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☆ Another Israel-Hamas prisoner swap will take place this month - Palestinian official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Samia Nakhoul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The Israel-Hamas deal agreed on Wednesday for the freeing of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners will be repeated later this month, a Palestinian official told Reuters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that would mean a total release of 100 of the around 240 people Hamas seized during its Oct. 7 killing spree in southern Israel. In return, Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges - a number corresponding to a list of women and teenaged male inmates it published on Wednesday as candidates. They would need four or five days to organise it will involve 50 Israeli (hostages) in return for 150 Palestinian (prisoners)," the Palestinian official said. He said the prisoners would include elderly, women and children and the conditions will be the same.

Persons: Israel, Samia Nakhoul, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Reuters, Palestinian, Hamas, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Israel, Gaza

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The United States is treating a reported plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government "at the senior-most levels," the White House said on Wednesday. The Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that U.S. authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved. It stated he threatened in video messages to not let Air India operate anywhere in the world. The case comes against the historical backdrop of a bombing in 1985 of an Air India aircraft flying from Canada to India that killed 329, and for which Sikh militants were blamed. Pannun told Reuters on Tuesday that his message was to "boycott Air India not bomb."

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannun, Adrienne Watson, Biden, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Hardeep Singh, Shivam Patel, Krishn Kaushik, Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom, Andrew Goudsward, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Alistair Bell Organizations: India's, White, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Financial Times, Air India, Indian, Washington, FBI, U.S . Justice, India's National Investigation Agency, Sikh, Reuters, Air, Justice, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, DELHI, United States, India, New Delhi, Canada, Vancouver, U.S, New York, Air India

☆ Civilian death toll in Ukraine tops 10,000 - U.N. Human Rights Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker inspects a site in a residential area damaged during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 21, 2023. REUERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022, with about half of recent deaths occurring far behind the front lines, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Tuesday. The U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine, which has dozens of monitors in the country, said it expects the real toll to be "significantly higher" than the official tally since corroboration work is ongoing. "Ten thousand civilian deaths is a grim milestone for Ukraine," said Danielle Bell, who heads the monitoring mission. Older people who may be unable or unwilling to relocate to safer places make up a disproportionate fraction of those killed in Ukraine, the U.N. data showed.

Persons: Valentyn, Danielle Bell, Emma Farge, Andrew Heavens, Bernadette Baum, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Rights, Human Rights, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow

☆ Israeli strike kills two reporters, third person in south Lebanon - state media, PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Nov 21 (Reuters) - An Israeli strike killed two journalists working for a Lebanese TV channel and a third person near the border with Israel on Tuesday, Lebanese state media and the channel, Al Mayadeen, said. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also blamed Israel, saying in a statement that the strike was an Israeli attempt to silence the media. A second Israeli strike on a car about seven miles from the border and near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed four people later in the day, the state news agency reported. Al Mayadeen named its killed journalists as Farah Omar, a correspondent, and Rabie al-Memari, a camera operator. The third person killed in the strike was Hussein Aqil, who was at the site where the crew was filming.

Persons: Al Mayadeen, Najib Mikati, Israel, Farah Omar, Rabie, Hussein Aqil, John Davison, Jana Choukeir, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie Organizations: Lebanese, Hezbollah, Hamas, Reuters, Protect Journalists, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Israeli, Lebanese, Israel, Tir, Tyre, Iran, Hamas, Gaza, Lebanon, United States

BAGHDAD, Nov 21 (Reuters) - U.S. forces were attacked at an airbase west of Baghdad early on Tuesday and a U.S. military aircraft responded in self-defence, U.S. officials said, in the first U.S. retaliation on Iraqi territory to dozens of recent militant drone and missile attacks. Ain al-Asad airbase was attacked by a close-range ballistic missile which resulted in eight injuries and minor damage to infrastructure, two U.S. officials said. The U.S. had so far limited its response to numerous recent attacks against its forces in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, claimed by Iran-aligned Iraqi militia groups, to three separate sets of strikes in Syria. U.S. and international forces that make up the global coalition to fight the remnants of Islamic State have been targeted more than 60 times in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, U.S. officials say. Dozens of U.S. servicemen suffered minor injuries in the attacks but have all returned to duty, U.S. officials say.

