initial public offering (IPO) market, which is gradually reopening after two relatively quiet years and a burst of activity in September. Due to recent price hikes, worldwide footwear sales are expected to rise just 2.9% over 2022, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. AllBirds (BIRD.O), Dr Martens (DOCS.L), and On Running (ONON.N) have all seen their market value fall since their IPOs in 2021. "When you look at the trend of other shoe companies that have IPO-ed, it doesn't give a great outlook for Birkenstock," Valechha said.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, Birkenstock, Kellogg, Mamta, Cheviot, Valechha, Johann Adam Birkenstock, Barbie, Margot Robbie, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Siobhan Gehin, Roland Berger, Thomas Hayes, sneaker, Dr Martens, Allbirds, Alexandre Arnault, LVMH, Bernard Arnault, Matt Oguz, Iris, L, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Helen Reid, Emma, Victoria Farr, Echo Wang, Abigail Summerville, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, LVMH, New York Stock Exchange, Euromonitor, Associates, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Partners, Norges Bank Investment Management, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, New York, London, Neustadt, United States, U.S, Cannes, Silicon Valley

☆ Turkish official says ground operation into Syria an option after bombing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - A ground operation into Syria is one option Turkey could consider, a defence ministry official said on Thursday after Ankara found that two attackers who had set off a bomb near government buildings at the weekend had come from Syria. "Our only goal is to eliminate the terrorist organisations that pose a threat to Turkey. A ground operation is one of the options to eliminate this threat, but it is not the only option for us," the official said. Turkey conducted operations whenever and wherever necessary in the past, and these operations will continue if needed again," the defence ministry official said. "These operations are being conducted under self-defence rights arising from international law to eliminate terrorist attacks on Turkish territory and to ensure border security."

Persons: Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Alex Richardson Organizations: Kurdistan Workers ' Party, Syrian, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Syria, Turkey, Ankara, Kurdistan, Iraq, U.S, United States, France

☆ Iranian girl in critical condition after alleged encounter over hijab, activists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The second activist said security forces had forbidden Geravand's parents from posting her picture on social media or from talking to human rights groups. The head of the Tehran Metro Operating Company, Masoud Dorosti, told IRNA the CCTV footage showed no sign of verbal or physical conflict between passengers or company employees. An Iranian journalist was briefly arrested on Monday when she went to the hospital to inquire about Geravand's situation, Iranian media reported. "Iranian security institutions have said her condition was caused by low pressure - an oft-repeated scenario from such institutions," Iran-based rights group Dadban said on social media. Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on social media platform X said: "Once again a young woman in #Iran is fighting for her life.

Persons: Armita, Mahsa, Geravand, Hengaw, Masoud Dorosti, Dadban, IRNA, Annalena Baerbock, Michael Georgy, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, Care Unit, Tehran Metro Operating Company, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iranian, Tehran, Iran

REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's father and brother, as well as Donald Trump's former spokesman Anthony Scaramucci, are among possible witnesses at the cryptocurrency exchange founder's fraud trial, according to a list read by a prosecutor in court on Tuesday. There is no guarantee that Scaramucci, Bankman-Fried's father Joseph Bankman or his brother Gabriel Bankman-Fried will testify during the trial, which is expected to last six weeks and kicked off on Tuesday with jury selection. Prosecutor Danielle Sassoon read the list of dozens of names - which included both proposed prosecution and defense witnesses - to see if any prospective jurors knew them. Scaramucci's alternative investment firm SkyBridge Capital once owned a stake in FTX, Bankman-Fried's cryptocurrency exchange which declared bankruptcy in November 2022 amid a flurry of customer withdrawals. The now-bankrupt fund is fully owned by Bankman-Fried and former FTX executive Gary Wang, court filings show.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Christian Everdell, Jane Rosenberg, Donald Trump's, Anthony Scaramucci, Joseph Bankman, Gabriel Bankman, Danielle Sassoon, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Bankman, Kaplan, Gary Wang, Nicolas Roos, Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Lincoln, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Federal Court, REUTERS, SkyBridge, Alameda Research, District, Insight Partners, Bankman, Manhattan U.S, Thomson Locations: FTX, New York City, U.S, Alameda, Alameda ., New York

Companies Champion Trust Llc FollowNEW YORK, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial got under way with jury selection on Tuesday, nearly a year after his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange's collapse shocked markets and tattered his reputation. He was dressed in a suit and tie, with his once signature curly, unkempt hair cut into a neater trim. Bankman-Fried's is the highest profile case U.S. prosecutors have so far brought against a former cryptocurrency executive. Prosecutors say Bankman-Fried built that reputation on lies and bolstered it with endorsements from celebrities and star athletes. He will be brought to court early on most days to allow him to prepare with his lawyers.

