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☆ 'Vote of confidence': UK hails $37 billion of foreign investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Australian funds IFM Investors and Aware Super will pump 10 billion pounds and 5 billion pounds, respectively, into projects ranging from infrastructure and energy transition to affordable housing, Sunak's Downing Street office said in a statement. It added that Spanish power giant Iberdrola (IBE.MC) would add 7 billion pounds to its investment plans in Britain, which include transmission and distribution electricity networks. France has overtaken Britain as the European country with the highest number of new FDI projects. President Emmanuel Macron announced 13 billion euros ($14 billion) of investment commitments in France at a similar FDI gathering in May. "It wants to deal with one person," investment minister Dominic Johnson told Reuters, adding ministers could then have "very strong, frank discussions with the international investment community about how we can make the environment more investable".

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch, Sunak's, Iberdrola, Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Stephen Schwarzman, David Solomon, Goldman Sachs, Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase, Amanda Blanc, Dominic Johnson, IFM, King Charles, William Schomberg, Alistair Smout, Louise Heavens, Mark Potter Organizations: British, Global Investment, Business, IFM, Microsoft, Blackstone, LBC, Nissan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hampton, East Molesey, Surrey, Britain, France, Germany, England, Buckingham

Joseph Ataman/CNNAfter many foreign workers fled Israel following the October 7 attacks, farmers were forced to abandon crops or rely on volunteers for the harvest. Inbar’s remaining foreign workers quietly motor up and down the rows of zucchini. Hamas fighters torched the barns holding hay for the dairy cows on Kibbutz Alumim, riding unopposed into the settlement before massacring foreign workers and attendees of the nearby Nova music festival. “The foreign workers run the farm, they do all the milking,” farm manager Stevie Marcus said of the working of the farm before October 7. Joseph Ataman/CNNStanding among Inbar’s zucchini, tech worker Avi Leibovich - volunteering on a day off from his day job - said he came to help Israeli farms survive.

Persons: Thais, Nattaphong Duangchan, Matan, Yosi, Joseph Ataman, Avi Dichter, ”, Lior Simcha, Stevie Marcus, Yosi Inbar, it’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Inbar, “ We’re, Lisa Perlman, Inbar’s, Avi Leibovich, Danny Parizada, hadn’t, Mei –, Mei, “ Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian, West Bank, Milk Producers Association, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, of Housing, Brothers, Sisters, Volunteers Locations: Thai, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Thailand, Thailand’s, Sri Lanka, Israel’s, Egypt, United States, Nova, Kibbutz Alumim, Gaza City, Tel Aviv

☆ Scientists Are Racing to Protect Grass From Climate Change. Your Cheap Burger Is at Stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Mike Cherney | Photographs Ruth Mcdowall For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

HAMILTON, New Zealand—Scientists here are betting that a small field surrounded by cattle farms will help to solve a crucial problem threatening the global food supply: how to keep the grass and other plants that livestock eat in pastures from wilting under extreme heat and drought. The field is part of an experiment that aims to develop new varieties of pasture plants that can tolerate high temperatures, less rain and more variability in the weather that is expected from climate change. Researchers around the world, from the U.S. to Europe, are racing to conduct similar trials with their own local grass species.

Organizations: New Zealand — Locations: HAMILTON, New Zealand, wilting, U.S, Europe

☆ Remote mountain Kingdom of Bhutan is operating secret, state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Forbes said it had identified the sites of four secret, state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities in Bhutan. El Salvador is the only other country known to operate state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities. AdvertisementThe Kingdom of Bhutan has secretly developed a series of bitcoin mining facilities, a Forbes investigation has revealed. Other images also show high-capacity power lines and transformers running from Bhutan's hydroelectric plants to the mining sites, Forbes reported. The Dochula Pass is a Bhutanese mountain pass located on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, near where one of the mining facilities has been discovered.

