DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ China Launches Probe Into Surrogacy, Fake Paternity Tests in Wuhan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have suspended a hospital and a judicial institute in the city of Wuhan from conducting some services after they were accused of surrogacy and issuing fake paternity results. The suspension comes amid several investigations related to the issuance of fake birth certificates as China, where surrogacy is illegal, tries to boost its birth rate. Wuhan Puren Hospital has been suspended from releasing birth certificates and Wuhan Ruiboxiang Judicial Appraisal Institute has been suspended from providing judicial appraisal services, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said on Tuesday. Birth certificates are required in China for obtaining household registration and are necessary for vaccinations, medical insurance enrolment and application for a social security card. Birth rates have fallen in China to their lowest since records began in 1949, at just 9.56 million in 2022.

Persons: Farah Master, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Wuhan Puren, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China Daily Locations: HONG KONG, Wuhan, China, Wuhan Ruiboxiang, China's, Hubei, Beijing

☆ US holds first of several oil and gas auctions as COP28 gets underway
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BLM will also offer acreage in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nevada, North Dakota and Utah on Nov. 30, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. Dozens of nations plan to push for the world's first deal to phase out carbon dioxide-emitting coal, oil and gas at the meeting. "Instead of doing the necessary work to fight climate change, Biden continues to support the expansion of fossil fuels here in the U.S.," Nicole Ghio, senior fossil fuels program manager for Friends of the Earth, said in a statement. Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a climate change law passed last year, made oil and gas auctions a prerequisite for renewable energy development. Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rick Wilking, Biden, Joe Biden, Nicole Ghio, Trump, Nichola Groom, Aurora Ellis, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, United Nations, Interior Department's, Interior Department's U.S . Bureau of Land Management, Department, Thomson Locations: Ft . Laramie , Wyoming, Wyoming, Dubai, Interior, Interior Department's U.S, Converse County, New Mexico , Oklahoma , Nevada , North Dakota, Utah, U.S

☆ Judge rejects Trump bid for US House Jan. 6 committee records
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington found that Trump "has not sufficiently justified his requests" for information tied to the Democratic-led House of Representatives probe, which concluded in 2022. Trump sought to subpoena materials that his lawyers said were "missing" from the House investigation, including transcripts and video recordings of interviews with law enforcement officials. Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he illegally sought to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. Trump’s Twitter account was suspended following the 2021 riot at the Capitol by his supporters. Prosecutors convinced a judge to bar Twitter from informing Trump about the warrant, a move the company opposed.

Persons: Donald Trump, Leah Millis, Donald Trump’s, Tanya Chutkan, Trump, Jack Smith, Elon Musk, Andrew Goudsward, Jack Queen, Scott Malone, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Capitol, Democratic, Trump, Republican, Twitter, Prosecutors, New, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington, New York

[1/4] A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 27, 2023. In precious metals, gold hit a six-month high with a boost from the softer dollar and expectations for a pause in Fed tightening. There's a growing sense the economy is slowing, that price growth will likely continue to fall, that profit growth will likely fall," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Cresset Capital, in Chicago. The U.S. dollar index slid against most major currencies on Monday and was on track for a monthly decline of more than 3%, which would be its biggest monthly drop in a year. The dollar index was down 0.203%, with the euro up 0.11% to $1.0951.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Brent, Jack Ablin, Ablin, Christine Lagarde, Jim Barnes, Sterling, Sinéad Carew, Chuck Mikolazczak, Harry Robertson, Wayne Cole, Stephen Coates, Ed Osmond, Chizu Nomiyama, Christina Fincher Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, U.S, Federal Reserve, Cresset, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, European Central Bank, Central, Reuters Graphics Oil, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Europe, OPEC, Chicago, Bryn Mawr, Berwyn , Pennsylvania, Israel, New York, London, Sydney

☆ Asia stocks swing lower, gold climbs as oil slips
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

One mover was gold, which climbed to $2,009.87 an ounce and briefly hit a six-month top of $2,017.82. S&P 500 futures eased 0.2% and Nasdaq futures lost 0.4%. "Indeed, this message of patience is likely to be notable in upcoming DM policy communications in response to recent financial market developments." Markets priced in 80 basis points of U.S. easing next year, and around 82 basis points for the ECB. Reports suggest African oil producers are seeking higher caps for 2024, while Saudi Arabia may extend its additional 1 million bpd voluntary production cut, which is due to expire at the end of December.

