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Pre-election polls suggested that Swiss voters had three main concerns: Rising fees for the obligatory, free market-based health insurance system; climate change, which has eroded Switzerland’s many glaciers; and worries about migrants and immigration. The Socialists, in second, added two seats to reach 41 in that chamber, known as the National Council. In Switzerland, voters also participate directly in government decision making. The Swiss did line up with the EU in imposing sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The Federal Council is considering whether to join the EU and the United States in labeling Hamas a terror organization.

Persons: Pascal Sciarini, ”, “, ” Sciarini, —, Alain Berset, Viola Amherd Organizations: GENEVA, Swiss People’s Party, Swiss, Socialists, National Council, Christian, Democrat, Liberal, Greens, University of Geneva, “, SVP, Federal Council, Berset, Voters, European Union, —, Russia, Federal, EU, United Nations, Islamic, International Monetary Fund Locations: Europe, Greece, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Swiss, Brussels, Bern, Ukraine, United States

Those include two pro-secession Catalan parties who led the unsuccessful 2017 breakaway attempt and who now find themselves holding the key votes in Parliament that Sánchez requires. They have made an amnesty law as a prerequisite for supporting Sánchez. “Pedro Sánchez needs the amnesty law to pass so he can get the four votes he is lacking,” Nebrera told the AP. Spain granted a sweeping amnesty during its transition back to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. But legal experts are divided over the constitutionality of an amnesty for the Catalan separatists.

Persons: Oriol Calvo, Calvo, Pedro Sánchez, “, ” Calvo, Sánchez, Carles Puigdemont, Spain can’t, ”, Pablo Seco, Montserrat Nebrera, ” Nebrera, Felipe González, Francisco Franco, Xavier Antich, Hernán Muñoz Organizations: —, Socialist, International University of Catalonia, AP, Omnium Locations: BARCELONA, Spain, — Barcelona, Catalonia’s, Madrid, Catalonia, Belgium, Barcelona, Montserrat, Sánchez, Catalan

BEIJING (AP) — China's Belt and Road Initiative looks to become smaller and greener after a decade of big projects that boosted trade but left big debts and raised environmental concerns. Called “One Belt, One Road” in Chinese, the Belt and Road Initiative started as a program for Chinese companies to build transportation, energy and other infrastructure overseas funded by Chinese development bank loans. China became a major financer of development projects under BRI, on par with the World Bank. Chinese development banks provided money for the BRI projects as loans, and some governments have been unable to pay them back. Now, having learned the hard way through defaults, China development banks are pulling back.

Persons: Xi Jinping's, Xi, “, Alessia Amighini, Kevin Gallagher, Sri Lanka, Christoph Nedopil, Nedopil, Colleen Barry Organizations: BEIJING, Initiative, Silk, Italy, World Bank, Boston University Global Development Policy Center, U.S, Export, Import Bank of, Asia Institute, Griffith University, Associated Press Locations: Beijing, Africa, Asia, Latin America, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Pakistan, Italy, “ Italy, Sri Lankan, Zambia, Sri, Import Bank of China, Australia, BRI, Hungary, Milan

☆ Malaysia says TikTok fails to fully comply with local laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Printed TikTok logos are seen in this illustration taken February 15, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Reuters) - TikTok has not done enough to curb defamatory or misleading content in Malaysia, the communications minister said on Thursday, adding that the short video application had also failed to comply with several, unspecified local laws. In a social media message posted after meeting TikTok representatives, Minister Fahmi Fadzil said TikTok also had to address issues related to content distribution and advertising purchases following complaints. He said TikTok had assured him it would cooperate with the government and that its shortcomings were due to not having a representative in Malaysia at present. A spokesperson for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the meeting or the minister's remarks.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Fahmi Fadzil, TikTok, Fahmi, Anwar Ibrahim's, Danial Azhar, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Malaysian, Facebook, Meta, Communications, Multimedia, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Vietnam

☆ Republicans face crucial vote in House speaker race that could shape Israel aid, government funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Scalise and Jordan will address the House GOP during a candidate forum at 5 p.m. this evening. Republican lawmakers will hold a vote Wednesday morning to select a candidate for speaker, which will then face a full floor vote. It is unclear whether Scalise or Jordan can secure the 217 votes needed to win the speakership on the House floor. Scalise said Monday that House Republicans needed to "get back on track" after McCarthy's ouster exposed deep divisions between hard-right Republicans led by Gaetz and more centrist members. Paul Ryan, a former speaker of the House, told CNBC he doesn't see a path forward for McCarthy.