Persons: Sam Bankman, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Bankman, Fried, Nicolas Roos, Mark Cohen, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Ellison, Jody Godoy, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Lincoln, Nick Zieminski Organizations: District, Alameda Research, Manhattan U.S, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, FTX, Alameda, New York

☆ Mali in meltdown as militants advance and U.N. withdraws
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Edward Mcallister | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] A man walks toward Sankore mosque, also known as the former University of Sankore, in Timbuktu, Mali September 25, 2023. "This conflict is escalating fast," said Ulf Laessing, the Bamako-based head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer foundation. Back in 2012, French forces and the U.N. intervened to halt the advance in Mali. In Mali, fighting began in August between the army and an ethnic Tuareg group called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) around a base vacated by the U.N. "The problem is Mali has too few troops and too little mobility," said Michael Shurkin, director of global programs at 14 North Strategies consultancy.

Persons: Stringer, Sory Touré, jihadists, Ulf Laessing, Konrad Adenauer, Russia's Wagner, Jama'at Nusrat al, Michael Shurkin, Iyad Ag, Shurkin, Mohamed Massaya, Salaha, Aicha Sababou, Edward McAllister, Alexandra Zavis, Edmund Blair Organizations: University of Sankore, REUTERS, U.N, United Nations, Islamic, Reuters Graphics, CMA, Ghali, Transitional Council, Reuters, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Sankore, Timbuktu, Mali, DAKAR, jihadists, al Qaeda, Islamic State, West, Burkina Faso, Niger, Bamako, France, U.S, Sahara, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Al Qaeda, Gao, Dakar

☆ Japan startup develops 'Gundam'-like robot with $3 mln price tag
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( 杉山聡 Chris Gallagher | Chris Gallagher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] CEO Ryo Yoshida poses for a photograph with ARCHAX, a giant human-piloted robot developed by his start-up Tsubame Industries Co., in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2023. REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsYOKOHAMA, Japan, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Tokyo-based start-up Tsubame Industries has developed a 4.5-metre-tall (14.8-feet), four-wheeled robot that looks like "Mobile Suit Gundam" from the wildly popular Japanese animation series, and it can be yours for $3 million. The 3.5-ton robot, which will be unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show later this month, has two modes: the upright 'robot mode' and a 'vehicle mode' in which it can travel up to 10 km (6 miles) per hour. "Japan is very good at animation, games, robots and automobiles so I thought it would be great if I could create a product that compressed all these elements into one," said Ryo Yoshida, the 25-year-old chief executive of Tsubame Industries. Yoshida plans to build and sell five of the machines for the well-heeled robot fan, but hopes the robot could one day be used for disaster relief or in the space industry.

Persons: Ryo Yoshida, Issei Kato, Yoshida, Satoshi Sugiyama, Chris Gallagher, Miyu Ito, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: Tsubame Industries, REUTERS, Rights, Japan Mobility, Thomson Locations: Yokohama, Tokyo, Japan, Rights YOKOHAMA

☆ Maldives opposition candidate Muizzu wins presidential vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Mohamed Junayd | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives presidential candidate of the opposition party, People's National Congress gestures after casting his vote at a polling station during the Maldives presidential election day in Male, Maldives September 9, 2023. REUTERS/Dhahau Naseem/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMALE, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu has won the Maldives presidential election, beating incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in a second-round runoff that could herald a pro-China shift for the Indian Ocean archipelago, from traditional partner India. With nearly all votes counted, the Elections Commission of the Maldives said on its website that Muizzu had received 54% of the ballots in Saturday's vote, with 46% for Solih. "Today the people made a strong decision to win back Maldives independence," Muizzu told reporters in the capital, Male. Muizzu also called on President Solih to release Yameen to house arrest.

Persons: Mohamed Muizzu, Dhahau Naseem, Ibrahim Solih, Muizzu, Solih, Abdulla Yameen, Insha Allah, Yameen, Narendra Modi, Modi, Mohamed Junayd, Uditha Jayasinghe, Edmund Klamann Organizations: People's, REUTERS, India, Solih, Maldives, Indian, Thomson Locations: Maldives, Male, China, India, Colombo