Persons: Issei Kato, Jerome Powell, Bruce Kasman, Christine Lagarde, Brent, Wayne Cole, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Nikkei, SYDNEY, Japan's Nikkei, Nasdaq, Federal, JPMorgan, European Central Bank, EU, ECB, CBA, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Europe, Asia, Pacific, Saudi Arabia, OPEC

☆ Asia stocks turn lower, gold jumps as oil slips
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

S&P 500 futures eased 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures lost 0.4%. That in turn has been a drag on the dollar which has lost 3% on a basket of major counterparts this month . Reports suggest African oil producers are seeking higher caps for 2024, while Saudi Arabia may extend its additional 1 million bpd voluntary production cut, which is due to expire at the end of December. "Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ faces a challenge in convincing markets that it can help keep oil markets tight in 2024," wrote commodity analysts at CBA in a note. "OPEC+ will have to show significant supply discipline, or at least jawbone such ability, to alleviate market worries of a deep surplus in oil markets next year."

Persons: Issei Kato, Jerome Powell, Bruce Kasman, Christine Lagarde, Brent, Wayne Cole, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Nikkei, SYDNEY, Japan's Nikkei, Nasdaq, Federal, JPMorgan, European Central Bank, EU, ECB, Australian, CBA, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Europe, Asia, Pacific, Saudi Arabia, OPEC

China's imports are being driven by increased arrivals from Indonesia, the world's largest exporter of thermal coal, with Kpler estimating 18.03 million metric tons will arrive this month. This is up from imports from Indonesia of 16.70 million metric tons in October, according to Kpler data. Imports from Indonesia are expected to decline to 10.92 million metric tons in November from 12.19 million in October. Thermal coal arrivals from Australia are forecast to be 1.11 million metric tons in November, up slightly from the 1.02 million in October. Overall, its possible that China's increased appetite for imported thermal coal ahead of the northern winter is crowding out some demand in India, which tends to be a more price-sensitive buyer.

Persons: Stephen Coates Organizations: Argus, CHINA, Atlantic, Indonesian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, Indonesia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Beijing, Canberra, South Africa, Asia, Europe

☆ Vietnam set to raise effective tax rate on multinationals as part of global deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Vietnam's parliament is set to approve on Wednesday a top-up tax for multinationals, which will raise the effective rate of the corporate levy to 15% from January in line with a global agreement. But it has eventually added it back to its schedule, with the vote on the tax expected now at the last day of its month-long session. Vietnam's corporate income tax is already set at 20%, but the country has offered for years effective rates as low as 5% and lengthy zero-tax periods to large foreign investors. With the new top-up tax, 122 foreign companies will face a steep increase in their tax costs in Vietnam, according to a document prepared by the Vietnamese government which estimated the additional intake for the state at 14.6 trillion dong ($601.05 million) a year. Reporting by Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Stephen Coates Organizations: Samsung Electronics Co, chipmaker Intel Corp, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Vietnam, Korean

☆ South Korean city turns to matchmaking to boost low birth rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They were participants at a mass blind-dating event hosted by Seongnam city, an attempt by the local government to reverse a falling birth rate in a country where the popularity of marriage and enthusiasm towards parenthood have nosedived. Jung Jae-hoon, a professor at the department of social welfare at Seoul Women's University, said it was "nonsense" to expect these events to lead to higher birth rates. "You need to spend more money directly on supporting pregnancy, child delivery and parenting to call it a policy to boost birth rates," Jung said. Despite criticism, thousands of people have signed up for this year's blind-dating events arranged by the Seongnam city. "Low birth rates cannot be resolved with a single policy," Shin said.