Persons: Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Powell, Graeme Jennings, Scalise, Jordan, Kevin McCarthy of, McCarthy, Sen, Ben Cardin, Claudia Tenney, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Steve Womack, Womack, Paul Ryan, Ryan Organizations: Republican, Washington , D.C, U.S, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, Getty Images, GOP, Republicans, Biden, Israel's, Israel, Rep, California Republican, Fox News, CNBC Locations: Louisiana, Ohio, Washington ,, Jordan, Kevin McCarthy of California, Israel, Gaza, Washington, D, Maryland, New York, The U.S, Florida, Arkansas

☆ Italy's deficit hikes could threaten its credit rating - Scope
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Sara Rossi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The eligibility of Italian securities under the ECB's TPI "is a key driver of its BBB+/Stable credit rating," Scope said. It will review its rating of Italy's debt on Dec. 1. More specifically, countries must respect the EU's economic prescriptions, have a sustainable public debt, and not show any macroeconomic imbalances. RATING AGENCIES' TESTBefore Scope assesses Italy's rating in December, the country faces scrutiny from several larger agencies. From mid-October to mid-November, S&P Global, DBRS, Fitch and Moody's all have the euro zone's third largest economy up for review in what analysts say will be key tests for the stability of Italian bond yields.

Persons: Giorgia, Christine Lagarde, DBRS, Fitch, Sara Rossi, Gavin Jones, Andrew Heavens Organizations: MILAN, Central, Reuters, ECB, P, Italian Treasury, European Union, TPI, European, Thomson Locations: Italy, Italian, Rome

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has removed the country's prime minister and dissolved the government, a senior public official announced Friday, in yet another major reshuffle in the West African nation. “The president expresses his gratitude to Prime Minister Patrick Achi and to all members of the government for their commitment to serving the nation over the past years,” Cissé said. In September, Ouattara announced a ministerial reshuffle to take place this month after the Ivorian Senate sits and elects its new president. Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesAchi has been in power as prime minister since April 2022, when the government last reshuffled the government. First appointed in March 2021, he momentarily resigned in April last year after Ouattara announced plans to cut down the size of the Cabinet.

Persons: Alassane Ouattara, Patrick Achi, Abdourahmane Cissé, Achi, Hamed Bakayoko, Bakayoko’s, “, ” Cissé, Ouattara Organizations: Ivorian Senate, Senate Locations: ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, West African, Ivorian

☆ Record chicken prices squeeze US shoppers, benefit Tyson Foods
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Higher chicken prices should improve earnings at top producers Tyson (TSN.N) and Pilgrim's Pride (PPC.O), but will pinch consumers' pockets as they try to save money by turning away from higher-end proteins. Arkansas-based Tyson, which sells all three types of meat, had to deal with a glut of chicken after earning massive profits when meat prices soared during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. government last month trimmed its estimate for 2023 chicken production from August due in part to expectations for lower chick placements. "We've seen some recovery in chicken prices and we've seen some consumer prices start to level off," Tyson CFO John R. Tyson told investors last month. Further increases in chicken prices could threaten demand, said Adam Speck, senior commodity analyst for Gro Intelligence.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, Tyson, Bob Brown, Brown, Donnie King, Arun Sundaram, Sundaram, We've, John R, Adam Speck, Bill Densmore, Tom Polansek, Caroline Stauffer, David Gregorio Our Organizations: New York U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Tyson Foods, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Rabobank, Producers, CFRA Research, Gro Intelligence, Fitch, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn, New, Arkansas, U.S, freezers ., Wilkesboro , North Carolina, Great

The government last week revisited a 40% tax on banks' net interest margin (NIM) that it had introduced in a shock move in August. Lenders now have the option to boost reserves by an amount equivalent to 2.5 times the tax. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Sept. 27 the final outcome of the process would be "a great bank policy measure" that makes Italy's banks the strongest in Europe. The law requires banks that forego the tax to set aside money under ad hoc reserves in their accounts. If forced to boost capital through the ad hoc reserves, banks can use larger buybacks over time to compensate shareholders, one of the sources said.