[1/5] A woman mourns next to a makeshift memorial for Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, as people mark 40 days since his death to respect an Orthodox tradition, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 1, 2023. It is still unclear what caused the plane to crash two months to the day since Prigozhin's failed mutiny. The Kremlin said on Aug. 30 that investigators were considering the possibility that the plane was downed on purpose. At memorials in Moscow and other Russian cities dozens of Wagner fighters and ordinary Russians paid their respects, though there was no mass outpouring of grief. Putin was on Friday shown meeting one of the most senior former commanders of the Wagner mercenary group and discussing how best to use "volunteer units" in the Ukraine war.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Anton Vaganov, Prigozhin, Prigozhin's, Violetta, Pavel, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Mikhail, Marta, Dmitry Utkin, Hope, Anton Yelizarov, Guy Faulconbridge, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, State, Embraer, KGB, Reuters, United States, Thomson Locations: Saint Petersburg, Russia, MOSCOW, St Petersburg, Moscow, Ukraine, Rostov, Mali

That move marked a profound shift from earlier in the week, when a shutdown looked all but inevitable. "Democrats have said from the start that the only solution for avoiding a shutdown is bipartisanship, and we are glad Speaker McCarthy has finally heeded our message." Democratic Senator Michael Bennet held the bill up for several hours trying to negotiate a deal for further Ukraine aid. House Republicans are demanding a further $120 billion in cuts. "House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans.

Persons: Michael Bennet's, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, McCarthy, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Donald Trump, Don Beyer, “, Republicans ’, Ken Cedeno, Republican Mitch McConnell, Michael Bennet, Chris Van Hollen, Biden, David Morgan, Makini Brice, Moira Warburton, Kanishka Singh, Andy Sullivan, Scott Malone, Andrea Ricci, William Mallard Organizations: U.S, Congress, Democratic, Republican, National Parks, WIN, MAGA Republicans, Republicans, REUTERS, Ukraine, Senate, creditworthiness, Social Security, Medicare, Thomson Locations: National, Ukraine

☆ Cathay Pacific buys 32 Airbus A321-200neo aircraft for $4.66 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Friday it had purchased 32 Airbus A321-200neo aircraft from Airbus (AIR.PA) for a basic price of $4.66 billion. The deal follows an agreement between an Airbus unit and the aircraft acquisition facilitators of Hong Kong's flagship carrier in September 2017. Cathay expects the aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2029, and expand the fleet capacity of Hong Kong Express, one of its units. Hong Kong-based conglomerate Swire Pacific (0019.HK) and Air China (601111.SS), which together hold more than 50% of the voting rights in Cathay, have approved the deal, the airline said in a filing. "Swire Pacific and Air China do not have any interest in the transaction other than as shareholders," Cathay said.

Persons: Hong, Rishav Chatterjee, Devika Organizations: Cathay Pacific Airways, HK, Airbus, Hong Kong's, Cathay, Hong Kong Express, Swire Pacific, Air, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Air China, Cathay, Bengaluru

☆ China's Dalian Wanda in talks to avert $4 bln IPO repayment -Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A person walks past the headquarters of Dalian Wanda Group, in Beijing's Central Business District (CBD), China August 8, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang Acquire Licensing RightsSept 28 (Reuters) - China's Dalian Wanda Group has started negotiations on a proposal that would allow the conglomerate to avoid repaying about 30 billion yuan ($4.11 billion) to investors in its shopping mall business if the unit fails to complete its initial public offering this year, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The Chinese conglomerate recently told investors that an IPO of the mall unit will likely take place next year, Bloomberg reported, people familiar with the matter. (This story has been refiled to fix a typo in the headline)($1 = 7.3067 yuan)Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'SouzaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Urvi, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Dalian Wanda Group, Beijing's, Business, REUTERS, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: China, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's Qantas chairman says shareholders want him despite turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The chairman of Australia's Qantas Airways (QAN.AX) on Wednesday vowed to stay in his role despite a host of scandals engulfing the airline, saying its biggest shareholders wanted leadership continuity even as its shares track a one-year low. "I've had meetings with our major shareholders two weeks ago, and they are very strongly supportive of me staying," Goyder told the hearing. "While I retain the confidence of shareholders and the board, I will continue to serve. But she and Goyder, the Qantas chairman since 2018, denied having any discussions about the Qatari request with any member of the federal government. Qatar Airways' senior vice-president of global sales, Matt Raos, told the hearing the company was "surprised and shocked" its application was denied without a reason given.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Richard Goyder, I've, Goyder, we've, isn't, Vanessa Hudson, Jayne Hrdlicka, Hrdlicka, Matt Raos, Byron Kaye, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Qantas, Sydney Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Qantas Airways, Stock, Qatar Airways, Virgin, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Virgin Australia, Qatar

☆ Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians rush to flee Nagorno-Karabakh
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh region ride in the back of a truck as they arrive in the border village of Kornidzor, Armenia, September 26, 2023. The hairpin mountain road snaking out of Karabakh towards Armenia was choked with people. There were conflicting details about the toll of the blast but the ethnic Armenian authorities said at least 68 had been killed, 105 were missing and nearly 300 were injured. "The Secretary urged President Aliyev to commit to broad amnesty and allow an international observer mission into Nagorno-Karabakh," Miller said. "President Ilham Aliyev underlined that respective activities are underway to ensure the rights of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region," it said.