Persons: Asad, Timour Azhari, Phil Stewart, Ali Idrees, Andrew Heavens, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: U.S, Israel, Hamas, Washington, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: BAGHDAD, Baghdad, U.S, Ain, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Gaza, Israel, State, Washington

☆ Qatar economic growth has normalised in 2023 following World Cup boom - IMF
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that Qatar’s economic growth has normalised in 2023 following the World Cup-driven boom. The IMF added that the economy of the world's top LNG exporter had a favourable medium-term outlook supported by LNG production expansion and intensifying reform efforts. "Broad fiscal discipline amid hydrocarbon windfalls in 2022-23 resulted in sizeable surpluses and rapid central government debt reduction," IMF said. Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Nayera Abdallah, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, IMF, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Rights DUBAI

☆ Union set to strike at Peru's Las Bambas copper mine next week -leader
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Las Bambas copper mine is pictured in Apurimac, Peru May 9, 2022. Erick Ramos, general secretary of the Las Bambas workers union, told Reuters by telephone the union had agreed to go on a strike with no set end date starting Nov. 28. Representatives for Las Bambas did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The union had already kicked off a strike on Sunday, which is set to end Tuesday, over the profit sharing. The union, which represents more than 1,000 workers, is currently registering the strike set for Nov. 28 with the labor ministry, Ramos said.

Persons: Angela Ponce, Erick Ramos, Ramos, Bambas, China's MMG, Pedro Castillo, Marco Aquino, Isabel Woodford, Kylie Madry, Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Workers, Reuters, China's, HK, Thomson Locations: Apurimac, Peru

[1/3] Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 17, 2023. Closely watched U.S. treasury yields slipped after auction, while global oil futures gained $2 on the prospect of supply cuts. Europe's benchmark STOXX index (.STOXX) inched up 0.1%, with energy stocks (.SXEP) leading gains. The healthcare sector (.SXDP) fell after shares in Bayer (BAYGn.DE) dropped to their lowest in 14 years. The dollar index fell to 103.26, its weakest since the start of September, as investors appeared to solidify bets that the Fed could start cutting interest rates next year.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Dow Jones, Quincy Krosby, Krosby, Ricardo Evangelista, Goldman Sachs, Moody's, Brent, Chris Prentice, Wayne Cole, Lawrence White, Lincoln, Susan Fenton, Will Dunham, Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Nvidia, U.S, Bayer, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Nikkei, Trading, LPL, Tech, European Central Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, SYDNEY, Thursday's U.S, United States, Europe, Italy, New York, Sydney, London

☆ Union strike underway at MMG's Las Bambas copper mine in Peru
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Las Bambas copper mine is pictured in Apurimac, Peru May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Angela Ponce/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLIMA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A multi-day strike is underway at the Chinese-owned Las Bambas copper mine in Peru, the leader of the workers union said on Monday, as part of its demands to improve profit sharing protocols. Erick Ramos, general secretary of the Las Bambas workers union, told Reuters by telephone that the union is considering an indefinite strike from Nov. 28 if the company does not meet its demands. Las Bambas, which began operations in 2016 and is owned by China's MMG Ltd (1208.HK), is one of the largest copper producers in Peru, the world's second largest producer of the metal. A source close to the Las Bambas mine said earlier on Monday that the protest began on Sunday and that the strike was being "partially and peacefully" adhered to.

Persons: Angela Ponce, Erick Ramos, China's MMG, Ramos, Marco Aquino, Isabel Woodford, Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, China's, HK, Ministry of Labor, Thomson Locations: Apurimac, Peru

[1/3] Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 17, 2023. The MSCI World Equity Index (.MIWD00000PUS) gained 0.38% by 10:37 a.m. EST (1537 GMT) and Europe's benchmark STOXX index (.STOXX) rose 0.08%. The tech-heavy index (.IXIC) gained 0.44% to 14,187.16, as the Dow Jones (.DJI) rose 0.25% to 35,035.33 and the S&P 500 index (.SPX) gained 0.27% to 4,526.14. The dollar index fell to 103.46, its weakest level since the start of September, as investors appeared to solidify bets that the Fed could start cutting rates next year. "Dovish minutes could trigger some downside risk for the dollar," Ricardo Evangelista, senior analyst at ActivTrades, said.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Dow Jones, Israel, Ricardo Evangelista, Goldman Sachs, Moody's, Brent, Chris Prentice, Wayne Cole, Lawrence White, Lincoln, Susan Fenton, Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Nvidia, Global, U.S, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Nikkei, Hamas, Tech, Treasury, European Central Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, SYDNEY, United States, Gaza, Europe, Italy, New York, Sydney, London

