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Property sales by floor area declined 28.1% year-on-year, extending a 19.7% fall in May, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). For June, property investment totaled to 1.2849 trillion yuan, falling 20.6% from a year earlier after a 21.5% drop in May, according to Reuters calculations. For January-June, property sales by floor area were down 5.3% year-on-year compared with a 0.9% fall in the first five months. Property investment fell 7.9% in the first six months, after slumping 7.2% in January-May from the same period a year earlier. New construction starts measured by floor area fell 24.3% year-on-year, after a 22.6% drop in the first five months.

Persons: Liangping Gao, Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Kim Coghill, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: National Bureau of Statistics, Authorities, Thomson Locations: BEIJING

Second-biggest token Ether had its best session since March and Ripple , which a U.S. judge ruled could be legally sold on public crypto exchanges, soared 73%. "The regulatory environment is changing," said Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Astronaut Capital. He said further cases would probably shed more light on how courts will treat private crypto offerings. The world's biggest asset manager, BlackRock (BLK.N), filed to launch a bitcoin exchange traded fund last month and earlier in July exchange operator Cboe (CBOE.Z) refreshed its filing for a similar fund to be run by asset manager Fidelity. "For the first time in a while, it's been consistently positive news coming though and that means you've got momentum."

Persons: Bitcoin, Matthew Dibb, Justin d'Anethan, Greg Moritz, FTX, Sam Bankman, Alex Mashinsky, We'd, Chris Weston, it's, Vidya Ranganathan, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Capital, BlackRock, Fidelity, Investors, Solana, Commodity Futures, Commission, Tab, Traders, U.S, SEC, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Keyrock, Hong Kong, reining, China, noncomplicance, Melbourne, Singapore

☆ Asia stocks set for best week of 2023, dollar reels on dovish Fed bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Gold was poised for its best week in three months as the dollar floundered, while crude oil rose to the highest in nearly three months. U.S. E-mini equity futures also pointed to a 0.16% lower restart for the S&P 500 (.SPX), after the index rallied 0.85% overnight. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index - which measures the currency against six major peers - edged about 0.1% lower to touch 99.637 for the first time since April of last year. "The dollar index can probably trade down toward 98 over the coming weeks without too many problems," said IG's Sycamore. It has rallied nearly 2% this week.

Persons: Gold, we've, Tony Sycamore, HSI, Korea's, Michele Bullock, Kevin Buckland, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Federal, Treasury, IG, Japan's Nikkei, U.S, Bank of Japan's, Reserve Bank of Australia, Brent, . West Texas, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Sydney, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Australia

A U.S. judge said on Thursday that Ripple Labs Inc did not violate securities law by selling its XRP token on public exchanges. Although the decision was specific to the individual case, it unleashed a wave of optimism among crypto investors that more cryptocurrencies may also not be deemed securities. Still, the enthusiasm for some was tempered by a report from the Wall Street Journal that Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has laid off more than 1,000 people in recent weeks. "The regulatory environment is changing," said Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Astronaut Capital. Still, crypto investors have taken encouragement from the world's biggest asset manager, BlackRock (BLK.N), filing to launch a bitcoin exchange traded fund last month.

Persons: XRP, Coinbase, Bitcoin, Matthew Dibb, Justin d'Anethan, Binance.US, bode, Sam Bankman, Alex Mashinsky, Patrick Hillmann, Hillmann, We'd, Chris Weston, it's, Vidya Ranganathan, Simon Cameron, Moore, Alex Richardson, Josie Kao Organizations: Labs, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Wall Street, Capital, SEC, U.S, Wall, Twitter, BlackRock, Fidelity, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON, U.S, California , New Jersey, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Asia, Keyrock, Hong Kong, XRP, reining, China, Binance, Melbourne, Singapore

The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin had held talks with Wagner commanders and Prigozhin at a meeting on June 29, five days after the mutiny. But Kommersant, one of Russia's top newspapers, published Putin's remarks to its most experienced Kremlin correspondent, Andrei Kolesnikov, which suggested the future of Prigozhin and Wagner was in doubt. "But Wagner does not exist," Putin told Kommersant when asked if it would be preserved as a fighting unit. "All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve," Kommersant quoted Putin as saying. "'No, the boys won't agree with such a decision'," Putin quoted Prigozhin as saying.

