DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Thailand says 20 of its nationals still held by Hamas after 10 freed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Thai workers taken hostage by Hamas and later released as part of a deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, pose with a member of Thai mission after a medical checkup, in Tel Aviv, Israel, in this handout image released on November 25, 2023. Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Thailand/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBANGKOK, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Twenty Thai nationals were still being held by Hamas after the Palestinian militant group freed 10, Thailand's foreign ministry said on Saturday. The Thai hostages freed from Gaza in Friday's exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians from Israeli jails would return home after 48 hours in hospital, the ministry said in a statement. The released Thai hostages included one woman, according to photos released by the ministry, which showed them dressed in green jackets and with doctors at a medical centre in Israel. Reporting by Poppy McPherson; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thais, Poppy McPherson, William Mallard Organizations: Hamas, Foreign Affairs, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, Foreign Affairs Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Gaza, Friday's, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Malaysia

☆ 'I'm not dead,' Thai hostage says after 'miracle' release in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Chayut Setboonsarng | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"He told me not to cry, to tell mother I’m coming back," Roongarun Wichagern told Reuters of her younger brother after an emotional reunion on a video call. "He said, ‘I’m not dead, I’m not dead,’" Roongarun said, calling his survival a "miracle". The freed Thai hostages will return home after 48 hours in hospital, Thailand’s foreign ministry said in a statement. He called for the release of the remaining "innocent Thai hostages as soon as possible". Photographs from the Thai foreign ministry showed them meeting doctors at a medical centre in Israel.

Persons: I’m, Roongarun Wichagern, ‘ I’m, Roongarun, Srettha Thavisin, Vetoon, Thais, Thongkoon Onkaew, Natthaporn, Chayut Setboonsarng, Napat Wesshasartar, Poppy McPherson, William Mallard Organizations: Hamas, Foreign Affairs, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Shamir Medical, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, Foreign Affairs Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Thai, Gaza, Thailand, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Malaysia

☆ Philippines, Australia Start Sea, Air Patrols in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines and Australia began their first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, days after Manila took similar steps with the U.S. as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China's "aggressive activities" in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tensions around naval operations. The Philippines and the United States concluded three-day joint sea and air patrols on Thursday, starting in waters near Taiwan, a democratically governed island that China claims as its own, and ending in the West Philippine Sea. China has accused the Philippines of enlisting "foreign forces" to patrol the South China Sea and stirring up trouble.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, China's, Richard Marles, Marcos, Marles, Arsenio Andolong, Karen Lema, William Mallard Organizations: Australia, ., Philippine, Australian Defence Force, Armed Forces, Philippine Department of National Defense, South China, Toowoomba, Cooperative Locations: MANILA, Philippines, South, Manila, China, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, South China, U.S, West Philippine, Philippine, United, Taiwan, West Philippine Sea

☆ Thailand Says 20 of Its Nationals Still Held by Hamas After 10 Freed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Twenty Thai nationals were still being held by Hamas after the Palestinian militant group freed 10, Thailand's foreign ministry said on Saturday. The Thai hostages freed from Gaza in Friday's exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians from Israeli jails would return home after 48 hours in hospital, the ministry said in a statement. The released Thai hostages included one woman, according to photos released by the ministry, which showed them dressed in green jackets and with doctors at a medical centre in Israel. Earlier reports said around 12 Thais had been released. The ministry thanked the governments of Qatar, Israel, Egypt, Iran and Malaysia, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, "as well as others involved in the immense efforts that led to this recent release".

Persons: Thais, Poppy McPherson, William Mallard Organizations: International Committee Locations: BANGKOK, Palestinian, Gaza, Friday's, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Malaysia

OpenAI and Altman did not reply to requests for comment. Kholsa Ventures, an early backer of OpenAI, wants Altman back at OpenAI but "will back him in whatever he does next," the fund's founder Vinod Khosla posted on X on Saturday. Others expressed support for joining Altman in starting a company, a third person familiar with the matter said. Tech website The Verge earlier reported the OpenAI board's discussions with Altman to return as CEO. Forbes reported on Saturday investors were plotting to restore Altman as CEO.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, Vinod Khosla, Altman's, Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, OpenAI, Brockman, Szymon Sidor, Sidor, Jony, SoftBank, Masayoshi Son, Brad Lightcap, Forbes, Krystal Hu, Anna Tong, Jeffrey Dastin, Gursimran, Chizu Nomiyama, Kenneth Li, William Mallard Organizations: Microsoft, Kholsa Ventures, Union, U.S, Altman, Reuters . Tech, Thomson Locations: OpenAI, New York, San Francisco, Gursimran Kaur, Bengaluru

