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☆ In Bid to Curb Immigration, France to Scrap Birthright Citizenship in Mayotte
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Located close to the impoverished Comoro islands off the East African coast, the former French colony has become the centre of fierce social unrest, with many residents blaming undocumented immigration for the deteriorating conditions. Much poorer than mainland France, Mayotte has been shaken by gang violence and social unrest for decades. Since January, island residents have been staging strikes and erecting roadblocks to protest against what they say are unacceptable living conditions, paralyzing large parts of local infrastructure. It comes less than three weeks after France's highest court scrapped large parts of a new immigration law designed to toughen access to welfare benefits for foreigners and curb the number of new arrivals into the country. Immigration is a hot-button issue in France, one of Europe's strongholds for far right anti-immigration parties.

Persons: Gerald Darmanin, Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, Tassilo Hummel, Sophie Louet, Bernadette Baum Organizations: PARIS Locations: Mayotte, Madagascar, France, Republic

☆ Madagascan President's Ex-Aide Offered Influence for Bribes, London Jury Told
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Sam TobinLONDON (Reuters) - Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina's ex-chief of staff offered to use her influence to obtain bribes from precious stone miner Gemfields in exchange for help with lucrative mining rights, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday. Romy Andrianarisoa, 47, is accused of seeking substantial payments from Gemfields between 2021 and 2023 to help the company expand its business into Madagascar. Prosecutor Alex Leach told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that Andrianarisoa was, at the time of the alleged offending, a "trusted adviser" to Rajoelina. At the meeting, Andrianarisoa "made it clear she had direct influence on the president", Leach added. He said Gemfields later approached Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) after it became clear Andrianarisoa and her associate Philippe Tabuteau were seeking a bribe.

Persons: Sam Tobin LONDON, Andry Rajoelina's, Romy Andrianarisoa, Andrianarisoa, Alex Leach, Leach, Sean Gilbertson, Gemfields, Britain's, Philippe Tabuteau, Tabuteau, Sam Tobin, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Southwark Crown, Crime Agency, NCA, Gemfields Locations: London, Gemfields, Madagascar, Southwark, Tabuteau

☆ Floods, Landslides Kill at Least 20 People in Southern Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - At least 20 people have died after days of torrential rains in parts of the southern Philippines, provincial disaster agencies said on Monday. Thirteen people died in Davao de Oro province while two were missing, and seven people were killed in neighbouring Davao del Norte, disaster agency officials said. A northeast monsoon and trough of a low pressure area brought rains in southern Mindanao region from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2, resulting in deadly floods and landslides, data from the national disaster agency show. In mid-January, 18 people died due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern Philippines. Landslides and floods are frequent in the Southeast Asian nation, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands that is hit by about 20 tropical storms annually.

Persons: Neil Jerome Morales, Bernadette Baum Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Mindanao, Jan

☆ Masked Gunmen Kill One Person in Istanbul Church -Turkish Interior Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - Two masked gunmen shot one person dead during Sunday service at a church in Istanbul, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, adding that authorities were working to capture the assailants. Yerlikaya, who condemned the attack, said it took place around 0840 GMT at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in the Sariyer district. "C.T., who was among those participating in the service, was the target of a gun attack by two masked individuals and sadly lost his life," the minister said on social media platform X, referring to the initials of the victim. Turkish officials tend to not use the full names of victims or perpetrators of attacks. Footage from the church showed several police cars and an ambulance outside the building.