Persons: Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin Biden, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Andrei Kolesnikov, Prigozhin, Joe Biden, I’d, Biden, Ron Popeski, Nick Starkov, Rosalba O'Brien, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Kommersant, Kremlin, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Belarus, Afghanistan, Chechnya, St Petersburg, Russian, Rostov, United States, Russia

☆ Top diplomat says China, ASEAN pushing ahead with free trade area talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] China's Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar UlfianaBEIJING, July 13 (Reuters) - China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are pushing ahead with talks on a third version of a free trade agreement at an ASEAN summit in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the world's largest trade bloc backed by China. "We will continue to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN," Wang said. According to customs data on Thursday, the value of China-ASEAN two-way trade hit $447.3 billion in January-June, down 1.5% year-on-year.

Persons: Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi, Retno Marsudi, Sergei Lavrov, Wang Yi, Wang, Lv Daliang, Liz Lee, Ellen Zhang, Bernard Orr, Clarence Fernandez, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Russia's, REUTERS, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Economic, Trans, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Indonesian, Jakarta, Indonesia, BEIJING, China, China's, Asia, Pacific, Australia, Japan, U.S, ASEAN

☆ ASEAN struggles for unity on Myanmar conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The cause of the delay was unclear but an ASEAN official said a communique was being finalised and would be released soon. ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged the group's foreign ministers to remain united in tackling the escalating violence in Myanmar. Malaysia, a vocal critic of the junta, urged ASEAN to strongly condemn the junta's actions, including violence. RIFTS APPARENTRifts within ASEAN over Myanmar were highlighted when Thailand invited Myanmar military officials to a meeting last month aimed at "re-engaging" with the junta. Indonesia, as ASEAN chair this year, is working behind the scenes to bring all stakeholders in the Myanmar conflict together for informal talks, but diplomats say it is struggling to make headway.

Persons: Zambry Abdul Kadir, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Don Pramudwinai, Don, Myanmar's, Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malaysia's Zambry, Suu Kyi's, Kate Lamb, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Rob Birsel, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Myanmar's, Association for Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Junta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Myanmar, Thai Foreign, National Unity Government, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Jakarta, Myanmar, Malaysia, United States, China, Russia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Aung San Suu, Naypyitaw

☆ Floods force Indian capital to shut schools, offices, and plan water rationing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] Men walk across a road flooded due to the high water level of the river Yamuna after heavy monsoon rains, New Delhi, India, July 13, 2023. Video footage showed submerged roads in the downtown area, where government and private companies' offices are located, with water half-way up the sides of parked cars. "Due to closure of water treatment plants, the supply of water will be affected by up to 25%. Flash floods in the state over the weekend brought down a bridge and washed away several clusters of hutments. Roads have been washed away during heavy rains in the mountainous Uttarakhand state, its chief minister told reporters on Wednesday.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Arvind Kejriwal, Kejriwal, Krishna N, Shivam Patel, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, India Meteorological Department, Civil, Das, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand

SEOUL, July 12 (Reuters) - LG Electronics (066570.KS) said on Wednesday it is targeting 100 trillion won ($77 billion) in sales by 2030 and plans some 50 trillion won of investment as the South Korean company announced its future strategy. "LG Electronics will tranform its business portfolio... increase profits by growing in business-to-business, and transition to a service business," CEO William Cho told a press conference. In 2022, LG reported about 65 trillion won in consolidated sales excluding affiliate LG Innotek (011070.KS), which makes device components such as camera modules for smartphones. That would be up from more than 80 trillion won ($61.72 billion) as of end-March, according to an eBest Investment & Securities report on Monday. On Friday, LG Electronics estimated its second-quarter operating profit rose 12.7% from a year earlier to 892.7 billion won, its second-largest April-June quarter profit ever.

Persons: William Cho, 1,292.1700, Hyunsu Yim, hyang Choi, Joyce Lee, Ed Davies, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: LG Electronics, South Korean, LG, Investment, Securities, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, KS

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

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

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

KYIV, July 11 (Reuters) - Russia launched an overnight air strike on Kyiv in early hours on Tuesday, Ukraine's military said, just hours before the start of the NATO summit in Lithuania that is to tackle security threats from Moscow. "The enemy attacked Kyiv from the air for the second time this month, Serhiy Popko, a head of Kyiv's military administration, said in a post on the Telegram channel. According to preliminary information, Ukraine's air defence systems shot down all the Iranian-made Shahed drones Russia launched before they reached their targets, Popko said. Air raid alerts blasted over Kyiv for an hour and longer in other parts of Ukraine's east, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Reuters' witnesses in Kyiv heard blasts resembling the sound of air defence systems intercepting targets during the air raid.