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S - November 18, 2023 Red Bull's Max Verstappen leads Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the start of the race REUTERS/Mike Blake/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLAS VEGAS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The much-maligned Las Vegas Grand Prix crossed the finish line in style on Saturday night, delivering a dramatic race on the famed Las Vegas Strip to help offset earlier missteps. "And I think for all those who were so negative about the weekend, saying it was all about show blah blah blah, I think Vegas proved them wrong." "There was no better race to be the first race in Vegas," he said. "The energy around the city is incredible and I'm just really, really happy. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Las Vegas; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Mike Blake, Verstappen, Christian Horner, Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Rory Carroll, William Mallard Organizations: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, LAS VEGAS, Prix, Bull, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Vegas, Bellagio, Las Vegas

☆ Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv second night in row, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 19 (Reuters) - Russia launched several waves of drone attacks on Kyiv early on Sunday for the second night in row, stepping up its assaults on the Ukrainian capital after several weeks of pause, the city's military administration said. Ukraine's Air Force said its air defence systems destroyed 15 of 20 Russia-launched Shahed kamikaze drones over Kyiv, Poltava and Cherkasy regions. [1/3]An explosion of a drone is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 19, 2023. On Saturday, Ukrainian officials said all drones heading towards Kyiv were destroyed but some hit infrastructure facilities elsewhere in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other officials have warned that Russia would resume its large-scale bombardments of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure during the winter months.

Persons: Serhiy Popko, Popko, Gleb Garanich, Ihor Taburets, Ruslan Kravchenko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Lidia Kelly, Pavel Polityuk, Tom Hogue, William Mallard Organizations: Air Force, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Russia, Kyiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Russian, Ukraine, Kyiv's, Moscow, Melbourne

☆ APEC over, Taiwan reports renewed Chinese military activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAIPEI, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Taiwan reported renewed Chinese military activity around the island on Sunday, with nine aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait and warships carrying out "combat readiness patrols". Democratically-governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past four years of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island, as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei over its sovereignty claims. With Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco last week for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he met U.S. President Joe Biden, the scale of that military activity around Taiwan had scaled off. The aircraft were accompanying Chinese warships carrying out "joint combat readiness patrols" it added. China says its activities near Taiwan are aimed at "collusion" between Taiwan separatists and the United States and to protect China's territorial integrity.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Su, Xi, Biden, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Taiwan, Biden, Thomson Locations: Rights TAIPEI, Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, China, Beijing, Taipei, San Francisco, United States, U.S

☆ Maldives New President Asks India to Withdraw Its Military
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MALE (Reuters) - Maldives new President Mohamed Muizzu, who campaigned on altering the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago's "India first" policy, has requested India withdraw its military from the country. Muizzu won the presidential election in September, ousting Ibrahim Solih in a runoff after promising to remove a small Indian military presence of some 75 personnel. At his inauguration on Friday, Muizzu said, "I will ensure that this country has no foreign military presence on its soil." Muizzu made the request to Kiren Rijiju, India's minister for earth sciences, who was representing India at the president's inauguration, it said. (Reporting by Krishn Kaushik in New Delhi and Mohamed Junayd in Male; Writing by Munsif Vengattil; Editing by William Mallard)

Persons: Mohamed Muizzu, Muizzu, Ibrahim Solih, Kiren, Krishn Kaushik, Mohamed Junayd, Munsif Vengattil, William Mallard Organizations: Indian Locations: Maldives, India, China, New Delhi

☆ Maldives new president asks India to withdraw its military
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives presidential candidate of the opposition party, People's National Congress speaks with the media personnel during the second round of a presidential election in Male, Maldives September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Dhahau Naseem /File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMALE, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Maldives new President Mohamed Muizzu, who campaigned on altering the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago's "India first" policy, has requested India withdraw its military from the country. Muizzu won the presidential election in September, ousting Ibrahim Solih in a runoff after promising to remove a small Indian military presence of some 75 personnel. At his inauguration on Friday, Muizzu said, "I will ensure that this country has no foreign military presence on its soil." Muizzu made the request to Kiren Rijiju, India's minister for earth sciences, who was representing India at the president's inauguration, it said.