Persons: Irakli, GORIS, Vera Petrosyan, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol Pashinyan, Antony Blinken, Azerbaijan's Aliyev, Matthew Miller, Aliyev, Miller, Blinken, Guy Faulconbridge, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Soviet Union, Reuters, Armenian, West, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Kornidzor, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Soviet South Caucasus, South Caucasus, Soviet, Askeran, Russia, United States, Turkey, Iran, Moscow

☆ Ex-Apple designer Ive, OpenAI's Altman discuss AI hardware -The Information
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 26 (Reuters) - Apple's (AAPL.O) former design chief, Jony Ive, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have been discussing building a new artificial intelligence (AI) hardware device, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter. SoftBank (9984.T) CEO Masayoshi Son has also been involved in some aspects of the conversation but it is unclear if he will remain involved, the report said. Ive and LoveFrom could not be reached for comment. Ive left Apple in 2019 and subsequently co-founded design firm LoveFrom with fellow designer Marc Newson.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jony Ive, Sam Altman, SoftBank, Masayoshi Son, OpenAI, Steve Jobs, Marc Newson, Evelyn Nikhila, Savio D'Souza Organizations: REUTERS, Apple, Ferrari, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Amazon.com faces an array of US consumer, state antitrust lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Mike Scarcella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In the California case, Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court in March ruled against Amazon's bid to dismiss the lawsuit. CONSUMERS' PRICE INFLATION CLAIMSAmazon faces a pair of consumer lawsuits in Seattle federal court. The consumer plaintiffs, Chun wrote, "allege the type of conduct that antitrust law is intended to prevent." E-BOOKSIn Manhattan federal court, a prospective class action from consumers accuses Amazon of artificially inflating the price of retail trade e-books on the site. U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods has not yet ruled on objections from Amazon and the plaintiffs to Figueredo's report and recommendation.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Rob Bonta, Ethan Schulman, Amazon's, Schulman, Richard Jones, Jones, John Chun, —, Chun, Ricardo Martinez, Valerie Figueredo, Gregory Woods, Mike Scarcella, Chris Sanders, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Amazon.com, Big Tech, FTC, GENERAL, District of Columbia, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, San Francisco Superior Court, District, U.S, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, GENERAL California, District, Washington ,, California, Columbia, San Francisco, Seattle, U.S, Maryland, Manhattan, Washington

Concerns have mounted in recent months about a spate of disinformation related to parliamentary elections in Slovakia on Sept. 30 and Poland next month as well as European Parliament elections next year. The companies and other online platforms have submitted data on their activity in the last six months to fight fake news as part of the EU code of practice on disinformation. "Today, this is a multi-million euro weapon of mass manipulation ..."The 'very large platforms' must address this risk. Especially as we have to expect that the Kremlin and others will be active before elections." After the last European Parliament elections in 2019, Russia's Security Council described accusations that Moscow had spread disinformation to sway voters as absurd.

Persons: Vera Jourova, John Thys, Alphabet's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Jourova, Elon, Musk, Meta, Foo Yun Chee, Kevin Liffey Organizations: European Commission, General Affairs Council, Rights, Google, Microsoft, Kremlin, Russia's Security, Internet Research Agency, Digital Services, Twitter, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Luxembourg, Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Slovakia, Poland, Moscow, Washington, Russia, Ukraine

☆ IEA says route to net zero requires more cash and less politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Forrest Crellin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But it also said the world would need need to invest nearly $4.5 trillion per year in the transition to cleaner energy from the start of the next decade, up from spending of $1.8 trillion expected in 2023. Temperatures have hit record levels this year and global averages are around 1.1C higher compared with the pre-industrial average. In its update to its Net Zero Roadmap, which proposes scenarios to reach net zero emissions by the middle of the century, the IEA said an increase in solar power capacity and in electric vehicle (EV) sales since 2021 were in line with targets, as well as infrastructure plans in both fields. The IEA pathway to net zero will also require an equitable transition, taking into account national circumstances and requiring advanced economies to reach net zero sooner than developing economies, the report said. "Governments need to separate climate from geopolitics, given the scale of the challenge at hand," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said.

Persons: Fatih Birol, Forrest Crellin, Barbara Lewis Organizations: International Energy Agency, IEA, Thomson Locations: Paris

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