Persons: Ali Yerlikaya, Yerlikaya, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church Locations: ANKARA, Istanbul, Italian, Sariyer

☆ UK Government to Ban Disposable Vapes to Prevent Use by Children
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce plans on Monday to ban the sale of disposable vapes to prevent their use by children, and reiterate the government's intention to introduce a law preventing younger generations from buying tobacco. Under the new powers, there would be restrictions on vape flavours, a requirement for plain packaging, and changes to how vapes, or e-cigarettes, are displayed to make them less attractive to children. The World Health Organization (WHO) said in December all vape flavours should be banned. "That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven the rise in youth vaping – and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops." The government says that along with the health benefits, the ban on disposable vapes would help the environment, with five million thrown away each week.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, vaping, Michael Holden, Bernadette Baum Organizations: British, World Health Organization, WHO, Vaping Industry Association

☆ Air Traffic Climbs at Israel's Tel Aviv Airport in 2023 but War Weighs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Steven ScheerJERUSALEM (Reuters) - Air travel to and from Israel plunged in the last three months of 2023 amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, but the number of passengers travelling through Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv still rose 10% in 2023. The number of international travellers reached 21.1 million in 2023, up from 19.2 million in 2022, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) said in a report on Sunday. But since then, traffic has plunged, culminating in a 78% drop in November and 71% dive in December, the IAA said. Ryanair was third with a 5.4% share, although its number of passengers dipped 12% in 2023. In 2023, 3 million tourists visited Israel, up from 2.7 million in 2022.

Persons: Steven Scheer JERUSALEM, Ben Gurion, Oz, Israel . Bar Oz, Steven Scheer, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Ben Gurion, Israel Airports Authority, Palestinian, Hamas, IAA, Al Israel Airlines, Ryanair, Israel ., Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Tel Aviv . Air France Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, Gaza, El Al, United States, York's JFK, France, Britain, Austrian, Aegean

☆ Tensions With Iran Add to Pakistan's Economic Challenges
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Pakistan conducted strikes inside Iran, targeting separatist Baloch militants two days after Tehran said it had attacked the bases of another group within Pakistani territory. It is undergoing a tough $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme that pulled it from the brink of default last summer. Pakistan's international bonds fell after its foreign ministry said it conducted strikes inside Iran on Thursday, two days after Tehran attacked the bases of another group within Pakistani territory. Earlier in the day, Pakistan's benchmark share index fell 1.6% after Pakistan said it conducted strikes inside Iran, before recovering some ground. Pakistan's economic ties with Iran, while not huge, are important for Islamabad as it struggles to supply its western- most regions in Balochistan with critical commodities, including fuel and electricity.

Persons: Aneel Salman, Salman, Pakistan's, Hasnain Malik, Ariba Shahid, Karin Strohecker, Amanda Cooper, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Baloch, Monetary Fund, Liquified Petroleum Gas, Islamabad Policy Research Institute, Pipeline Locations: KARACHI, LONDON, Pakistan, Iran, Tehran, Tradeweb, Islamabad, Balochistan, Afghanistan, Russia, India, Karachi, London

☆ Amid Drought, Water Curbs in Portugal's Algarve, Spain's Catalonia
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Sergio Goncalves and Joan FausLISBON/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Portugal's caretaker government has ordered cuts to the amount of water used in farmland irrigation and in urban environments including hotels in the tourism-dependent southern region of Algarve, where a severe drought has nearly emptied reservoirs. Across the Iberian peninsula, Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia is suffering its worst drought on record and authorities in the greater Barcelona area said on Thursday they would reduce water pressure in some towns' supply systems. If nothing was done in relation to moderation on the consumption side, we would reach the end of 2024 without water for public supply," he said. In the southern region of Andalusia, officials on Thursday said there would be water restrictions in big cities such as Seville, Cordoba or Malaga by the summer in the absence of substantial rain before then. (Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; additional reporting by Joan Faus in Barcelona and Emma Pinedo in Madrid; editing by Andrei Khalip and Bernadette Baum)

Persons: Sergio Goncalves, Joan Faus, Duarte Cordeiro, Emma Pinedo, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Locations: Joan Faus LISBON, BARCELONA, Algarve, Catalonia, Barcelona, Portugal, Andalusia, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Madrid

