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☆ Slovakia's SMER party to sign agreement on forming new government on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SMER-SSD party leader Robert Fico arrives to the party's headquarters, after the country's early parliamentary elections, in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Eva Kornikova/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 16 (Reuters) - Slovakia's former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his SMER-SSD party will sign a coalition agreement to form a new government with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties on Monday, SMER said. Fico, a three-time prime minister, won an election on Sept. 30 with pledges to halt military aid to Ukraine and criticism of sanctions on Russia. He struck a deal with the coalition parties last week and is expected to lead a new government. The coalition agreement was set to be signed at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT).

Persons: Robert Fico, Eva Kornikova, SMER, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, SNS, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Prague

☆ Finnish Nobel Peace laureate and former president Ahtisaari dies at 86
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari poses with his medal and diploma during the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo December 10, 2008. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHELSINKI, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Nobel Peace laureate Martti Ahtisaari, who served as Finland's 10th president between 1994 and 2000, died on Monday at the age of 86, the Finnish president's office said in a statement. Ahtisaari was celebrated around the world for brokering peace in conflict zones in Kosovo, Indonesia and Northern Ireland. All conflicts can be settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to become eternal," Ahtisaari said when he accepted the Nobel award in 2008. Several months afterwards, the Nobel committee gave him the peace prize, citing work on multiple continents over more than three decades.

Persons: Martti Ahtisaari, Ints, Ahtisaari, Mara, Martti, Finland's, Slobodan Milosevic, Eeva, Marko, Anne Kauranen, Ritsuko Ando, Sonya Hepinstall, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Soviet, Social Democrats, Finland's European Union, NATO, Finland's Ministry, Foreign Affairs, EU, Yugoslav, Crisis Management, Free Aceh Movement, Nokia, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Rights HELSINKI, Finnish, Kosovo, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, Finland, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Viipuri, Russia, Pakistan, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Aceh, Balkans

☆ Slovakia's SMER Party to Sign Agreement on Forming New Government on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

(Reuters) - Slovakia's former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his SMER-SSD party will sign a coalition agreement to form a new government with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties on Monday, SMER said. Fico, a three-time prime minister, won an election on Sept. 30 with pledges to halt military aid to Ukraine and criticism of sanctions on Russia. He struck a deal with the coalition parties last week and is expected to lead a new government. The coalition agreement was set to be signed at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT). The parties are seeking to have an administration in place ahead of a European Union summit on Oct. 26-27 where Ukraine will be high on the agenda.

Persons: Robert Fico, SMER, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson Organizations: Reuters, SNS Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Prague

☆ Slovakia's populist ex-PM Fico seals coalition deal for new government
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Jason Hovet | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SMER-SSD party leader Robert Fico arrives to the party's headquarters, after the country's early parliamentary elections, in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Eva Kornikova/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 16 (Reuters) - Slovak former prime minister Robert Fico and his party signed a coalition deal on Monday to form a new government expected to go slow on cutting high deficits and reduce support to neighbour Ukraine. Fico said his priorities would include boosting living standards and a foreign policy consistent with Slovakia's EU and NATO membership - but focused on protecting national interests. Fico has a tense relationship with Caputova, whom he has called a U.S. puppet acting as U.S. financier and philanthropist George Soros' proxy. Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague; editing by Alex Richardson, Mark Heinrich and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Robert Fico, Eva Kornikova, Viktor Orban, Zuzana Caputova, Fico, Caputova, George Soros, opposition's, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson, Mark Heinrich, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine, Hungarian, Kyiv, Democracy, Slovak National Party, European Union, NATO, EU, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Slovak, Ukraine, Fico, U.S, Poland, Prague

☆ Hamas says Gaza water still cut off; Israel says some provided in south
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Hamas said on Monday that Israel had not resumed water supplies for the Gaza Strip despite pledging to do so, while an Israeli official responded that some water was being provided to an area in the south of the enclave. Israel stopped piping water to Gazans as part of a siege imposed after Hamas gunmen rampaged in its southern towns and village on Oct 7. Hamas interior ministry spokesman Eyad Al-Bozom said on Monday there had been no resumption of water supplies: "The residents drink unhealthy water, posing a serious health crisis threatens the lives of the citizens." Katz said on Sunday that resupplying water in southern Gaza would encourage Palestinian civilians to congregate there as Israel pummels Hamas targets in Gaza City to the north. Israel has told residents of the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, to leave for the south.