Persons: Lee Yu, Hwang Da, Hwang, Jung Jae, Jung, Shin Sang, Shin, It's, Soo, hyang Choi, Daewoung Kim, Josh Smith, Stephen Coates Organizations: Seongnam, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, Seoul Women's University, Minwoo, Thomson Locations: SEONGNAM, South Korea, Seoul, Korean, United States, Japan, Seongnam

REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS/LONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused his British counterpart Rishi Sunak of cancelling a scheduled meeting in London on Tuesday in a diplomatic row over the status of the Parthenon Sculptures. "I express my annoyance that the British Prime Minister cancelled our planned meeting just hours before it was due to take place," Mitsotakis said in a statement. "Greece's positions on the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures are well known. Deputy British Prime Minister Oliver Dowden was available to meet Mitsotakis to discuss these issues instead, Sunak's office said. A law prevents the British museum from removing objects from the collection apart from in certain circumstances, but the legislation does not prohibit a loan.

Persons: Louisa Gouliamaki, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Rishi, Lord Elgin, Mitsotakis, George Osborne, Mona Lisa, Sunak, Oliver Dowden, Keir Starmer, Starmer, Renee Maltezou, Angus MacSwan, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, British Museum, British, BBC, Financial, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, LONDON, London, Ottoman Empire, Mitsotakis

☆ Russian Forces Advancing on Ukrainian Town From All Sides
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Russian forces are intensifying their drive to capture the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, trying to advance on all sides after weeks of fighting, the town's top official was quoted as saying on Monday. Barabash earlier said that Ukrainian forces had in recent days pushed back Russian forces near Stepove, a village northwest of Avdiivka, pinning them down near a rail line. Ukrainain and Western military analysts say Russia has incurred heavy losses, although the battle for the town is rarely mentioned in official Russian military dispatches. Russian military bloggers also reported Ukrainian gains near Avdiivka last week. Shtupun said Russian forces had suffered heavy losses near Avdiivka and nearby Maryinka, another largely destroyed town where control has been contested for months.

Persons: Vitaliy Barabash, Barabash, Avdiivka, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, liga.net, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Russian, Fortifications Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Ukraine's Donbas, Donetsk, Stepove, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Maryinka

☆ Elon Musk begins wartime visit to Israel, aviation tracker says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office announced on Sunday that Musk would be coming to meet the head of state. Musk's office had no immediate comment. Antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen in the United States and worldwide, including during the now seven-week-old war between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian faction Hamas. In exchange, Israel has been freeing some Palestinians jailed on security grounds. Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elon Musk, Porte, Gonzalo Fuentes, Isaac Herzog's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk's, Avi Scharf, Netanyahu, Musk, Dan Williams, Stephen Coates Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, Twitter, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, Tech, Haaretz, Palestinian, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Tel Aviv, Gaza, California, United States, Israel

☆ Argentina's Milei invites Brazil's Lula to inauguration, travels to US
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Last week Milei, who travels to the United States on Sunday, had already softened his tone with China's communist leadership, thanking President Xi Jinping for a letter congratulating him. "I hope that our mutual time as presidents will be a stage for fruitful work and the construction of ties that consolidate the role Argentina and Brazil can and must fulfill in the concert of nations," Milei told Lula. The letter was delivered by his top foreign policy adviser, Diana Mondino, to Brazil's Foreign Relations Minister Mauro Vieira at a meeting in Brasilia. The new Argentine leader is closer politically and personally to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and has invited him to his inauguration. Milei meanwhile was set to travel to the U.S. on Sunday, a spokesperson told Reuters, noting he would attend a religious ceremony in New York and have meetings in Washington.