Persons: Mohamed Muizzu, Dhahau Naseem, Muizzu, Ibrahim Solih, Kiren, Krishn Kaushik, Mohamed Junayd, Munsif Vengattil, William Mallard Organizations: People's, REUTERS, Indian, Thomson Locations: Maldives, Male, India, China, New Delhi

☆ Japanese troops drill on island seen as vulnerable to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKUNOSHIMA, Japan, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Japanese marines in amphibious assault vehicles stormed an island beach at the edge of the East China Sea on Sunday in a simulated attack to dislodge invaders from territory that Tokyo worries is vulnerable to attack from China. Other troops arrived in semi-inflatable rubber boats, with heavy equipment carried to shore on military hovercraft. [1/5]A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) soldier takes part in a marine landing drill as a part of the country's nationwide 05JX military exercises at Tokunoshima island, Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan, November 19, 2023. Kishida has warned that East Asia could be the next Ukraine, if China, emboldened by Russia's assault on its neighbour, attacks Taiwan. But the yen's sharp decline this year has forced Japan to cut back on some planned purchases, including new models of the U.S.-made Chinook helicopters that Japan's military used in the Tokunoshima drill.

Persons: Yoshihide Yoshida, Issei Kato, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Tim Kelly, William Mallard Organizations: Self - Defence Forces, Joint Staff, Defence Force, Defense Force, Defense, Rapid Deployment Brigade, REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: TOKUNOSHIMA, Japan, East, Tokyo, China, Russia, North Korea, Tokunoshima, Kagoshima prefecture, Taiwan, Asia, Ukraine, U.S, Beijing

☆ Indian officials consider five new plans to rescue men trapped in tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Saurabh Sharma Acquire Licensing RightsSILKYARA, India, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Indian authorities were exploring five new plans to rescue workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in the Indian Himalayas after a week of failed attempts. Forty-one men, stuck in the highway tunnel in Uttarakhand state since Nov. 12, are safe and being fed through a pipe, the authorities say. Rescuers had been drilling horizontally through the debris toward the trapped workers in the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel until the auger drilling machine broke on Friday and a new one was flown in. A rescue mission is currently underway at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand to free 41 workers who are stuck inside following a landslide. The trapped workers have received Vitamin C and medicines including anti-depression tablets, said RCS Panwar, a health official involved in the rescue efforts.

Persons: Saurabh Sharma, Bhaskar Khulbe, Munsif Vengattil, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

☆ Vale Canada, Sumitomo Metal sign initial agreement to sell 14% stake in Indonesia nickel miner
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Ritsuko Shimizu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Vale Base Metals said its Vale Canada unit and Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining signed an initial agreement on Friday to sell a 14% stake in their Indonesian nickel mining unit to Indonesia's state miner. Share divestment is a condition required by Indonesia to extend Vale Indonesia's mining permit, which will otherwise end in 2025. Upon completion, MIND ID will become the largest shareholder of Vale Indonesia with its stake rising to 34% from 20%. Vale Canada will hold 33.9%, down from 43.79%, and Sumitomo 11.5%, down from 15.03%, according to the statement. "The divestment will make MIND ID as the biggest shareholder of Vale (Indonesia), so MIND ID and Vale Canada can exercise a joint control over Vale (Indonesia)," he said in a statement on Friday.