Persons: Israel, Eyad Al, Bozom, Israel Katz, Khan Younis, Katz, Nidal Al Mughrabi, Dan Williams, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Alex Richardson, Peter Graff Organizations: Israeli Energy, Infrastructure, Thomson Locations: GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, Gazans, Washington, Israeli, Bnei Sahila, Khan, Gaza City

☆ Iran's foreign minister meets Hezbollah leader in Lebanon on Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday discussed Israel's war against Hamas with the head of the powerful Tehran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has launched its own cross-border attacks on Israel. Amirabdollahian, who arrived in Beirut late on Thursday, said he had met Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib. Local media outlet Al-Mayadeen said the Iranian minister and Nasrallah had discussed Hamas' attack on Israel. Iran also supports Hamas, and has lauded the group's attack on Israel but has denied any involvement. On Thursday, Amirabdollahian said Israel's actions against the Palestinians would receive a response from Iran's allies and that Israel would have to bear the consequences.

Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Najib Mikati, Abdallah Bouhabib, Mayadeen, Nasrallah, Israel, Maya Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Miral Organizations: Iran's, Hezbollah, United Nations, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Tehran, Lebanese, Israel, Beirut, Iranian, Iran, Gaza, Egypt, Gaza City, Amirabdollahian, Syria, Damascus, Aleppo

☆ Hezbollah says calls for it not to intervene in war 'will have no effect'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

We are prepared and ready, fully ready," Qassem said. "The question being asked, which everyone is waiting for, is: what Hezbollah will do and what will its contribution be?" Qassem spoke at a rally where hundreds of people had gathered in solidarity with Palestinians, waving the flags of Palestine and of Hezbollah. Other rallies were organized in Palestinian camps as well as cities across southern and eastern Lebanon where Hezbollah has a strong presence. He met on Friday morning with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Sheikh Naim Qassem, Zohra, Naim Qassem, Qassem, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Laila Bassam, Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Palestinian, Hezbollah, Lebanese, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Beirut, Lebanon, Rights BEIRUT, Palestine

☆ Israeli shelling strikes Lebanese army post after infiltration warning
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Smoke rises after Israeli shelling , as seen from Lebanese side, near the border with Israel, in Alma Al-Shaab, southern Lebanon, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Israeli shelling struck a Lebanese army observation post at the border on Friday, three sources in Lebanon told Reuters, after the Israeli military warned of a suspected armed infiltration that it said it was responding to with artillery fire. The alert was issued in Hanita, 500 metres (yards) from the tense border and opposite Aalma El-Chaeb. The military statement said there had been an explosion at the adjacent border fence, which was lightly damaged. Reporting by Timour Azhari, Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily; writing by Dan Williams; editing by Alex Richardson and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thaier, Aalma, Israel, Timour Azhari, Laila Bassam, Gebeily, Dan Williams, Alex Richardson, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lebanese, Israel, Alma Al, Lebanon, Hanita, Lebanon's Iran

☆ Yellen, China's top central banker talk about debt, economic developments -US Treasury
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen and People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng pose before holding a bilateral meeting on the fifth day of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, following last month's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng on Friday held a "substantive and productive" meeting that covered debt, financial architecture and future economic communications, a Treasury spokesperson said. "During the substantive and productive meeting, Secretary Yellen and Governor Pan exchanged views on macroeconomic and financial developments," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement after the meeting on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Morocco. "They also discussed the international financial architecture and debt issues, as well as how to make the Financial Working Group co-chaired by Treasury and the PBOC substantive and productive," the spokesperson said, referring to one of two new U.S.-China economic communications groups launched in September. Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Pan Gongsheng, Susana Vera, Yellen, Pan, David Lawder, Alex Richardson Organizations: People’s Bank of China, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, . Treasury, People's Bank of China, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, China