Persons: Forbes, —, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Organizations: Service, Forbes, Labs, Google, Education, VW Locations: Bhutan, El Salvador, Dochula, Trongsa, Thimphu, Punakha, India, Salvador

☆ Alberta to invoke controversial law to resist Canada's energy policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Alberta has long been at odds with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government over energy policy. "We have been trying to work collaboratively with them on aligning their targets with our targets," Smith said on Saturday said on the radio program "Your Province. We have to have an affordable grid, and we're going to make sure that we defend our constitutional jurisdiction to do that." The Trudeau government's clean electricity regulations are designed to create a net-zero emissions power grid by 2035 by putting limits on when and how emitting power sources, such as Alberta's natural gas-burning plants, can be used starting in 2035. Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Danielle Smith, Justin Trudeau's, Smith, Steven Guilbeault, Trudeau, Nivedita Balu, Leslie Adler Organizations: TORONTO, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Alberta, Canada's, United, Thomson Locations: Alberta, Province, United Canada, Toronto

☆ 10 iconic animals that were at risk of extinction but rebounded after the Endangered Species Act passed 50 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 passed and become law 50 years ago. Many protected species have been saved from extinction or even rebounded past needing protection. It's estimated that the ESA has saved 99% of its protected species from extinction. AdvertisementFifty years ago, in a moment of bipartisanship that's hard to imagine today, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, comprehensive legislation aimed at saving animal and plant species at risk of going extinct. Other protected species remain at risk but have recovered significantly from their record low numbers that preceded their ESA listing.

Persons: —, Richard Nixon Organizations: ESA, Service, Republican

☆ The 29 Best Holiday Gifts to Shop This Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Buy Side Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

To help you shop for nice prices, we limited our list to our favorites that are on sale now for Black Friday. One thing I have my eye on is this Nyx Butter Gloss Holiday Gifts Set with 14 full-size lip glosses in a variety of colors. She loves color, but she also has a goth streak, so I wasn’t surprised she asked for black nail polish. It would make a great gift for a college student, new grad or really anyone who could use a travel gear upgrade. It’s a great set to update your kitchen or give as a gift this holiday season.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

Persons: We’ve, I’ll, Harry Potter, ” — Aly J, Barbie Dreamhouse, I’d, Barbie, Don’t, Emily Welsh, ”, Emily Schwartzberg, Matte Black, Matte White, Madeline Diamond, Tween, Olive, Jessica Woodbury, cocotte, Staub, Astrid Stawiarz, Nick Guy, ” — Ian Salisbury, Cashmere, I’ve, PJs, ” — Emily Welsh, Charming, Mario, ‘, Cozy, it’s, Susan “, Susan, Anaya, There’s, ” — Leslie Yazel, we’ll, Philip Asquith, It’s, ” — Bellamy Richardson, I’m, Buddy, nutcrackers, Luxe, Augustinus Bader, Rich Cream, ” — Irma Sahinovic, they’re, Brittany Nguyen Organizations: Side, Black, Yale, Bluetooth, Apple, Mario Kart, PlayStation, Target, Saks, Olive Oil, Amazon, Chic Locations: Ulta, Pima, Los Angeles, Olive, Ojai , Calif, Europe, The

☆ Fake Guns and 500-Pound Boars: The Strangest Things Home Sellers Have Left Behind
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Robyn A. Friedman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Q: What’s the strangest thing a seller has ever left behind after closing? In 2014, I was working with some buyers who wanted to live on a working farmoff the grid. The sellers had 16 horses, 25 chickens, threegoats, a huge potbellied pig and a Russian boar named Kevin. Aswe got closer to closing, the sellers were panicking because Kevin had escapedhis pen and was running loose on the property. We didn’t learn it wasn’t real until I called the sellers to tell them they left something behind.

Persons: Mary Aronoff, Douglas, Kevin, —, Abby Nelson, Realty, ‘, ’ Organizations: Cleveland National Locations: San Diego, Calif, Descanso, Russian, Fla, Florida

☆ Some Migrants Are Swapping Their American Dream for a Mexican One
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

So when Banegas fled gang threats in Honduras once more in 2021, he set his sights not on the United States, but Mexico. He gets along with his Mexican coworkers, he said, and he's proud his six-month-old son, David, is a Mexican citizen. The vast majority of migrants who enter Mexico continue north toward the U.S., posing challenges for the Biden administration. U.S., Mexican and U.N. officials have called for regional cooperation to help migrants resettle in places such as Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia, aiming to reduce illegal migration to the U.S. (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City and Laura Gottesdiener in Saltillo; Editing by Christian Plumb and Suzanne Goldenberg)