Persons: Ritsuko Shimizu, Wirjoatmodjo, Deshnee Naidoo, Joko Widodo, Widodo, Fransiska Nangoy, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kirsten Donovan, William Mallard Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, REUTERS, Rights, Base Metals, Vale Canada, Vale, Sumitomo, Mineral Industri, Vale Base Metals, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights JAKARTA, Vale Canada, Mineral Industri Indonesia, Indonesia, Vale Indonesia, Indonesian, Vale

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko gives an update on the death and investigation of Pro-Israeli supporter Paul Kessler who died at a rally on November 5, 2023, Thousand Oaks, California, U.S, November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Jorge Garcia Acquire Licensing RightsTHOUSAND OAKS, California, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A California man pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and battery charges on Friday in the death of a Jewish man who fell to the ground and hit his head during an altercation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators this month. Alnaji pleaded not guilty to the charges and remained jailed on a $50,000 bond, the prosecutor's office said. Neither murder nor voluntary manslaughter charges were filed because prosecutors found no evidence of malice aforethought or intent to kill, the DA said. Reporting by Jorge Garcia in Thousand Oaks, California; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax in New York and Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Kim Coghill and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Erik Nasarenko, Paul Kessler, Jorge Garcia, Loay Alnaji, Alnaji, Kessler, Nasarenko, Jim Fryhoff, Witnesses, Imam Abdul, Latif Sackor, Sackor, Joseph Ax, Brad Brooks, Steve Gorman, Kim Coghill, William Mallard Organizations: Pro, REUTERS, Israel, Court, Palestinian, Hamas, . Police, Penn, Times, Police, Amtrak, Thomson Locations: Ventura County, Oaks , California, U.S, California, Moorpark , California, Los Angeles, Rhode Island, New York City, Manhattan, Oaks, Israel, Gaza, Rhode, Providence, Thousand Oaks , California, New York, Longmont , Colorado

☆ Japan's Daisaku Ikeda, longtime Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist leader, dies at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Anton Bridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ikeda died on Wednesday evening from natural causes at age 95, Soka Gakkai said in a statement on its website. Soka Gakkai, founded in 1930, says it has 12 million members in 192 countries and territories worldwide. He also founded Soka Gakkai's umbrella organisation, Soka Gakkai International, in 1975, where he served as honorary president from 1979 until his death. But those dropped off in recent years leading to some speculation about his health and role in Soka Gakkai International. In 1947 he met Josei Toda, then leader of the Soka Gakkai organisation, who was to become his mentor.

Persons: Daisaku Ikeda, Ikeda, Zhou Enlai, Mikhail Gorbachev, Arnold Toynbee, Polly Toynbee, Ichi, Josei Toda, Succeeding Toda, Kaneko, Hiromasa, Takahiro, Anton Bridge, David Dolan, William Mallard aand Kim Coghill Organizations: Soka Gakkai, Kyodo, Rights, Soviet, government's, Soka, Soka Gakkai International, SGI, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, British

☆ Clock ticking as Taiwan opposition bicker over joint presidency bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Ben Blanchard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The issue of China, which views Taiwan as its territory, looms over the Jan. 13 parliamentary and presidential elections. China has stepped up military and political pressure, including high-profile war games, to press the island to accept its sovereignty claim, which Taiwan rejects. But both parties failed to reach agreement on how to interpret opinion polls and thus decide who will stand for what position by an originally scheduled deadline of Saturday. China detests frontrunner Lai, regarding him as a separatist, and has rebuffed repeated calls from him for talks. Hou especially has vowed to renew dialogue with Beijing, and says Lai is a dangerous supporter of Taiwan independence.

Persons: Democratic Progressive Party's, Lai Ching, Hou Yu, Ko, Lai, Hou, Hsiao, Eric Chu, Tsai Ing, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Kim Coghill Organizations: Kuomintang, KMT, Taiwan People's Party, Democratic Progressive, ih, Former Taipei, DPP, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, China, Taiwan, Beijing, United States, Chiayi

☆ APEC Over, Taiwan Reports Renewed Chinese Military Activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan reported renewed Chinese military activity around the island on Sunday, with nine aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait and warships carrying out "combat readiness patrols". Democratically-governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past four years of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island, as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei over its sovereignty claims. With Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco last week for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he met U.S. President Joe Biden, the scale of that military activity around Taiwan had scaled off. The aircraft were accompanying Chinese warships carrying out "joint combat readiness patrols" it added. China says its activities near Taiwan are aimed at "collusion" between Taiwan separatists and the United States and to protect China's territorial integrity.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Su, Xi, Biden, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Kim Coghill Organizations: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Taiwan, Biden Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, China, Beijing, Taipei, San Francisco, United States, U.S