☆ U.S. probes Hyundai, Kia recall into 6.4 million vehicles over fire risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators said Monday they had opened a probe into 16 separate recalls issued by Hyundai (005380.KS) and Kia (000270.KS) covering 6.4 million vehicles relating to brake fluid leaks that could result in fires. The automakers said internal brake fluid leaks can cause an electrical short that could lead to a fire. Kia said the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) in the vehicles may experience an electrical short as a result of brake fluid leaks. Hyundai said the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short. The September recall covered 1.73 million Kia Borrego, Cadenza, Forte, Sportage, K900, Optima, Soul Rio, Sorento and Rondo vehicles from various model years for each vehicle from 2010 through 2017.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Kia, Kia Borrego, Forte, Sportage, David Shepardson, Bernadette Baum, Louise Heavens Organizations: Hyundai Motor, New York, REUTERS, Rights, Hyundai, Kia, Korean, Control, Traffic Safety Administration, Tucson Fuel Cell, Santa Fe Sport, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, KS, United States, Santa Fe, Veracruz, Tucson

☆ Microsoft CEO says Sam Altman will be joining Microsoft
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Microsoft Corp FollowNov 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Monday said that ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Greg Brockman will be joining Microsoft (MSFT.O) to lead a new advanced AI research team. Nadella also appeared to confirm Emmett Shear's reported appointment as the new OpenAI CEO, saying they are "looking forward to getting to know Emmett Shear and OAI's new leadership team and working with them." Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Altman, Carlos Barria, Satya Nadella, Greg Brockman, Nadella, Emmett Shear's, Emmett Shear, Shubham, Louise Heavens Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Argentine ETF trading surges after election, led by small investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Suzanne Mcgee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Global X MSCI Argentina ETF , which offers exposure to a basket of the country's most liquid stocks, soared more than 13% on Monday and hit its highest level since September. While the South American country's markets are closed on Monday for a local holiday, U.S.-listed shares of Argentinian companies also surged in U.S. trading. The gains for the ETF came through large amounts of small trades, Todd Sohn, an ETF analyst at Strategas in New York, said. By mid-morning, the value of trading in the ETF had topped $11 million, compared with average of about $1 million a day throughout 2023. "These small country funds are ideal vehicles for small day traders who jump on events" like Sunday's presidential election in Argentina, Sohn said.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Argentina's Javier Milei, Todd Sohn, Sohn, Suzanne McGee, Megan Davies, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Argentina ETF, Management, Inc, U.S, Banco, Grupo Financiero, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, American, New York, ARGT, Grupo Financiero Galicia

REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Nacho Gutiérrez-Orrantia, one of Citi's (C.N) 's most senior bankers in Europe, will become the bank's head of banking in Europe as part of its planned restructuring, people familiar with the situation said. In his new role of head of the Europe cluster, the Spanish banker will look after Citi´s businesses in the region. Prior to the restructuring, Europe was part of its EMEA business unit, the second-largest region on a revenue basis, according to Citi's 2022 annual report. Gutiérrez-Orrantia was appointed in 2021 as its co-Head of Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory (BCMA) for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and has spent 19 years at the bank. The US bank recently appointed former Deutsche Bank UK deputy CEO Tiina Lee as UK Citi Country Officer (CCO) and UK cluster and banking head.

Persons: Stefan Wermuth, Nacho Gutiérrez, Orrantia, Jens Welter, Jane Fraser, Ernesto Torres, Tiina Lee, Andres Gonzalez, Pablo Mayo Cerquerio, Anousha Sakoui, Louise Heavens Organizations: Citibank, City of, REUTERS, Reuters, Citi, EMEA, Banking, Capital Markets, Advisory, Bilbao, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank UK, Citi Country, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Europe, Spanish, Middle East, Africa, EMEA, America, Asia South, Asia, Australia, Japan

Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 19, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsGAZA, Nov 19 (Reuters) - As Israel prepares to widen its military campaign in Gaza, Palestinians such as 80-year-old Mahrous Nasrallah wonder if there will be anywhere left to shelter in the tiny enclave where entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble. Since then, Gaza's Health Ministry says 12,300 Palestinians, including 5,000 children, have died in the Israeli military operation. Many, like Laila Abu Nemer who moved from Gaza City to the south, wonder how her family can survive the Israeli onslaught now in its seventh week. Nourhan Saqallah quit Gaza City and moved to Deir Al-Balah after Israel urged people to move to the south.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Israel, Mahrous Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Khan Younis, Laila Abu Nemer, Yahya Sinwar, Nourhan Saqallah, Michael Georgy, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Gaza's Health Ministry, Deir Al, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Beersheba, Gaza City, uproot, Israeli, Deir