☆ Polish Court Orders That Hunger-Striking Politician Be Force-Fed, Says President
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The two members of the former Law and Justice (PiS) government - of which President Andrzej Duda is an ally - announced they were going on a hunger strike after their imprisonment. It couldn't immediately be determined which court Duda was referring to, and the order could not immediately be confirmed by Reuters. PiS has sought to portray Kaminski and Wasik as political prisoners, a description that has been rejected by the government and human rights activists. "Today I received information from the wife of Mariusz Kaminski that... a court order has been made that he should be force-fed," Duda told reporters at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos. In that case, lawyers questioned whether Duda had the power to pardon Kaminski before an appeals court issued a final ruling.

Persons: Mariusz Kaminski, Maciej Wasik, Andrzej Duda, Duda, PiS, Kaminski, Wasik, Bodnar, Adam Bodnar, Donald Tusk, Alan Charlish, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Law, Justice, Reuters, European Union, Economic Locations: WARSAW, Warsaw, Swiss, Davos

☆ Jordan Says Its Gaza Hospital Damaged by Israeli Shelling
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

AMMAN (Reuters) - The Jordanian army's military field hospital in Khan Younis in Gaza was badly damaged on Wednesday by Israeli shelling in the vicinity of the building, and the army said it held Israel "fully responsible for a "flagrant breach of international law." A hospital staff member was injured and would be flown back to Jordan for treatment while a patient was hit with shrapnel, the army said in a statement. The government will take all the measures necessary as a result of the aggression," the statement said, without elaborating. The Israeli military could not immediately be reached for comment. The kingdom, which has been among Arab neighbours pushing Israel to allow more aid, is the only country that airdrops aid to Gaza, channelling it through these two medical facilities.

Persons: Jordan, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Andrew Cawthorne, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Hamas, Food Programme Locations: AMMAN, Jordanian, Khan Younis, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, channelling

☆ Icelandic Volcano Calms Down but Risk Remains
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Live video footage on Tuesday morning no longer showed signs of molten rock erupting from the ground, even as experts warned that new fissures could emerge at short notice. Grindavik resident Hrannar Jon Emilsson watched his almost-finished house burn down on live TV after the volcano erupted on Sunday. "You sit and watch the news showing everything go up in smoke," Emilsson told Icelandic independent broadcaster Channel 2. It was the second eruption on the peninsula of Reykjanes in four weeks, and the fifth since 2021. The Icelandic Civil Defence, the IMO and other experts are due to meet later on Tuesday to discuss the situation.

Persons: Hrannar Jon Emilsson, Emilsson, Gerhard Mey, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Tom Little, Terje Solsvik, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Channel, Icelandic Meteorological, Icelandic Civil Defence Locations: REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Grindavik, Reykjanes, Reykjavik, Copenhagen

☆ Mathematics, reading skills in unprecedented decline in teenagers
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Leigh Thomas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said it had seen some of the steepest drops in performance since 2000 when it began its usually triennial tests of 15-year-olds reading, maths and science skills. On average across the OECD, one out of four 15-year-olds tested as a low performer in maths, reading and science, which means they could not use basic algorithms or interpret simple texts, the study found. Poorer results tended to be associated with higher rates of mobile phone use for leisure and where schools reported teacher shortages. The OECD said the decline was not inevitable, pointing to Singapore, where students scored the highest in maths, reading and science, with results that suggested they were on average three to five years ahead of their OECD peers. After Singapore, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea also outperformed in maths and science, where Estonia and Canada also scored well.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, COVID, Andreas Schleicher, Leigh Thomas, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD, Thomson Locations: Savenay, France, PARIS, Paris, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Estonia, Canada, Ireland

☆ World Food Programme Pauses Distribution in North Yemen as Funds Limited
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH (Reuters) - The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday it had paused general food distribution in north Yemen due to limited funding and disagreement with local authorities over how to focus on the poorest there. The fighting has abated over the last two years, easing what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The WFP had already reduced rations in Yemen since 2022 due to critical funding gaps and global inflation that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The agency said it would continue other programmes, including nutrition and school feeding programmes to limit the impact of the decision. General food distribution would continue with a focus on the neediest in the areas controlled by the Saudi-backed government, it said.