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol along with moderator and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attend 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... Acquire Licensing Rights Read morePALO ALTO, California, Nov 17 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged cooperation on clean-energy supply chains, quantum computing and other innovative technology during a Silicon Valley roundtable on Friday. Yoon and Kim met one on one and together with Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, which ended on Friday. In addition to military and economic cooperation, Yoon and Kishida on Friday signaled work on science and technology would be a central to their relationship-building. "But for President Yoon and myself, this is the Big Game," Kishida said.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, State Condoleezza Rice, PALO, Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, David, Joe Biden, Kim, Biden, Kishida, lecterns, Ann Saphir, William Mallard Organizations: Japan's, U.S, State, Economic Cooperation, Stanford, REUTERS, San Francisco Bay Area, University of California, Thomson Locations: Asia, California, U.S, Brittany, PALO ALTO , California, San Francisco, China, North Korea, Washington, Korean, South Korea, San Francisco Bay, Berkeley

☆ Rescuers in India tunnel collapse begin replacing drilling machine on 7th day
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The disaster management office revised the number of people trapped since Sunday morning in the tunnel in Uttarakhand state to 41, up from 40. A rescue mission is currently underway at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand to free 41 workers who are stuck inside following a landslide. Authorities have not said what caused the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel to cave in, but the region is prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods. Work was suspended on Friday after a "large-scale cracking sound" was heard as rescue workers sought to restart the drilling machine, according to a report from NHIDC. Close to 100 tunnel workers gathered at the site on Saturday, demanding faster progress in reaching and freeing those trapped.

Persons: Shankar Prasad Nautiyal, Anshu Malik Halko, Halko, Vishnu Sahu, Sahu, Saurabh Sharma, Ira Dugal, William Mallard, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Highways, Infrastructure Development Corporation, Reuters, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, Madhya Pradesh

☆ Japanese Troops Drill on Island Seen as Vulnerable to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Tim KellyTOKUNOSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese marines in amphibious assault vehicles stormed an island beach at the edge of the East China Sea on Sunday in a simulated attack to dislodge invaders from territory that Tokyo worries is vulnerable to attack from China. Other troops arrived in semi-inflatable rubber boats, with heavy equipment carried to shore on military hovercraft. Unlike many of the beaches along Japan's southwest island chain stretching toward Taiwan, the one on Tokunoshima does not have a coral reef that would make military operations more difficult. Kishida has warned that East Asia could be the next Ukraine, if China, emboldened by Russia's assault on its neighbour, attacks Taiwan. But the yen's sharp decline this year has forced Japan to cut back on some planned purchases, including new models of the U.S.-made Chinook helicopters that Japan's military used in the Tokunoshima drill.

Persons: Tim Kelly TOKUNOSHIMA, Yoshihide Yoshida, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Tim Kelly, William Mallard Organizations: Self - Defence Forces, Joint Staff, Defence Force, Defense Force, U.S Locations: Japan, East, Tokyo, China, Russia, North Korea, Tokunoshima, Taiwan, Asia, Ukraine, U.S

☆ Japan's Kishida, S. Korea's Yoon Talk Tech, Cooperation in Silicon Valley
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Ann SaphirPALO ALTO, California (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged cooperation on clean-energy supply chains, quantum computing and other innovative technology during a Silicon Valley roundtable on Friday. The two have meet several times since a Camp David summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in August. Yoon and Kim met one on one and together with Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, which ended on Friday. In addition to military and economic cooperation, Yoon and Kishida on Friday signaled work on science and technology would be a central to their relationship-building. "But for President Yoon and myself, this is the Big Game," Kishida said.