Persons: Serhiy Popko, Popko, Lidia Kelly, Himani Sarkar, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: NATO, Telegram, Ukraine's Air Force, Reuters, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Russia, Kyiv, Lithuania, Moscow, Ukraine's, Vilnius, Ukraine, United States, Melbourne

☆ US, Ukraine's top diplomats hold 'important' call before NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger//File PhotoJuly 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said late on Sunday they held a phone call to discuss this week's NATO summit and Kyiv's counteroffensive campaign to reclaim land taken by Russia. "I had an important discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today ahead of this week's NATO Summit," Blinken said on Twitter. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a separate statement that the two diplomats discussed also "progress in Ukraine's counteroffensive." Kuleba said on Twitter that the call was to work out details ahead of the NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday in Vilnius. "I had a productive call with Secretary Blinken ahead of Vilnius," Kuleba said on Twitter.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Sarah Silbiger, Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Kuleba, Joe Biden, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: State Department, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Ukraine's, Sunday, NATO, Ukrainian Foreign, Twitter, U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Russia, Vilnius, Ukraine, U.S, Melbourne, Bengaluru

☆ Dollar softens, China's yuan draws support from stimulus hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs last month, data on Friday showed, missing market expectations for the first time in 15 months. That caused U.S. Treasury yields to slump and sent the dollar down nearly 1% against a basket of currencies on Friday while the yen and sterling surged. The dollar/yen pair is particularly sensitive to U.S. yields as interest rates in Japan are anchored near zero. The market reaction to the data was largely muted, as it fuelled hopes that Chinese authorities would soon unveil further stimulus measures for the economy. The offshore yuan last traded at 7.2290 per dollar, while the Aussie fell 0.14% to $0.6683.

Persons: Chris Weston, We've, we've, it's, Weston, Christopher Wong, Rae Wee, Sam Holmes, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Treasury, Bank of England, U.S, Australian, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Japan, China

SINGAPORE, July 7 (Reuters) - After standing in line for 36 hours, Qayyum Lukman on Friday emerged triumphant from a kiosk where he had just scored tickets to see pop sensation Taylor Swift perform in Singapore, her only stop in Southeast Asia next year. I don’t know what to think, indescribable, I’m very happy I got tickets! Indonesian Friski Riana, 31, joined virtual queues of millions of fans, even borrowing her friend's credit card to try and get tickets. [1/5]Qayyum Lukman, 25, full-time national servicemen, poses with a Taylor Swift vinyl album, as he waits first in line to buy Taylor Swift concert tickets, at a post office in Singapore July 7, 2023. Hours after the pre-sale closed, touts were marking up S$358 ($264.73) tickets to at least S$1,000 on marketplace app Carousell.

Persons: Qayyum Lukman, Taylor Swift, Swift, Lukman, I’m, ”, couldn't, Edgar Su, Friski, Thailand's, Pita Limjareonrat, Lavender, Chayut, Ananda, Kanupriya Kapoor, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Coldplay, Business Times, Twitter, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, British, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Ananda Teresia

☆ India expects EU carbon tax to hit exports of steel, iron ore and cement
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Aftab Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] An employee works inside a steel factory in the northern Indian city of Lucknow June 11, 2010. REUTERS/Pawan KumarNEW DELHI, July 6 (Reuters) - Already facing subdued demand from developed nations, India's exports are likely to be hit by the European Union's 20% to 35% tariffs on high-carbon goods like steel, iron ore and cement, the finance ministry said in a report released on Thursday. Reporting of carbon content in exports to the EU would be required beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and the main goods affected would be steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. "The impending downside risks to India’s exports include the European Union’s introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism," the finance ministry said in its annual economic report. India's merchandise trade deficit rose faster-than-expected in May to $22.12 billion, up from $15.24 billion in April, due to reduced demand for Indian exports from developed countries.

Persons: Pawan Kumar, Aftab Ahmed, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, El, Thomson Locations: Indian, Lucknow, DELHI, EU

☆ Ukraine and Russia should stop using cluster bombs, Human Rights Watch says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Human Rights Watch, an international advocacy group, called on both Russia and Ukraine to stop using the weapons, and urged the U.S. not to supply them. Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. have all to declined to sign the treaty. Ukraine fired cluster munition rockets into Russian-controlled areas in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium last year after Russia invaded Ukraine, Human Rights Watch said, citing interviews with more than 100 residents, witnesses and local emergency personnel. The Ukrainian attacks killed at least eight civilians and wounded at least 15 civilians in Izium, Human Rights Watch said. The group has previously reported that Russia's use of cluster munitions in Ukraine has killed scores of civilians, and the United Nations' Human Rights Council has also documented the use of such bombs by both sides.