☆ Napoleon hat fetches record $2.1 million at Paris auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A bicorne hat believed to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte sold for a record 1,932,000 euros ($2.11 million) at the Drouot auction house in Paris on Sunday. The price beat the 1,884,000 euros paid for another Napoleon hat at Drouot in 2014, a official at the auction house said. "One million four hundred fifty thousand (euros) to my left, 1.5 million, we have 1.5 million in the room, 1.5 million for Napoleon's hat. We're leaving it at 1.5 million for this major Napoleon symbol, I'm selling for 1.5 million (before fees), no regrets, sold," auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said as he brought down the hammer to applause. Ahead of the auction, Osenat told Reuters the black beaver felt hat in the traditional bicorne shape was a trademark for Napoleon, who had owned about 120 such hats throughout his life.

Persons: Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon, Jean, Pierre Osenat, Osenat, Ardee Napolitano, Geert De Clercq, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Reuters, Bonhams, Thomson Locations: Paris, London

☆ UK police question Russell Brand over sex assault allegations - The Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Comedian Russell Brand poses for photographers before signing copies of his new book entitled "Revolution" in central London, December 5, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Actor and comedian Russell Brand has been questioned by detectives from London's Metropolitan Police over allegations of historical sex offences, the Times newspaper reported on Sunday. Earlier that month the Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV's documentary show "Dispatches" reported four women had accused Brand, 48, of sex offences, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013. Brand has rejected what he has described as "very serious allegations", saying on his social media channels he has never had non-consensual sex. "He was interviewed under caution by detectives in relation to three non-recent sexual offences.

Persons: Russell Brand, Suzanne Plunkett, Brand, Kylie MacLellan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, London's Metropolitan Police, Times, Sunday, Sunday Times, Brand, Metropolitan Police, Thomson Locations: London, South London

☆ Jerusalem Christians rally round Armenian Church over land deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An Armenian priest enters a church at the monastery compound in the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City June 8, 2010. The Armenian community says the investor behind the land lease deal is an Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein, who owns a company registered in the United Arab Emirates - Xana Capital Group. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordanian forces in a 1967 war. "We are aware of a plan to encircle the outside the Old City with settlement projects. We suspect this Armenia Quarter deal is meant to be a continuation of this plan inside the city walls," Seidemann told Reuters.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Danny Rubinstein, Rubinstein, Hagop Djernazian, Daniel Seidemann, Seidemann, Crispian Balmer, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Armenian, Synod, Roman Catholic Churches, United Arab Emirates, Xana Capital, Catholic, Jerusalem's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem's Old, Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, Old City, Ottoman, Australian, Armenia, James's, City, Israel, East Jerusalem, Jordanian

SpaceX launched Starship and its Super Heavy booster toward space for the second time on Saturday. Sitting atop its stainless steel Super Heavy booster, Starship stands nearly 400 feet tall. If Starship did reach space on Saturday, it is the largest and most powerful launch system to ever do so. AdvertisementSpaceX's explosions aren't necessarily failure in Musk's eyesThe complete Starship-Super Heavy system first attempted to reach space in April. AdvertisementIt took seven months to make all those adjustments, regain regulatory approval for flight, and prepare to launch Starship a second time.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Elon, John Insprucker, SPadre.com livestreams, Gene Blevins, Yusaku Maezawa, That's, it's Organizations: SpaceX, Super, NASA, Service, Elon Musk's, Reuters Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, of Mexico, SPadre.com

"Coal in North Macedonia represents 40% of the energy source, so it's very big, it's very important," EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso told Reuters. Both of its coal-fired plants are ageing, outdated and run on lignite, the most polluting type of coal. An IFC spokesperson said the green transition, including in North Macedonia, was one of its key priorities, but that it was not in a position to confirm any plan details. "The world's richest countries need to work with the multilateral development banks to find effective, structural ways to channel significantly scaled up energy transition finance," he said. North Macedonia joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group of countries committed to phasing out coal-fired power, in 2021.

Persons: Odile Renaud, Basso, COP27, REK, Renaud, Leo Roberts, E3G, Kate Abnett, Kirsten Donovan, Louise Heavens Organizations: European Bank for Reconstruction, World Bank, Reuters, Investment, United Nations, Climate Investment Funds, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Bank, Past Coal Alliance, Union, Thomson Locations: Dubai, wean, Macedonia, North Macedonia, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Senegal, North, Skopje, Europe, Macedonian, Pakistan, Colombia, Ukraine