Persons: Giancarlo Giorgetti, Remo Casilli, Banks, Luigi Lovaglio, Andrea Orcel, Giorgia Meloni, Giorgetti, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Treasury, Economy, European Central Bank, Monte, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, ROME, Europe, Monte dei, Siena

☆ UK PM Rishi Sunak's leadership on rocky ground as party rebellion mounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak listens to a speaker address delegates at the annual Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, northern England, on October 2, 2023. (Members) should not blindly support a Conservative Party that no longer represents our values (and is) headed for electoral disaster. Independence Party (UKIP), was also in attendance and later said that a wing of the Conservative Party is "very much coming in [his] direction." "Two-thirds [of voters] think it's time for a change, and that's the real struggle that the Conservative Party has to turn around." Medical workers marched outside of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, England in a dispute with the government over pay.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Oli Scarff, Sunak, Tory psychodramas, Liz Truss, —, Truss, Ronald Reagan, faithfuls, Priti Patel, Peter Cruddas, Patel, Boris Johnson —, Lord Peter Cruddas, I've, Lord Cruddas, Johnson, Nigel Farage, Farage, Gideon Skinner Organizations: Britain's, Conservative Party Conference, Afp, Getty Images, Conservative, Labour Party, Conservative Growth Group, Conservatives, Conservative Party, Conservative Democratic, Conservative Democratic Organisation —, Independence Party, UKIP, News Agents, Tories, Labour, CNBC Locations: Manchester, England, Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

☆ Rahile Dawut: US condemns China's reported life sentence of Uyghur scholar
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The United States has condemned China’s reported sentencing of prominent Uyghur academic Rahile Dawut to life in prison, calling for the immediate release of the scholar known for documenting folklore and traditions of the Muslim minority in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region. A renowned scholarRahile Dawut is known as a foremost scholar of Uyghur culture, who focused her work on folklore and religious anthropology, including documenting Uyghur pilgrimage to religious shrines throughout Xinjiang. Through her collaborations with international researchers, guest lecturing and teaching, she is credited by international academics with fostering a greater global understanding of Uyghur culture and making key contributions to preserving and documenting Uyghur heritage and architecture. In 2007, Rahile Dawut founded a center focused on folklore at Xinjiang University, where she was a professor. According to San Francisco-based Dui Hua, Rahile Dawut was tried in 2018 of for “splittism” or political separatism – a crime of endangering state security.

Persons: China’s, Dawut, Rahile Dawut, ”, Rahile, Matthew Miller, “, Dawut’s, San, Hua, –, Rahile Dawut’s, Ilham Tohti, OSUN Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Hua Foundation, Rights, United Nations, UN, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC, People’s, The State Department, Xinjiang University, American Anthropological Association, Beijing’s Minzu University, Open Society University Network Locations: United States, China’s, Xinjiang, China, People’s Republic of China, San Francisco, ”

☆ Russia's fuel export ban will not be lifted soon, TASS reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said on Thursday that the ban on fuel exports will not be lifted soon and will remain in place until the domestic market stabilises, TASS news agency reported. Shulginov also said that some additional measures could be taken in order to tackle the fuel shortages, according to the news agency. "I will say one thing - expectations of a quick lifting of the fuel export ban are futile - the measure will last as long as necessary to stabilise fuel supply and prices," he was quoted as saying by TASS. The government last week introduced a temporary ban on exports of gasoline and diesel to all countries beyond four ex-Soviet states to try to stem an increase in domestic fuel prices and tackle fuel shortages. Analysts have predicted the restrictions will last for a few weeks during Russia's harvest season, when fuel demand increases.

Persons: Nikolai Shulginov, Shulginov, Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Soldatkin, Jane Merriman Organizations: Russian Energy, TASS, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW

☆ Earthquakes hit Italy super volcano, raising spectre of evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ROME, Sept 27 (Reuters) - A leading volcanologist has warned that mass evacuations might be needed in a town close to Naples, which sits on a so-called Super Volcano that has been hit by hundreds of small earthquakes in recent weeks. Campi Flegrei sits across the bay of Naples from Pompeii, where thousands were incinerated by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. However, it is a much bigger volcano than Vesuvius and if it ever exploded at full force could kill millions. Speaking in a personal capacity, De Natale said the last time Campi Flegrei suffered a similar burst of earthquakes in the 1980s, some 40,000 people were temporarily evacuated from nearby Pozzuoli. The Campi Flegrei caldera has a diameter of about 12-15 km (7.5-9.3 miles) and last erupted in 1538.