Persons: Anna Voitenko, Mary Wareham, Joe Biden's, Jonathan Allen, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Human Rights Watch, Rights Watch, U.S, Pentagon, Russian, United Nations, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Nova Zoria, Ukraine, Kherson region, U.S, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Ukrainian, Izium, New York

☆ Russian missile strikes apartment block in Lviv, kills at least three
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A general view of damage to an apartment building from a Russian rocket strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released July 6, 2023. Maksym Kozytskiy via Telegram/via REUTERSJuly 6 (Reuters) - A Russian missile attack killed at least three people in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, and rescuers were searching through the debris of an apartment building for survivors and casualties, the local mayor said. "Three people have been killed," Mayor Andriy Sadovy said in a post on his Telegram channel. Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi posted a 13-second video showing a wide, curving, four-storey apartment building with parts of the upper floors missing or in rubble. The posts from the officials followed widespread air alerts across Ukraine and reports of cruise missiles entering Ukrainian airspace.

Persons: Maksym, Andriy Sadovy, Sadovy, Maksym Kozytskyi, Elaine Monaghan, Sandra Maler, Michael Perry, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Regional, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Lviv, Maksym Kozytskiy, Ukrainian

☆ China hosts Russian warships that passed by Taiwan, Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 6 (Reuters) - China hosted two Russian warships that had earlier sailed past Taiwan and Japan, and the vessels are expected to hold a joint drill with the Chinese navy during their visit, demonstrating the enduring military cooperation between the two countries. The two frigates - Gromkiy and Sovershenniy - made port at the financial hub of Shanghai on Wednesday, Chinese state television reported. The same ships, which belong to the Pacific fleet of the Russian Navy, passed through waters near democratically governed Taiwan at the end of June. China and Russia have pledged stronger military ties, and on Monday, China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu met with the head of the Russian navy, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, in Beijing. Gerasimov was quoted by Tass news agency as saying that the two sides will continue to expand their military cooperation.

Persons: Xi Jingping's, Vladimir Putin, Li Shangfu, Nikolai Yevmenov, Commission Liu Zhenli, Valery Gerasimov, Gerasimov, Albee Zhang, Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Ben Blanchard, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Fleet, Pacific, Russian Navy, NATO, China's, Commission, Tass, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Taiwan, Japan, Shanghai, Vladivostok, Okinawa, U.S, Moscow, Washington, Asia, Pacific, Russia, Russian, Beijing

☆ 'Curse of 35': China's state media takes aim at ageist hiring policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 6 (Reuters) - Chinese state media on Thursday took aim at employers' discriminatory hiring practices, including a trend among companies seeking younger and cheaper workers that has become widely known as the "Curse of 35". Back in March, the newspaper cited two studies that laid bare how workers aged 35 years or over were losing out. With the economy losing momentum, China's survey-based jobless rate stayed at 5.2% in May, but youth employment jumped to a record 20.8%. And with the population aging, many people talk about the 'curse", believing their chances of getting a job or losing one worsen once they cross 35. "If people become unemployed at the age of 35, older people can only go back to college then," said another.

Persons: Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: The Workers Daily, Sichuan University, University, Twitter, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Shanghai, Chengdu, Zhejiang

☆ Russia's Kursk, Belgorod regions come under fire from Ukraine -governors
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 5 (Reuters) - Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions came under fire from Ukrainian forces across the border in the early hours of Wednesday, the regions' governors said, reporting that at least one person was wounded. "The attack on the town of Valuyiki lasted for more than an hour," Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine forces also fired 12 times from the Grad rocket launchers, he added. Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. Blasts and attacks on Russian regions bordering Ukraine have been occurring on nearly daily in recent months, with Russian officials blaming either Ukrainian forces or pro-Ukrainian saboteurs.