Persons: Ann, PALO, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Yoon, David, Joe Biden, Kim, Biden, Kishida, lecterns, Ann Saphir, William Mallard Organizations: Economic Cooperation, Stanford, San Francisco Bay Area, University of California Locations: PALO ALTO , California, Asia, San Francisco, China, North Korea, Washington, Korean, South Korea, San Francisco Bay, Berkeley

☆ Subaru to raise US wages after UAW deals with Detroit Three -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Atsushi Osaki, President and CEO at Subaru, speaks during the press day preview of the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Subaru (7270.T) will raise the wages of its U.S. plant workers in light of recent labor deals reached by the Detroit Three automakers and United Auto Workers (UAW), the Japanese automaker's CEO, Atsushi Osaki, told Reuters on Thursday. Non-union automakers that have raised wages for their U.S. plant workers after the UAW deals include Japan's Toyota (7203.T) and Honda (7267.T), and South Korea's Hyundai (005380.KS). UAW President Shawn Fain has said "UAW" stands for "U are welcome" in response to the rising wages at the non-union plants. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Los Angeles; Writing by Ben Klayman; Editing by Chris Reese, Andrea Ricci and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Atsushi Osaki, David Swanson, Osaki, Joe Biden, Shawn Fain, Abhirup Roy, Ben Klayman, Chris Reese, Andrea Ricci, William Mallard Organizations: Subaru, Los Angeles Auto, REUTERS, Detroit Three, United Auto Workers, UAW, Reuters, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Los, Detroit, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Lafayette , Indiana, Los Angeles, South

Ajay Bisaria, India's ambassador to Canada from 2020 to 2022, said the relationship is in a "de-escalation phase" following "quiet diplomacy". "This is not a thaw," an Indian foreign ministry official told Reuters. 'MODEST DE-ESCALATION'Officials in India and Canada spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak on the subject. The Indian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Canada's foreign ministry pointed to comments made by Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie on Oct. 30.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Evan Vucci, Michael Kugelman, Ajay Bisaria, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India's, Ottawa’s, Melanie Jolie, Jolie, Modi, Kugelman, Michael Bociurkiw, Krishn Kaushik, Steve Scherer, YP Rajesh, William Mallard Organizations: Indian, Canada, Bharat, DELHI, Mutual, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Reuters, Canadian, Foreign, Atlantic Council, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Canada, OTTAWA, Punjab, Delhi, Ottawa, Washington, China, Vancouver, Hardeep, Vienna

☆ China to accelerate issuance of government bonds, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A woman walks in the Central Business District (CBD) on a hazy morning in Beijing, China, October 25, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, China, Nov 5 (Reuters) - China will accelerate the issuance and use of government bonds, state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday citing an interview with new finance minister Lan Foan. "The Ministry of Finance will continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy, focus on improving efficiency, and better play the effectiveness of fiscal policy," said Lan, who also noted the "complex domestic and international situation". Some new local government debt quotas for 2024 have been issued in advance to reasonably ensure local financing needs, he said. The top parliamentary body last month approved the issuance of 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in sovereign bonds in the fourth quarter to fund rebuilding of areas affected by floods, state media reported.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Lan Foan, Lan, Liu Kun, Martin Quin Pollard, Wang Shuyan, William Mallard, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Central Business, REUTERS, Rights, Xinhua, Ministry, Finance, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanxi

CHIURI, Nepal, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Sobbing relatives of victims from Nepal's worst earthquake in eight years cremated their loved ones on Sunday as rescuers looked for people who could still be trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. The quake had a magnitude 6.4, Nepal's National Seismological Centre said, while the U.S. Geological Survey measured it at 5.6. Since Friday's quake, thousands of buildings in Jajarkot and neighbouring Rukum West district have collapsed or developed cracks making them uninhabitable. "I am shocked to lose almost all my family members," said the 41-year-old, who farms millet and corn. In Khalanga, the capital of Jajarkot district, survivors slept in the streets near damaged houses, wrapped in blankets to beat the cold.

Persons: Baljit Mahar, Mahar, Navesh, Kuber Kadayat, Shanta Bahadur B.K, B.K, Navesh Chitrakar, Yubaraj Sharma, Gopal Sharma, William Mallard, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Reuters, Seismological Centre, U.S . Geological, REUTERS, Nepal Police, Thomson Locations: CHIURI, Nepal, Chiuri, Jajarkot, U.S, Rukum West, Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, Jajarkot district

Search resuls for: "WIlliam Mallard"

25 mentions found