Persons: Flegrei, Vesuvius, Giuseppe De Natale, De Natale, Campi Flegrei, Della Sera, Alvise Armellini, Crispian Balmer, Bernadette Baum, William Maclean Organizations: National Institute for Geophysics, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Naples, Pompeii, Pozzuoli, U.S ., Wyoming, Greenland, U.S

[1/2] Grape leaves damaged by fungus favoured by a combination of drought followed by torrential spring rain are pictured in San Paolo di Civitate, Italy July 18, 2023. That means Italy is set to lose its position as the world's top wine producer to France, which had ceded the crown nine years ago. "Early in May we realised there would be no harvest, we cultivate organically and experienced the (fungus) attack sooner," he told Reuters. Italian output is forecast to fall to below 44 million hectolitres this year, according to the wine lobbies and ISMEA, from 50 million last year. Thanks to heavy rains and humidity, the fungus was able to attack the vines during these vulnerable periods, he added.

Persons: San Paolo di Civitate, Romolo, DI CIVITATE, Paolo Niro, di Civitate, Plasmopara, Andrea Luvisi, Niro, Fazil Dusunceli, Dusunceli, Gavin Jones, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, DI, Reuters, University of Salento, United Nations Food, Agriculture Organisation, FAO, Thomson Locations: San Paolo, Italy, France, Americas, Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, San, Rome

☆ Malaysia fails to appeal ex-PM Najib's acquittal in 1MDB audit tampering case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists outside the Federal Court during a court break, in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 23, 2022. Najib, 70, is serving a 12-year jail sentence for another corruption case linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The attorney-general's chambers was expected to appeal Najib's acquittal earlier this year of a charge of abusing his position as prime minister to amend a government audit into 1MDB . But Najib's lawyers at Shafee & Co said in a statement, "the prosecution evidently found no grounds for appeal" and did not file the petition. Anwar has maintained that the move to drop the case, which triggered a widespread public backlash, was made without his interference.

Persons: Najib Razak, Lai Seng, Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar, Najib, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Danial Azhar, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Malaysian, REUTERS, 1Malaysia Development, Shafee, U.S . Justice Department, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, Thomson Locations: Putrajaya, Malaysia, KUALA LUMPUR, 1MDB

☆ The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter is now providing key aviation intelligence to Ukraine, defense agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a helicopter last month is now helping Ukraine fight Russia. Maksym Kuzminov, the helicopter pilot who switched sides in a daring defection, is now providing the Ukrainian military with key Russian aviation intelligence, according to an interview with Kuzminov released by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. Kuzminov first reached out to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence at the end of 2022, jumpstarting a plan for him to flee Russia with his helicopter. After Kuzminov landed in the Kharkiv region, the helicopter was eventually moved to safer territory, Ukraine's defense intelligence said. The aircraft will be used to "replenish" Ukraine's military fleet, the defense intelligence said.

Persons: Maksym, Kuzminov, Maksym Kuzminov, Artem Shevchenko, jumpstarting, AMTSh, Radio Svoboda Organizations: Service, Defense Intelligence, Russian Pilots, YouTube, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, Radio Free Europe, Radio Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kharkiv, Russia's, Primorsky Region, Ukrainian

The Ifo institute said on Friday that its business climate index stood at 85.7, down from 87.4 in July. Reuters Graphics"The German economy is not out of the woods yet," Ifo president Clemens Fuest said. The economy then posted zero growth in the second quarter compared to the previous three months, separate data from the statistics office showed on Friday. The Ifo survey showed sentiment among German managers had become more pessimistic across all sectors in August. The Ifo survey chimed with flash PMI data released on Wednesday, which showed that German business activity contracted at the fastest pace for more than three years in August.

Persons: Annegret, Clemens Fuest, Christian Lindner, Klaus Wohlrabe, Claus Niegsch, Niegsch, Andrew Kenningham, Carsten Brzeski, Maria Martinez, Friederike Heine, Mark Potter, John Stonestreet Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, . Finance, DZ Bank, Reuters Graphics, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, BERLIN, Europe