☆ Zelenskiy says Ukraine, US will hold military industry conference next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group ahead of a two-day NATO Defense Ministers Council at the alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, October 11, 2023. Olivier Matthys/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine and the United States will hold a military industry conference in December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. "During my visit to Washington, President Biden and I agreed on specific steps we can take together. In October, Ukraine set up a joint defence venture with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall AG (RHMG.DE) to service and repair Western weapons. In September, it hosted an international defence industry forum with more than 250 Western weapons producers.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Olivier Matthys, Kiyv, Zelenskiy, Biden, Yuliia Dysa, Louise Heavens, Heavens Organizations: Ukraine Defense Contact, NATO Defense, Ukrainian, Rheinmetall AG, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, United States, Kyiv, Washington

☆ East Ukraine's Kharkiv builds underground schools as Russia keeps up attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Vitalii Hnidyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Workers build a heavily fortified underground school that will allow children to safely return to in-person studies, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine November 15, 2023. Schools in the region of around 2.5 million people, which borders Russia, were forced into online learning after the Kremlin's February 2022 invasion. More are planned by the end of next year, Korotovskykh said, adding that 817 educational facilities across the Kharkiv region had been damaged or ruined during Russia's invasion. Ukrainians are now bracing for another winter of likely Russian air strikes targeting critical infrastructure, which last year caused widespread blackouts across the country. Reporting by Vitalii Hnidyi; Writing by Dan Peleschuk Editing by Gareth Jones and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy, Anton Korotovskykh, Korotovskykh, Serhiy Petrulyanis, Vitalii Hnidyi, Dan Peleschuk, Gareth Jones, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Workers, REUTERS, Rights, Schools, Russian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kharkiv region, Rights KHARKIV, Ukraine's Kharkiv, Russia, Kharkiv

☆ Five nations seek war crimes probe in Palestinian territories
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ICC already has an ongoing investigation into "the situation in the State of Palestine" for alleged war crimes committed since June 13, 2014. Last month ,Kahn said that his office had jurisdiction both over Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and any crimes committed as part of Israel's response including bombings in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the prosecutor's office said it had so far "collected a significant volume of information and evidence" on crimes in the Palestinian territories and also committed by Palestinians. The ICC can investigate nationals of non-member states in certain circumstances, including when crimes are alleged to have been committed in the territories of member states. The Palestinian territories have been listed among the ICC's members since 2015.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Karim Kahn, Kahn, Bart Meijer, Stephanie van den Berg, Andrew Heavens, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, ICC, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, Djibouti, Palestine, State

☆ Doctor says Israeli forces 'found nothing', supplies low at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Abir Ahmar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A makeshift operating theater area is seen inside Al Shifa hospital during Israel's ground operation around the hospital, in Gaza City November 12, 2023. Ahmed El Mokhallalati/via REUTERS /File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A doctor at the Gaza Strip's Al Shifa hospital said on Friday Israeli forces had "found nothing" during searches of the hospital complex, and that food and water were running out. Doctor Ahmed El Mokhallalati told Reuters by telephone that despite the "difficult" conditions at the hospital, no babies had died there since Israeli troops entered it on Wednesday. The Israeli military said on Thursday it had uncovered a Hamas tunnel shaft and a vehicle with weapons at the Al Shifa hospital complex. "What happened is that the people, we run out of food, we ran out of drinking water," Mokhallalati said.

Persons: Al, Ahmed El Mokhallalati, Al Shifa, Israel, Mokhallalati, Dr Mohamed Tabasha, Abir Al Ahmar, Timothy Heritage, Hugh Lawson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Rights, Reuters, Hamas, Al, Thomson Locations: Al Shifa, Gaza City, Rights DUBAI, Gaza, Palestinian, Ireland, Cairo, London, Al

☆ ECB hawks push back on early rate cut bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"It would be unwise to start cutting interest rates too soon," Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said in a speech. Austria's Robert Holzmann was even more explicit, arguing that the second quarter was simply too soon for a rate cut. Asked if he ruled out an interest rate cut in the second quarter of next year, he said: "That would be a bit early." The ECB held rates unchanged in October, snapping a streak to ten straight rate hikes, fuelling market bets that its record-breaking tightening streak is now over and the next move is a cut. Instead of easing policy, the ECB should tighten further, Wunsch argued, by ending early its bond purchases in the 1.7 trillion euro Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme.

Persons: Joachim Nagel, Ann Saphir, Robert Holzmann, Holzmann, Pierre Wunsch, Wunsch, Nagel, Balazs Koranyi, Francois Murphy, Kirsten Donovan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: European Central Bank policymaker, Kansas City Fed, REUTERS, European Central Bank, ECB, Thomson Locations: Jackson, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, FRANKFURT, VIENNA, Belgian

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