Persons: Aziz El Yaakoubi, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Reuters, Food Programme, United Nations, WFP Locations: RIYADH, Yemen, Iran, Saudi, Aden, Ukraine

☆ Morning Bid: Small caps pick up baton, China rating hit
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 26, 2023. The likes of Microsoft (MSFT.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Nvidia (NVDA.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) fell back over 1%, pressured by a modest bounceback in U.S. Treasury yields. China's blue-chip stocks slumped to their lowest since February 2019 amid fears of a possible cut to China's sovereign credit rating cut after Moody's outlook reduction. By Mike Dolan, Editing by Bernadette Baum; <a href="mailto:mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com" target="_blank">mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com</a>Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, Russell, that's, Moody's, Isabel Schnabel, Michael Gibson, Christine Laggard, Mongo, Zero Fox, Bernadette Baum Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Reserve, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Treasury, Reserve Bank of Australia, Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, Barclays, Qatar, P Global, Federal, Division, Supervision, Financial Innovation, Descartes Systems, Health, Powell Industries, Dave, Buster's Entertainment, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Global, York, Treasuries, Europe

☆ Tesla's China-made EV sales fall 17.8% in Nov, biggest drop since Dec 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Sales of U.S. automaker Tesla's (TSLA.O) China-made electric vehicles (EVs) skidded 17.8% in November from the same month a year earlier, to 82,432 cars, China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data showed on Monday. That marked the biggest fall since December 2022 when Tesla's sales of China-made EVs fell 21% on the year as the U.S. automaker reduced output and cut prices to deal with rising inventories and weakening demand. Xi expressed his support for Tesla's development in China, the automaker said in a Weibo post. Li Auto (2015.HK) last month said mass production and delivery of its first full EV are scheduled for February. Smartphone maker Xiaomi (1810.HK) has also moved closer to EV production, with a unit of automaker BAIC Group (1958.HK) applying for regulatory approval to build two Xiaomi-branded cars.

Persons: Tesla's, EVs, BYD, Tesla, Elon Musk's, Musk, Xi Jinping, Xi, Li Auto, Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Bernadette Baum, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: U.S, China Passenger Car Association, APEC, Reuters, Li, HK, BAIC Group, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, San Francisco, Weibo

☆ Tesla's China-made EV sales skid 17.8% on year in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Sales of U.S. automaker Tesla (TSLA.O)'s China-made electric vehicles skidded 17.8% in November from the same month a year earlier, to 82,432 cars, China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data showed on Monday. Deliveries of China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars rose 14.3% from October. Chinese rival BYD (002594.SZ), with its Dynasty and Ocean series of EVs and petrol-electric hybrid models, saw passenger vehicle deliveries set another record at 301,378 vehicles, up 0.09% from October and up 31% from a year earlier. Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tesla, BYD, Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Christopher Cushing, Bernadette Baum Organizations: U.S, China Passenger Car Association, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

☆ Remains of five crew found after US Osprey aircraft crashes off Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A floating object believed to belong to the U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey that crashed into the sea is seen off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/TOKYO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. and Japanese dive teams found the remains of five more crew members from a V-22 Osprey aircraft that crashed off western Japan last week, the Pentagon said on Monday. Two crew members remain unaccounted for. "There is an ongoing combined effort to recover the remaining crew members from the wreckage," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. Following the crash, the U.S. military unit that the V-22 Osprey aircraft belonged to suspended flight operations.