Xinhua/Shutterstock‘Absolutely safe’As heavy rains moved toward the region in late July, China’s top flood control officials met to hash out their response plan. The flood was caused by flood water discharge, not by heavy rainfall.”CNN has reached out to the Zhuozhou and Bazhou governments for comment. Rescuers use rubber boats to transfer Zhuozhou residents trapped by flood waters after days of downpours brought by Typhoon Doksuri on August 2. In the recent rains, at least three upstream reservoirs released flood waters into rivers flowing into Baiyingdian from the west and the south, according to state media. Many countries have systems that involve discharging pent up flood waters into otherwise dry land after major storms.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi’s, ”, It’s, Xiong’an, Jade Gao, Ni Yuefeng, downpours, Typhoon Doksuri, Zhai Jujia, Li Guoying, Hongzhang Xu, Xiao, Li Na, Zhu Xudong, it’s, Xiong’an –, Xu, Baiyangdian Lake, Kevin Frayer, “, Meili Feng, Simon Song, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Xu Kuangdi, Yi Haifei, Andrew Stokols Organizations: CNN, Xinhua, Getty, Censors, China News Service, China’s, Water, Australian National University, Authorities, China’s Ministry of Water Resources, Hebei Provincial Department of Water Resources, Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Shanghai’s Pudong New, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urban Computing Center Locations: Beijing, China, Hebei, Xiong’an’s, Xiong'an, Zhuozhou, AFP, Bazhou, Xiong’an, Tianjin, ”, Xinhua, Baiyingdian, Baiyangdian, Mississippi, University of Nottingham Ningbo, “, Hebei province, Shenzhen, Shanghai’s Pudong, Shanghai

☆ Strong US retail sales underscore economy's resilience
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

SummaryCompanies Retail sales increase 0.7% in July; June sales revised upCore retail sales jump 1.0%; June sales revised downImport prices rebound 0.4%; down 4.4% year-on-yearWASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales increased more than expected in July as Americans boosted online purchases and dined out more, suggesting the economy continued to expand early in the third quarter and keeping a recession at bay. Retail sales jumped 0.7% last month. Sales at food services and drinking places, the only services category in the retail sales report, shot up 1.4% after rising 0.8% in June. Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, retail sales surged 1.0% in July. Data for June was revised lower to show these so-called core retail sales increasing 0.5% instead of the previously reported 0.6%.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Andrew Hunter, David Russell, Matthew Martin, Ben Ayers, Lucia Mutikani, Paul Simao Organizations: Commerce Department, Capital Economics, Retail, Reuters, Consumers, Market Intelligence, Wall, Treasury, Labor Department, Oxford Economics, delinquencies, New York Fed, Nationwide, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, New York, Columbus , Ohio

“I write this as a hostage,” Bazoum wrote in the Washington Post. Bazoum also cautioned that foreign aid makes up 40% of the national budget – and it would not be delivered if the coup succeeds. ‘Determined, optimistic’CNN has not been able to independently confirm the conditions under which Bazoum is being detained in his residence. Bazoum also warned of growing Russian influence in the Sahel region. “With an open invitation from the coup plotters and their regional allies, the entire central Sahel region could fall to Russian influence via the Wagner Group,” Bazoum wrote.

Persons: CNN —, Mohamed Bazoum, ” Bazoum, ”, –, Bazoum, “, ‘, Idrissa Waziri, he’s, ” Waziri, Waziri, Abdourahamane Tiani, Tiani, he’d, Wagner, Russia’s Wagner, Salifou Mody, Joe Biden, Patrick Ryder, evacuates Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Burkina, junta, Nigerien, Wagner, Pentagon, US Defense Department Locations: Washington, Niamey, United States, West, “ Niger, Niger, Europe, France, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sahel

TAIPEI, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Taiwan Vice President William Lai will stop in New York and San Francisco in the United States on his way to and from Paraguay for the inauguration of its new president, Taiwan's presidential office said on Wednesday. Taiwan's government last month announced Lai's transits without specifying details, drawing ire from Beijing, which slammed Lai as a separatist. Lai, the front-runner for the island's presidential vote in January, will stop in New York on Aug. 12 on his way to Paraguay and in San Francisco on Aug. 16 on his way back to Taiwan, the office said. Yui said the arrangement for the U.S. transit was based on the principles of comfort, safety, convenience and dignity. Reporting By Sarah Wu and Yimou Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: William Lai, Taiwan's, Lai, Alexander Yui, Yui, Nancy Pelosi, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Sarah Wu, Yimou Lee, Jacqueline Wong, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Taiwan, Presidential, ., Central America, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, New York, San Francisco, United States, Paraguay, Beijing, Taipei, China, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Central