Persons: Javier Milei, Brazil's, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Milei, Lula, Xi Jinping, Diana Mondino, Mauro Vieira, Jair Bolsonaro, Bolsonaro, Mondino, Vieira, Karina, Kristalina Georgieva, Gabriel Araujo, Lisandra, Jorge Otaola, David Gregorio, Stephen Coates Organizations: SAO PAULO, Foreign, Argentine, White, U.S . Treasury, International Monetary Fund, dollarizing, IMF, Thomson Locations: BRASILIA, BUENOS AIRES, Argentine, Brazil, United States, China, Argentina, Brasilia, Mercosur, New York, Washington, dollarizing Argentina, U.S, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires

[1/11] An Israeli tank maneuvers, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, near Israel's border with Gaza in southern Israel, November 23, 2023. Egypt said 130,000 litres of diesel and four trucks of gas will be delivered daily to Gaza when the truce starts, and that 200 trucks of aid would enter Gaza daily. "We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce." "Control over northern Gaza is the first step of a long war, and we are preparing for the next stages," he added. Israel says Hamas fighters use residential and other civilian buildings, including hospitals, as cover - a charge that Hamas denies.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Majed Al, Ansari, Abu Ubaida, Daniel Hagari, Israel, U.N, Philippe Lazzarini, Deepa Babington, Stephen Coates Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Qatari, West Bank, UNRWA's, Gaza, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israeli, Israel, Israel's, Gaza, Rights DOHA, GAZA, Iran, Qatar, Gaza City, Doha, Egypt, Palestinian, Jabalia, Indonesian

☆ Asia stocks hold gains as confidence grows on rate outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's benchmark share index (.CSI300) fell 0.16% on Thursday, with the real estate sub-index (.CSI931775) retrieved earlier losses to gain 2.11%. Chinese government advisers will recommend to an annual policymakers' meeting that economic growth targets for next year be set at 4.5% to 5.5%, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Markets have generally been buoyant this month, with stocks rallying on expectations of a more benign interest rate backdrop. The next set of forward-looking flash November PMIs will help investors to assess recession risks and how quickly rate cuts might begin. The minutes of the European Central Bank's October meeting and flash PMIs for a host of European countries are Thursday's highlights.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, shrugged, Redmond Wong, Brent, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Changpeng Zhao, Bitcoin, Selena Li, Edmund Klamann, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Bloomberg, Garden Holdings, HK, Reuters, U.S, The, Federal Reserve, Saxo Markets, Nikkei, Nasdaq, European Central, PMI, OPEC, FTSE, UK Finance, Thomson Locations: Exchange, Hong Kong, China, HONG KONG, Asia, Pacific, Japan, United States, The U.S, Greater China, Australia, Britain, U.S

☆ Taiwan says Australian warship sailed through Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TAIPEI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Friday that an Australian warship had sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the sensitive and narrow waterway that separates the democratically governed island from China. The ship, which it did not name, entered the strait on Thursday and sailed in a southerly direction, the ministry added. Last week, Canberra complained of an incident involving a Chinese warship and an Australian navy vessel in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in which an Australian military diver was injured. The U.S. Navy sends ships through the strait around once a month in what it calls "routine" transits. Taiwan has over the past four years complained of repeated Chinese military activity around the island, especially in the strait.

Persons: Ben Blanchard, Kirsty Needham, Diane Craft, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Australian, Taiwan Strait, China, Australia, Canberra, Taiwan, Sydney

☆ Israel, Hamas to Start First Truce in Gaza War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Egypt said 130,000 litres of diesel and four trucks of gas will be delivered daily to Gaza when the truce starts, and that 200 trucks of aid would enter Gaza daily. "We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce." "Control over northern Gaza is the first step of a long war, and we are preparing for the next stages," he added. Israel launched its devastating invasion of Gaza after gunmen from Hamas burst across the border fence on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and seizing about 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel says Hamas fighters use residential and other civilian buildings, including hospitals, as cover - a charge that Hamas denies.

Persons: Andrew Mills, Majed Al, Ansari, Abu Ubaida, Daniel Hagari, Israel, U.N, Philippe Lazzarini, Deepa Babington, Stephen Coates Organizations: Bassam Masoud, Hamas, Qatari, West Bank, UNRWA's, Gaza, Reuters Locations: Bassam, Bassam Masoud DOHA, GAZA, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Qatar, Gaza City, Doha, Egypt, Palestinian, Jabalia, Indonesian

WELLINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - New Zealand's National Party said on Thursday it has reached an agreement with ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First to form a government, ending weeks of negotiations and political uncertainty with the country under a caretaker government. The center-right National Party won the largest share of votes in New Zealand's Oct. 14 general election but needed the support of both right-wing ACT New Zealand and the populist New Zealand First parties to form a majority government. "I'm very pleased to announce that we're in a position where we've concluded negotiations with the respective parties. Christopher Luxon, leader of New Zealand's National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. The conservative National Party won over voters by promising relief for struggling middle-income New Zealanders, and to bring historically high inflation under control while reducing the country's debt.