Persons: Laura Gottesdiener, Beth Solomon, Walter Banegas, Banegas, Long, he's, David, Biden, Giovanni Lepri, Arturo Rocha, Jose Medina Mora, Fernando Hernandez, Kaitlyn, Hernandez, Daina Beth Solomon, Christian Plumb, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: United, Pace Industries, UNHCR, U.S, ASK Locations: Beth Solomon SALTILLO, Mexico, Mexican, Saltillo, Honduran, Honduras, United States, United Nations, Michigan, U.S, Haiti, Venezuela, El Salvador, Cuba, Costa Rica, Colombia, Texas, Monterrey, Chang's, Mexico City

Peak electricity demand may increase by as much as 140 million kilowatts (12%) compared with winter 2022/23, the National Energy Administration (NEA) forecast on Oct. 31. Planners have been anxious to avoid a repeat of the fuel and power shortages that occurred in the autumn and winter of 2021/22. Chartbook: China electricity generationIn the first ten months of 2023, domestic coal production increased by 144 million tonnes (11%) and imports by 154 million tonnes (67%) compared with the prior year. The NEA said power generators’ inventories should be maintained at 200 million tonnes, up from 170 million tonnes a year ago. In the same period, domestic gas production increased by 8 million tonnes (6%), while liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose by 6 million tonnes (12%) and pipeline imports increased by 2 million tonnes (5%).

Persons: Tingshu Wang, John Kemp, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, National Energy Administration, Planners, NEA, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Yanqing district, Beijing, China, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Chartbook, Guangdong, Hainan

So when Banegas fled gang threats in Honduras once more in 2021, he set his sights not on the United States, but Mexico. He gets along with his Mexican coworkers, he said, and he's proud his six-month-old son, David, is a Mexican citizen. 'VERY SOLID OPTION'A decade ago, a few hundred people annually received asylum in Mexico. The vast majority of migrants who enter Mexico continue north toward the U.S., posing challenges for the Biden administration. U.S., Mexican and U.N. officials have called for regional cooperation to help migrants resettle in places such as Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia, aiming to reduce illegal migration to the U.S.

Persons: Walter Banegas, Daniel Becerril, Banegas, Long, he's, David, Biden, Giovanni Lepri, Arturo Rocha, Jose Medina Mora, Fernando Hernandez, Kaitlyn, Hernandez, Daina Beth Solomon, Laura Gottesdiener, Christian Plumb, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Pace, REUTERS, Rights, United, Pace Industries, UNHCR, U.S, ASK, Thomson Locations: Honduras, Mexico, Saltillo , Mexico, Rights SALTILLO, Mexican, Saltillo, Honduran, United States, United Nations, Michigan, U.S, Haiti, Venezuela, El Salvador, Cuba, Costa Rica, Colombia, Texas, Monterrey, Chang's, Mexico City

REUTERS/David Gray Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The long-term value of hotly contested $10.6 billion takeover target Origin Energy (ORG.AX) has been muddied by a government plan to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy, announced just hours before a key shareholder vote. However, the potential for new investment via the government's scheme undercuts Brookfield's argument that Origin and Australia needed its deep pockets to decarbonise quickly, Vickerson said. Pension giant AustralianSuper has argued Origin's stake in fast-growing British renewable energy company Octopus Energy, gas assets and millions of customers position the company well for the energy transition. The government's new scheme only strengthens the fund's conviction about Origin, according to a person familiar with AustralianSuper's thinking. However, Simon Mawhinney, chief investment officer at fund manager Allan Gray, which owns a roughly 3% stake in Origin, said the government's plan appears likely to push down returns.

Persons: David Gray, AustralianSuper, Max Vickerson, Vickerson, Brookfield, Tom Leske, Simon Mawhinney, Allan Gray, Lewis Jackson, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Energy, Morgans, Origin, AGL Energy, Churchill Capital, Octopus Energy, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Chatswood, Australia, Brookfield

☆ Brazil signs on to global climate deal to triple renewable energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A spokesperson for Brazil's Foreign Ministry confirmed the country has decided to join the pact. Brazil is already a major player in renewable energy. While Brazil supports tripling renewables globally, mathematically it is not possible domestically, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. "Brazil won't be able to triple its own renewable energy because it's already very high, but Brazil is once again reinforcing its support for renewables," he said. The draft renewable energy pledge, reviewed by Reuters, commits to "the phase down of unabated coal power," including ending financing for new coal-fired power plants.