PARIS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - France plans to evacuate hundreds of French and European citizens from Niger over the next 24 hours, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, days after a junta seized power in the west African country. She estimated that hundreds of French citizens and hundreds of citizens from other EU countries wanted to be evacuated. The United States, Germany, and Italy have troops in Niger on counter-insurgency and training missions. Colonna said France had talked with authorities in Niger to make sure the evacuation could proceed safely. A spokesperson for the EU Commission said EU utilities had sufficient inventories of natural uranium to mitigate any short-term supply risks.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Catherine Colonna, France's, Colonna, France, DESTABILISATION, France's BFM, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Orano, Bazoum, Michel Rose, Sudip Kar, Layli, Blandine Henault, Charlotte van Campenhout, Ingrid Melander, Nellie Peyton, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Islamic, Kremlin, EU Commission, Nigerien, Regional, ECOWAS, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: France, Niger, West, Central Africa, Russia, Islamic State, al Qaeda, Sahel, Niger's, Niamey, Italy, United States, Germany, Russian, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea

☆ Pirelli gets new board after battle over Chinese influence
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, July 31 (Reuters) - Pirelli (PIRC.MI) investors on Monday approved a new board for the tyremaker, giving it a new three-year governance set-up after the Italian government last month took steps to curb the influence of the company's leading Chinese investor. Andrea Casaluci, previously General Manager Operations, has been promoted to CEO, Pirelli said in a statement. Pirelli's new chairman is Jiao Jian, the chief executive of leading shareholder Sinochem (600500.SS), the state-owned Chinese group. The intervention strengthened the influence of Camfin even though it has a smaller stake than Sinochem in the company, the tyre supplier for Formula One motor racing. As part of the measures, Camfin retained the power to designate Pirelli's CEO and set strategies, with limited power for Sinochem to influence the group's management.

Persons: Andrea Casaluci, Pirelli, Marco Tronchetti Provera, Provera, Jiao Jian, Sinochem, Camfin, Giulio Piovaccari, Alvise Armellini, Mark Potter Organizations: MILAN, Pirelli, Formula, Thomson Locations: Italian, Sinochem, China's

☆ China was once a women’s soccer superpower. This year’s World Cup is a first step in reclaiming that status
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Simone Mccarthy Andrew Mcnicol Candice Zhu Cnn | Simone Mccarthy | Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The rapid development of women’s soccer programs across Europe and the Americas has fielded a new generation of powerful teams-to-beat. I hope through these matches, we can form a clearer picture of the current position of Chinese women’s soccer,” she told state media earlier this month. China scores against New Zealand during a group match at the 1991 Women's World Cup in Guangzhou. That’s even as more than thirty years ago, when China hosted the first ever-women’s World Cup in its southeastern Guangdong province. But as norms change, seeing China’s women’s team competing on the world stage at events like the World Cup would also “inspire girls” to play, Peng added.

Persons: Shui, ”, Xiao Yuyi, Rajanish, Xi, –, China's Zhang Ouying, Carla Overbeck, Vincent Laforet, Wang Shuang, Germain, Zhang Linyan, Chan Yuen Ting, Chen guo, Chan, Denmark’s Amalie Vangsgaard, Zhang, they’d, China's, Gary Day, William Bi, “, it’s, Qi Peng, China’s, Peng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, AFC Asian, womens, FIFA, Americas, Roses, Denmark, Haiti, AFC, Asian, America, Rose Bowl, Veterans, Paris Saint, Swiss, Grasshopper Club, League, Jiangsu, CNN, New Zealand, Sports, AP Soccer, Xi, Sport Management, Manchester Metropolitan University, “ Locations: Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Europe, China, England, South Korea, Mumbai, India, Pasadena , California, France, “, Guangzhou, Guangdong, Beijing

SummaryCompanies Casino cut supermarket food prices by 10% on averagePARIS, July 27 (Reuters) - Cash-strapped retailer Casino (CASP.PA) swung to a loss of 233 million euros ($258.5 million) for the first half as falling sales and price cuts at its hypermarkets and supermarkets dented its core French business. The French retailer's group operating loss came after a profit of 166 million euros in the first half of 2022, with its operations in France posting a loss of 299 million euros. Consolidated group net sales fell 1.2% like for like in the second quarter to 5.5 billion euros, with retail sales in France down 4.2%. "We don't intend to go further," Lubek said when asked about possible further price cuts. Group net debt at end June-2023 was 6.1 billion euros against 6.0 billion at end June-2022.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Jean, Charles Naouri, David Lubek, Lubek, France's, Dominique Vidalon, Kim Coghill Organizations: Casino, Finance, Consolidated, Thomson Locations: PARIS, French, France, Lincoln

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