Persons: we've, Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Winston Peters, Act's David Seymour, Lucy Craymer, Renju Jose, Stephen Coates Organizations: WELLINGTON, National Party, ACT New, New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, New, National, REUTERS, NZ, Zealanders, Labour, Thomson Locations: ACT New Zealand, New, Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealanders

☆ Japan's Kishida sends letter to China's Xi - NHK
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a summit discussion on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, at the Stanford, California, U.S., November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Brittany Hosea-Small/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 23 (Reuters) - A Beijing delegation of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling party, handed a letter from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for Chinese President Xi Jinping in a meeting with China's top leadership team on Wednesday, NHK reported. The broadcaster did not say what was in the letter. Komeito representatives and Kishida's office were not available to comment on Thursday, a public holiday in Japan. Yamaguchi and Cai also agreed to work toward a resumption of dialogue between the CPC and the coalition of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito, NHK reported.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Brittany Hosea, Xi Jinping, Natsuo Yamaguchi, Cai Qi, Yamaguchi, Cai, Makiko Yamazaki, Stephen Coates Organizations: Japan's, Economic Cooperation, Stanford, REUTERS, Rights, Komeito, Wednesday, NHK, Communist Party of China, CPC, Central Committee, Liberal Democratic Party, Thomson Locations: Asia, California, U.S, Beijing, Japan, Taiwan

An advertisement promotes Tesla Autopilot at a showroom of U.S. car manufacturer Tesla in Zurich, Switzerland March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Tesla Inc FollowNov 21 (Reuters) - A Florida judge found "reasonable evidence" that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and other managers knew the automaker's vehicles had a defective Autopilot system but still allowed the cars to be driven unsafely, according to a ruling. The ruling is a setback for Tesla after the company won two product liability trials in California earlier this year over the Autopilot driver assistant system. Banner's attorney, Lake "Trey" Lytal III, said they are "extremely proud of this result based in the evidence of punitive conduct." The judge also cited a 2016 video showing a Tesla vehicle driving without human intervention as a way to market Autopilot.

Persons: Arnd, Elon Musk, Judge Reid Scott, Tesla, Stephen Banner's, Banner, Bryant Walker Smith, Smith, Scott, Banner's, Joshua Brown, Trey, Lytal, Dan Levine, Richard Chang, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Tesla, Palm, University of South, Thomson Locations: U.S, Zurich, Switzerland, Florida, Palm Beach County, California, Miami, University of South Carolina

☆ Violent clashes mar Brazil v Argentina World Cup qualifier
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Soccer Football - World Cup - South American Qualifiers - Brazil v Argentina - Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - November 21, 2023 Fans clash with security staff in the stands causing a delay to the start of the match REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes Acquire Licensing RightsRIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The start of the World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina was delayed by half an hour after violent clashes between police and visiting fans at Maracana Stadium on Tuesday. Some Argentina fans responded by ripping up and throwing seats at the officers as nearby fans panicked and came onto the pitch to escape the fighting. One Argentina fan lay prone on the pitch with a bloodied face before being taken from the stadium on a stretcher. On Tuesday, the Argentina players eventually returned once the police had corralled the visiting fans in a pen and the match started after a lengthy delay. It was a third straight defeat for five-times World Cup winners Brazil, who had midfielder Joelinton sent off 18 minutes from time.