Persons: Sabrina Singh, Phil Stewart, Satoshi Sugiyama, Bernadette Baum, Alison Williams Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, WASHINGTON, Osprey, Pentagon, U.S ., ., U.S, Pacifist Japan, U.S . Marine Corps, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, Yakushima, Tokyo, U.S, Washington

☆ Two Arrested in Italy for Spreading Islamist Propaganda - Police
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ROME (Reuters) - Two people have been arrested in Italy for spreading online terrorist propaganda linked to militant groups Palestine Islamic Jihad, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, police in the northern city of Brescia said Monday. The suspects are a Pakistani national and an Italian citizen of Pakistani origin, a statement said. They were apprehended following a investigation that started in October 2022, they said. On Sunday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Italy remained on alert for possible terrorist attacks following the weekend attack in Paris, in which one German tourist was killed and two others were wounded. "We have confidence in our traditional prevention systems, but attention must remain high," the minister was quoted as saying by the Ansa news agency.

Persons: Matteo Piantedosi, Alvise Armellini, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Islamic Locations: ROME, Italy, Palestine, Islamic State, Brescia, Pakistani, Italian, Paris

☆ 'No plan B' for Paris opening ceremony after knife attack - sports minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Olympic rings to celebrate the IOC official announcement that Paris won the 2024 Olympic bid are seen in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero square in Paris, France, September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - There is no "plan B" for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games, the French sports minister said on Monday, after a man armed with a knife and hammer killed a German tourist and left two people wounded near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday. "We have no plan B, we have a plan in which there are several sub-plans with a certain number of adjustment variables," Amelie Oudea-Castera told France Inter radio. The attack occurred on the Quai de Grenelle - a spot also included in the plans for the opening ceremony. Reporting by Piotr Lipinski and Tassilo Hummel Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christian Hartmann, Amelie Oudea, Castera, Jean, Francois Ricard, Pont, Tony Estanguet, Piotr Lipinski, Tassilo Hummel, Bernadette Baum Organizations: IOC, Paris, REUTERS, France Inter, Islamic, Games, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Islamic State, Grenelle, Chechen, Israel

☆ US officials to visit Taiwan to explain chip curbs, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua speaks during an interview with Reuters in Taipei, Taiwan, September 30, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAIPEI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. officials plan to visit Taiwan to explain to companies details of new curbs, primarily aimed at China, on advanced chip exports, the island's economy minister said on Monday. Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said some details of the extremely long new U.S. rules needed explanation. Given the concentration of chip making in Taiwan it was "advantageous" for Taiwanese companies to hear the details of the new controls from the U.S. officials, Wang said. Taiwan's official Central News Agency said the U.S. officials, who it did not name, would visit Taiwan next month and hold events in the chip hubs of Hsinchu and Tainan.

Persons: Wang Mei, Ann Wang, Biden, chipmaker TSMC, Wang, Ben Blanchard, Jeanny, Bernadette Baum, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Nvidia, Beijing, U.S, Central News Agency, The U.S . Commerce Department, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Taipei, Rights TAIPEI, China, U.S, Hsinchu, Tainan, The

☆ UK military faces $22 billion equipment shortfall, watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Britain's armed forces face an equipment funding shortfall of 17 billion pounds ($21.6 billion) over the next 10 years, a public spending watchdog said on Monday, a concern for defence chiefs at a time of heightened geopolitical risks. The National Audit Office (NAO) put the estimate for the budget for new weapons and equipment at 305.5 billion pounds for 2023-2033, 16.9 billion pounds over budget, the largest deficit since its first report in 2012. Russia's war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for extra military spending across Europe, with Britain an important ally and provider of military equipment to Kyiv. The government raised spending on defence by an extra 5 billion pounds earlier this year, increasing it to about 2.25% of gross domestic product this year and next. "The Ministry of Defence acknowledges that its Equipment Plan for 2023–2033 is unaffordable," NAO head Gareth Davies said in a statement.