Persons: Bruno Kelly, Valerie Volcovici, Jake Spring, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Foreign, European Union, United, Reuters, United Arab Emirates ' Foreign Ministry, Renewables, Energy, Brazil's Foreign Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, South America's, Dubai, Brazil's, Abu Dhabi

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that Georgia can keep statewide elections for its five-member commission regulating utilities, overturning a lower court judge who found statewide elections illegally diluted Black votes. The ruling is important beyond Georgia’s Public Service Commission because it could help protect certain statewide elections in other states subject to scrutiny for racial discrimination under the Voting Rights Act. In August 2022, U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg had ordered Georgia's commissioners elected by district, the first time a statewide voting scheme had been overturned by a federal judge. Retaining statewide elections enhances the chance that all five seats will remain in Republican hands, as they have been for years. Plaintiffs said the current commission is unresponsive to Black voters, including people with lower incomes who pay high utility bills.

Persons: Steven Grimberg, Grimberg, Georgia, Elizabeth Branch, Plaintiffs, ” Brionte McCorkle, James “ Major ” Woodall, Fitz Johnson, Tim Echols, Grimberg's, Johnson, Echols, Tricia Pridemore, It's, hadn't, beholden Organizations: ATLANTA, —, Public Service Commission, U.S, Supreme, Circuit, Appeals, ”, PSC, Black, Georgia Conservation Voters, GOP, Republican, Georgia Power Co Locations: Georgia, Alabama, U.S

☆ Vietnam's plan for spending $15.5 billion for its clean energy transition to be announced at COP28
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A plan for how Vietnam will spend $15.5 billion to transition to cleaner energy has been finalized and will be announced at the COP28 climate conference, which begins in Dubai next week. George gave no details of the plan. The United Kingdom is co-chair of a group of nine, rich industrialized nations that have agreed to provide the $15.5 billion to help Vietnam end its reliance on dirty coal power and more quickly switch to renewable energy as a part of a Just Energy Transition Partnership, or JETP. Earlier this year, Vietnam released a national energy plan that aimed to more than double the maximum power Vietnam can generate to some 150 gigawatts by 2030. It called for a drastic shift away from heavily polluting coal and pledges that no new coal-fired plants will be built after 2030.

Persons: Mark George, George, Tang Organizations: British, Economic, Trade, Britain, Energy, Sustainable Development Locations: Vietnam, Dubai, Hanoi, United Kingdom, Asia, Pacific, Japan

☆ What is the humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Parts of northern Gaza has been cut off from outside help for weeks, with one U.N. spokesperson describing it as a "hell on earth". AID DELIVERIESThe Rafah crossing reopened for limited aid supplies on Oct. 21 and all other crossings into Gaza remain shut. Egypt has 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. WATERFresh fuel deliveries in recent days has allowed some water wells and pumping stations to resume operations in southern Gaza. FUELIsrael has been allowing a limited daily amount of fuel to enter Gaza from Egypt, with 75,000 litres arriving on Nov. 23.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, OCHA, Emma Farge, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, World Health Organization, WHO, Oxfam, UNRWA, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Khan, Egypt, Rafah

☆ East Texas hospital network can’t receive ambulances because of potential cybersecurity incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A network of hospitals in East Texas has not been able to accept ambulances to emergency rooms since Thanksgiving Day because of a “potential [cyber]security incident,” a hospital spokesperson told CNN on Friday. The hospital network, UT Health East Texas, is operating using “established downtime procedures” as the hospital investigates “a potential security incident” and works to bring computers back online, spokesperson Allison Pollan said in an email. Headquartered in Tyler, Texas, UT Health East Texas operates 10 hospitals and more than 90 clinics in the region, and provides health care to thousands of patients annually, according to its LinkedIn page. The East Texas health care system is just the latest hospital group that has been forced to turn ambulances away because of an apparent cybersecurity incident. The cyber incident at UT Health East Texas began on Thursday when the hospital network “became aware of a network outage” and moved to lock down its network, according to the hospital network’s statement to CNN.