Persons: Ricardo Moraes, Lionel Messi, Messi, Nicolas Otamendi, Joelinton, Fernando Kallas, Nick Mulvenney, Stephen Coates Organizations: Soccer, Estadio Maracana, REUTERS, DE, Maracana, Argentina, Libertadores, Argentina's Boca Juniors, Brazil's Fluminense, Copa Libertadores, Brazil, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Argentina, Rio de Janeiro, DE JANEIRO

☆ Ukraine says Russia committing few troops to Avdiivka battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A local resident walks next to residential buildings heavily damaged by Russian military strikes in the front line town of Avdiivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine November 8, 2023. The head of Avdiivka's military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, said fighting was gripping an industrial district and Ukrainian forces were holding their positions. The Russian defence ministry's latest update mentioned that its troops were attacking villages south of Avdiivka, but gave few details. In the south, Russian forces also made missile strikes on port infrastructure in the Black Sea city of Odesa, regional officials said. Pro-Russian bloggers said Russian forces had been harrying Ukrainian forces near the village of Krynky, near marshes on the eastern bank upriver from the city of Kherson.

Persons: Nuzhnenko, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, Vitaliy Barabash, Avdiivka, Pavlo Norozhny, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Stephen Coates Organizations: Radio Free, Radio Liberty, REUTERS, Reuters, Russia's Defence Ministry, Armed Forces, Dnipro, Thomson Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Donetsk region, Radio Free Europe, Donetsk, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Maryinka, Kyiv, Black, Odesa, Kherson, Dnipro, Krynky, Oleshky

☆ Australia goes on cyber offensive with sweeping resilience plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Broken Ethernet cable is seen in front of binary code and words "cyber security" in this illustration taken March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia will give cyber health checks for small businesses, increase cyber law enforcement funding and introduce mandatory reporting of ransomware attacks under a security overhaul announced on Wednesday after a spate of attacks. "We cannot continue as we have," Cyber Security and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told reporters in Sydney. Unveiling the seven-year strategy, O'Neil said that while large businesses received some of the biggest cyber attacks, they typically recovered, but attacks on small and medium-size businesses could be terminal. "Minister O'Neil's Strategy establishes cyber security as a unifying nationwide endeavour," he added.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Clare O'Neil, O'Neil, Aidan Tudehope, O'Neil's, telco, Byron Kaye, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Labor, Security, Home Affairs, Australian Cyber Security, U.S, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Macquarie Technology, telco Optus, Singapore Telecommunications, Medibank, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney, Britain

☆ Ukraine Welcomes Western Allies' Air Defence Coalition
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his defence minister welcomed the formation by Ukraine's Western allies on Thursday of a 20-nation "coalition" to boost air defences, seen as a key element in the country's campaign against Russian forces. Zelenskiy said the group, one of several devoted to specific areas of Ukraine's defence, was formed at a virtual meeting of the "Ramstein group" examining Ukraine's military needs. "Not everything can be disclosed publicly at this time, but the Ukrainian air shield is becoming stronger every month." Defence Minister Rustem Umerov also noted other assistance agreed by participants, including a German air defence package announced this week during a visit to Kyiv by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. Zelenskiy has long pointed to improved air defence as a key element to help keep Ukrainian cities safe from Russian air strikes - including on energy infrastructure - as wintry weather takes hold.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Rustem Umerov, Boris Pistorius, General Valery Zaluzhniy, Ron Popeski, Ludwig Berger, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Russian, Germany's Defence Ministry, " Defence Locations: Ramstein, Germany, France, Kyiv, Dutch, Russia

☆ Australia to form rapid cyber assist teams for Pacific Islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it would spend A$26.2 million ($17 million) to establish "rapid assistance" teams to respond to cyber crises in the Pacific region, and another A$16.7 million to identify cyber vulnerabilities in the Pacific Islands. The cyber security boost comes after Australia and the United States committed last month to funding two new undersea cables to be rolled out by Google in the Pacific Islands to increase connectivity for eight remote island countries. Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy said the rapid response teams would "build long-term resilience in the Pacific" and provide critical support. A second undersea cable would connect the United States to Australia via French Polynesia.

Persons: Kacper, Pacific Pat Conroy, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Google, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Australia, Pacific, United States, Fiji, French Polynesia

Search resuls for: "Stephen Coates"

25 mentions found