Persons: NAO, Grant Shapps, Shapps, Gareth Davies, Sarah Young, Bernadette Baum, Timothy Organizations: Audit, Soaring, Ministry of Defence's, Defence, Ministry, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Britain, Ukraine, Europe, Kyiv

☆ 'No Plan B' for Paris Opening Ceremony After Knife Attack -Sports Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - There is no "plan B" for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games, the French sports minister said on Monday, after a man armed with a knife and hammer killed a German tourist and left two people wounded near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday. "We have no plan B, we have a plan in which there are several sub-plans with a certain number of adjustment variables," Amelie Oudea-Castera told France Inter radio. The 26-year-old suspect, a French national arrested after the attack, had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video recorded beforehand, anti-terrorism Prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said on Sunday. The attack occurred on the Quai de Grenelle - a spot also included in the plans for the opening ceremony. France has been on high alert since raising its security threshold in October, when a Chechen-origin man with a knife killed a teacher in a school in northern France.

Persons: Amelie Oudea, Castera, Jean, Francois Ricard, Pont, Tony Estanguet, Piotr Lipinski, Tassilo Hummel, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Reuters, Paris, France Inter, Islamic, Games Locations: Islamic State, Grenelle, France, Chechen, Israel

☆ SocGen issues 10-mln-euro digital green bond on a public blockchain
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo of French bank Societe Generale is seen on the company's skyscraper at the financial and business district of La Defense near Paris, France September 14, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Societe Generale , France's third-biggest listed bank, said on Monday it issued its first so-called digital green bond on a public blockchain, as the lender seeks to build expertise in crypto services. AXA IM made the investment in the digital green bond by acquiring and then spending 5 million euros worth of SocGen's euro-denominated stablecoin, EUR CoinVertible (EURCV). SocGen's bond issuance, made on the Ethereum public blockchain, follows the launch last week by the European Investment Bank (EIB) of its second euro-denominated digital bond on a private blockchain, in partnership with Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, Santander and SocGen. SocGen's digital green bond issuance was made via its crypto unit, Forge.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Generali, SocGen, Blockchain, Mathieu Rosemain, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Societe Generale, La Defense, REUTERS, Rights, AXA Investment, AXA, Generali Investments, European Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, SocGen, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France, Santander

☆ First lorries pass through new Ukraine crossing at Polish border
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian trucks are seen near the Poland-Ukraine border, near the village of Korczowa, Poland November 19, 2023. REUTERS/Yan Dobronosov/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The first 30 lorries passed through the newly opened Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv crossing on the Ukrainian-Polish border, which Kyiv expects will unblock main land corridors amid protests by Polish drivers, Ukraine's border service said on Monday. Those protests, over what Polish truckers see as unfair competition from their Ukrainian peers, started on Nov. 6, with four border crossings now under blockade. Polish hauliers' main demand is to stop Ukrainian truckers having permit-free access to the EU, something that Kyiv and Brussels say is impossible. Ukraine said last week it had agreed some measures with Poland that could ease the pressure at the blockaded border crossings, but that the main demands of the protests had not been discussed.

Persons: Yan, Pavel Polityuk, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Poland, Ukraine, Korczowa, Polish, Kyiv, Brussels

☆ Britain's maritime agency reports possible Red Sea blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Britain's Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) on Sunday said that it has received reports of drone activity and a possible explosion in the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab strait. UKMTO said the drone activity originated from Yemen, and called on vessels in the vicinity to exercise caution. An Israeli-linked cargo ship was seized last month by the Houthi group, an ally of Iran which controls Yemen's Red Sea coast. The group had previously fired ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel, and vowed to target more Israeli vessels. Reporting by Ahmed Elimam Writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi Editing by David Goodman and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bab, UKMTO, Reuters wasn't, Ahmed Elimam, Aziz El, David Goodman, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Maritime Trade Operations, Reuters, Palestinian, Hamas, U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: RIYADH, Yemen, Israel, Israeli, Iran, U.S, Gulf, Aden

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