Persons: ”, “, Allison Pollan, Pollan, —, CISA, Allan Liska Organizations: CNN, UT Health East, UT Health East Texas, Department of Health, Human Services, Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI, Federal, cyberattacks Locations: East Texas, UT Health East Texas, Tyler , Texas, Connecticut , Florida , Idaho, Pennsylvania

☆ COP28: Sultan Al Jaber, UAE’s oil chief, is proving popular in the developing world, despite criticisms from the West
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Elizabeth Wells | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But long-promised finance from rich countries to help it make a green transition simply hasn’t arrived, President Wavel Ramkalawan told CNN in May. But Al Jaber’s decision to focus on increasing finance to help developing countries shift to renewable energy is helping his popularity in the Global South. A 2022 UN-backed report calculated developing countries will need about $2 trillion a year by 2030. “We have seen the West only being extractive and very opportunistic, and actually kept developing countries dependent on fossil fuels,” he said. “It needs to buy more time to diversify its economy further and wants to capitalize on its energy resources for as long as possible,” Vakil told CNN.

Persons: hasn’t, Wavel Ramkalawan, “ We’re, ” Ramkalawan, “, Al Jaber, Al Jaber’s, COP28, ” Al Jaber, Sultan Al Jaber, Abu, Christopher Pike, ADNOC, William Ruto, Masdar, Al Jaber —, ” Ruto, Simone Boccaccio, it’s, Harjeet Singh, Sanim Vakil, ” Vakil, ” Organizations: CNN, UN, Dubai, Abu, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, US, COP28, Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition, Bloomberg, Kenyan, UAE, Climate, North Africa, Chatham House Locations: Seychelles, Canadian, Africa, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE, Kenya, Egypt, Turkana, UN

☆ Why is medieval art so weird? This new book offers a guide to the era
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —So you want to live like you’re from the Middle Ages? Swarthout is the researcher behind the popular art history-inspired social media account Weird Medieval Guys, which has attracted nearly 700,000 followers on X, formerly Twitter, since she began posting with the handle @WeirdMedieval in April 2022. Swarthout is not a historian, but a recently graduated statistician who took art history during undergrad. Württemberg State Library Stuttgart/Courtesy Penguin Random HouseThere’s a reason why Medieval art is particularly, well, weird. Watch: “Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)The classic satire of Arthurian legend mined the Middle Ages for comedic gold decades before Medieval memes were a thing.

Persons: it’s, Olivia M, commonfolk, Guy, —, ” Swarthout, Swarthout, ”, Jonah, tradespeople, Andreas, Monty Python, Jack Hartnell Organizations: CNN, Dark Times, University of Pennsylvania, Twitter, Stuttgart, Xbox Locations: Camelot

☆ Exclusive: Argentina grains trade 'paralyzed' as farmers eye FX adjustment, bean shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Maximilian Heath | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That hurts exporters who often have to bring most of their overseas sales back into the country at the official rate, getting fewer pesos for each dollar. While the government has rolled out exchange rate sweeteners for farmers, giving them a better rate, many producers are waiting to see what Milei does when he takes office. Idigoras said the lack of beans for the huge crushing plants that turn soybeans into oil and meal along the Parana River meant the facilities were operating at greatly reduced capacity. "Today we are at 73% average idle capacity in the crushing plants and 75% idle capacity in the grain ports," he said. He added that the crushing plants were bringing forward stoppages for technical maintenance due to the "impossibility" of being able to keep operating.

Persons: Marcos Brindicci, Javier Milei, CIARA, Gustavo Idigoras, Idigoras, Maximilian Heath, Adam Jourdan, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Cargill, Bunge, Thomson Locations: Rafaela, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Parana

OPEC and the IEA expect China's oil demand to show growth in 2023 of 7.6% and 12.1%, respectively. OPEC has dismissed fears of that demand growth for oil in China is fading, describing negative sentiment as "overblown" in a recent report. OPEC's forecasts show China accounting for 24.6% of global oil demand growth in the first half of 2024, according to Reuters calculations. Consultancies Wood Mackenzie, Rystad Energy and Energy Aspects respectively forecast China's first-half 2024 oil demand to grow by 3.7%, 4.0% and 4.4% versus the same period in 2023. Energy Aspects expects first-half diesel demand to be flat from a year earlier.