Persons: Vyacheslav Gladkov, Gladkov, Starovoyt, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Russia's, Grad, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia's Kursk, Belgorod, Ukrainian, Valuyiki, Russian, Ukraine, Kursk, Tyotkino, Russia, Melbourne

☆ Ultra-nationalists aim to restrict travel for Russian officials' families
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 2 (Reuters) - The ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) is working on a bill that would temporarily ban the travel of close relatives of high-ranking officials to "unfriendly countries," the RIA state news agency reported on Sunday. Russia considers all countries that have hit it with sanctions over its military campaign in Ukraine to be "unfriendly." Citing a member of the Russian Duma, Sergei Karginov, RIA reported that restrictions may also affect, among others, law enforcement officers, judges, top managers of state corporations, and the board of directors of the Central Bank. Russia launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a "special military operation" to demilitarise and denazify its neighbour. Despite its name, Russia's Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) has since its founding in 1991 espoused a hardline, ultranationalist ideology, demanding Russia reconquer the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Persons: Sergei Karginov, Karginov, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Russian Duma, Central Bank, Russia's Liberal Democratic Party, Soviet Union, Duma, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Kyiv, Melbourne

☆ Thousands rally across Australia in support of Indigenous reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, July 2 (Reuters) - Thousands rallied in Australia on Sunday to back a campaign to recognise the country's Indigenous people in the constitution ahead of a referendum later this year, after a recent dip in support for the change. Another attendee, Isabelle Smith, said in her opinion the referendum was the most important issue in Australia. "It’ll bring Australians together and I think voting 'Yes' is the most important thing that people can do," she said. Opponents, including some Indigenous people, have said the proposal lacks detail and will divide Australians. Indigenous Australians, who account for 3.8% of the population, face disadvantages including discrimination, poor health and education outcomes and high incarceration rates.

Persons: Anthony Albanese's, Jason Howard, Isabelle Smith, It’ll, Yes23, Rachel Perkins, Sam McKeith, James Redmayne, Jill Gralow, Simon Cameron, Moore, William Mallard Organizations: SYDNEY, Voice, Aboriginal, Torres Strait, Labor, Liberal, Australian, of Social, Sydney, Indigenous, ABC, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney

July 2 (Reuters) - Police in Baltimore said that two people had died and 28 others were injured in a mass shooting early on Sunday morning at a housing block in the city. An 18-year-old female was pronounced dead at the scene and a 20-year-old male was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital, the police said. Nine people were transported from the scene to local hospitals, while 20 others affected walked into hospitals in the area, police said. "Nine critically injured patients were stabilized and transferred to Baltimore trauma centers," it said, adding that all but one patient had been released. The police department said that at about 12:35 a.m. on Sunday officers responded to calls of a reported shooting at 800 block of Gretna Court.

Persons: Richard Worley, Shivani Tanna, Jahnavi, Gursimran Kaur, David Goodman, Simon Cameron, Moore, Susan Fenton Organizations: Police, Gretna, Baltimore, Reuters, Fox, CNN, Baltimore Police, Thomson Locations: Baltimore, Brooklyn, Gretna Court, Bengaluru

☆ South Korea's Yoon tells unification ministry to be less soft on North
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, July 2 (Reuters) - Having appointed a new unification minister days earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Sunday that the ministry had focused too much on providing aid for North Korea in the past and needed to change. "The Unification Ministry has been acting like the ministry of North Korea aid and it is wrong," Yoon was quoted as telling staff in a statement issued by his press secretary. "It's time for the unification ministry to change." Yoon also urged the ministry to stand up for liberal democratic values and said unification should bring a "better and more human life" to people in the South and North. In 2019, Kim wrote in an online column that the path to unification would open once North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's "regime is overthrown and North Korea is liberated."

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Yung, Yoon, Kim, Kim Jong, Hyunsu Yim, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Thomson Locations: SEOUL, North Korea, Korea, South, Korean

☆ China foreign-exchange regulator Pan Gongsheng named central-bank party boss
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 1 (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party appointed central bank Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng as the bank's party secretary on Saturday, a move the Wall Street Journal said would be a prelude to becoming governor. The party's Central Organization Department announced the decision at a meeting on Saturday afternoon, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement on its website. The Journal reported hours earlier that Pan would be named to the party post before being appointed by the government to head the PBOC. The central bank said on Friday it would implement prudent monetary policy in a "precise and forceful manner" to support economic growth and employment. The current governor, Yi Gang, has been widely expected to retire since being left off the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee during the party's once-in-five-years congress in October.

Persons: Pan Gongsheng, Pan, Yi, Xi Jinping, Gokul Pisharody, Bharat Govind Gautam, Simon Cameron, Moore, William Mallard Organizations: Communist Party, Wall Street, party's Central Organization Department, People's Bank of China, The, Cambridge University, Harvard University, SAFE, Communist Party's, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

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