Persons: Aly, Consultancies Wood Mackenzie, Rystad, Lin Ye, Xia, Andrew Hayley, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, of Petroleum, International Energy Agency, OPEC, Rystad Energy, JET, Reuters Graphics Reuters, National Bureau of Statistics, Thomson Locations: Zhuhai, China, Rights BEIJING, OPEC, Russia, Beijing

☆ New Ecuador president Noboa pledges reforms to reduce violence, create jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Alexandra Valencia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa signs first decrees to appoint ministers, at the Presidential Palace (Palacio de Carondelet) on the day of his swearing-in ceremony, in Quito, Ecuador November 23, 2023. REUTERS/Karen Toro Acquire Licensing RightsQUITO, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Business heir and former legislator Daniel Noboa was sworn in as Ecuador's new president on Thursday, pledging to reduce violence and create jobs via urgent legislative reforms. Noboa will serve as president for just 17 months, finishing predecessor Guillermo Lasso's term after Lasso brought forward elections to avoid likely impeachment. DEBT AND SECURITYThough most of Noboa's cabinet was sworn in later on Thursday, the young president did not appoint a minister of economy and finance, leaving the position vacant. Noboa is the son of Alvaro Noboa, a powerful banana baron billionaire who repeatedly failed to win Ecuador's presidency.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Karen Toro, Fernando Villavicencio, Noboa, Guillermo Lasso's, Lasso, Sariha Moya, Rafael Correa, Alvaro Noboa, Lavinia Valbonesi, Alexandra Valencia, Julia Symmes Cobb, Oliver Griffin, Marguerita Choy, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Carondelet, REUTERS, Rights, National Assembly, El, Social Christian Party, Citizens, Ecuador's, Thomson Locations: Quito, Ecuador, Rights QUITO, American, Noboa, Europe

LIVINGSTON, Ky. (AP) — A railroad company promised hotel rooms and Thanksgiving meals for people asked to evacuate a small Kentucky town after a train derailed, catching fire and spilling chemicals. The CSX train derailed around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near Livingston, a remote town with about 200 people in Rockcastle County. Two of the 16 cars that derailed carried molten sulfur, which caught fire after the cars were breached, CSX said in a statement. CSX promised to pay the costs of anyone asked to evacuate, including a holiday dinner. He asked the public to keep in mind the emergency workers and people forced to spend Thanksgiving away from home.

Persons: Crews, It’s, Andy Beshear Organizations: CSX, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Kentucky Gov Locations: LIVINGSTON, Ky, Kentucky, Livingston, Rockcastle County

☆ Explainer: Global fossil fuel subsidies on the rise despite calls for phase-out
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Sarah Mcfarlane | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

For example, it subsidises its refiners when global oil prices rise above $130 a barrel so they can keep fuel prices affordable. UNITED STATESU.S. fossil fuel subsidies stretch across the U.S. tax code, which makes detailing their costs complex. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has proposed axing fossil fuel subsidies in his annual budget, largely a political document used in negotiations with Congress. MIDDLE EASTOil and gas producers in the Middle East including Qatar and Saudi Arabia had some of the highest fossil fuel subsidies per person, IMF data showed. CANADAEarlier this year Canada unveiled plans for eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.

Persons: Navesh, Joe Biden, Sarah McFarlane, Timothy Gardner, David Stanway, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, EU, IMF, Nanjing Audit University, UNITED STATES, One U.S, Taxation, Democrat, Representatives, International Institute for Sustainable Development, EAST, Thomson Locations: Lalitpur, Nepal, Glasgow, Dubai, EU, Ukraine, CHINA, China, U.S, One, RUSSIA, India, Russia, East, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Canada

☆ ‘Moment of truth’ for oil industry: Deepen the climate crisis or help fix it
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Oil and gas producers must confront a “pivotal” choice: continue to accelerate the climate crisis or become part of the solution, the International Energy Agency said in a report Thursday. “The oil and gas industry is facing a moment of truth at COP28 in Dubai,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement. This pollution needs to be cut by more than 60% by 2030 from today’s level, the IEA report says. The industry invested around $20 billion in clean energy projects last year — only around 2.5% of its total capital spending, the IEA found. Such an increase would mean a radical change in how oil and gas firms spend their cash.

Persons: Fatih Birol, Birol, ” Birol, what’s, Kaisa Kosonen Organizations: London CNN —, International Energy Agency, United, and Gas Industry, IEA, Greenpeace International Locations: COP28, United Nations, Dubai

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