A view of the skyline in the aftermath of Israeli military strikes on Islamic Jihad targets, in Gaza, May 9, 2023. Carboni said in a later interview that its stocks of aid and medicine within Gaza are stranded for want of safe passage. "With the supplies we have inside Gaza, we will not be able to support the civilian population for very long. Most of Gaza's population has no power and water as Israeli strikes continue and they fear a possible ground invasion. ICRC teams are pre-positioning staff and stocks in strategic hubs close to Gaza as part of its preparations, he added.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Fabrizio Carboni, Carboni, Kan, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Emma Farge, Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Red Cross, International Committee, ICRC, Hamas, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Egypt, GENEVA, Israel, Rafah

☆ Syria state TV says Israeli attack targets Aleppo, Damascus airports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DAMASCUS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Syria's state television said Israel launched attacks on the main airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday. It said here had been damage but no casualties at the Aleppo airport, but did not give any information on the impact of the strike on Damascus Airport. The Israeli military does not usually comment on such incidents, and there was no immediate statement from it on Thursday. Israel has for years carried out strikes against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, including against the Aleppo and Damascus airports. Reporting by Firas Makdesi; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alex Richardson and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Thomson Locations: DAMASCUS, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Syria

☆ Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone spared jail after admitting tax fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ecclestone has also agreed a civil settlement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under which he will pay 652.6 million pounds covering tax, interest and penalties for 18 tax years between 1994 and 2022, prosecutor Richard Wright said. The 92-year-old appeared at London's Southwark Crown Court and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation, just over a month before he was due to stand trial. Ecclestone gave an unintelligible response to reporters as he left the court and got into a waiting Range Rover. Richard Las, chief investigation officer and director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said Ecclestone had "lied to HMRC". The decision also states that Ecclestone paid around 250 million pounds in income and capital gains tax to HMRC between 1999 and 2017.

Persons: Bernie Ecclestone, Belinda Jiao, Ecclestone, Richard Wright, Simon Bryan, Clare Montgomery, Andrew Penhale, Richard Las, Bryan, Mr Ecclestone, Montgomery, Vladimir Putin, Sam Tobin, William James, Alex Richardson, Susan Fenton Organizations: Formula, Southwark Crown, HM Revenue, Customs, HMRC, Crown Prosecution Service, Thomson Locations: Southwark, London, Britain, Singapore

☆ X removes hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts since attack, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is seen alongside the former logo in this illustration taken, July 24, 2023. Breton said he had indications that X was being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the European Union. The recently implemented Digital Services Act (DSA) requires large online platforms, including X and Meta's (META.O) Facebook, to remove illegal content and to take measures to tackle the risks to public security and civic discourse. X has redistributed resources and refocused internal teams to address the rapidly evolving situation, Yaccarino said, without specifying the changes. She added that the Musk-owned company assembled a leadership group to assess the situation shortly after the attack.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Linda, Yaccarino, Thierry Breton's, Elon Musk, Breton, Urvi Dugar, Alex Richardson, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Twitter, European Union, Services, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Israel, Bengaluru

☆ More work to do in tackling non-bank risks, says FSB's Knot
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Klaas Knot, chair of the Financial Stability Board, arrives for the G20 leaders' summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, November 15, 2022. "Why did we not see these pockets of hidden leverage? That, I think, is still the main target of our work in the NBFI space going forward," Knot said. "In general the massive change in the interest rate environment, so far so good, there has not been any systemic rippling of negative effects into the financial sector," Knot told the Institute of International Finance annual meeting. Meanwhile, AI could have tangible benefits and present some risks to the financial system, he said.

Persons: Klaas, Willy Kurniawan, Klaas Knot, Huw Jones, Alex Richardson, Alexander Smith, Jane Merriman Organizations: Board, REUTERS, UBS Group, Silicon Valley Bank, UBS, Swiss, Credit Suisse, European Central Bank, policymaker, Institute of International Finance, Bank of England, Authority, ECB, Thomson Locations: Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Silicon, Dutch

☆ Brazil's Gilberto Gil pays tribute to London, his home in exile, in joyous show
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Angus Macswan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That's why I came to London," he told the audience at the Royal Albert Hall. He introduced "Ladeira da Preguica" saying: "This a a song I wrote in London while I was missing my homeland." The military junta deemed them subversive and arrested them, detaining them for nine months before forcing them to choose exile or jail. Veloso was miserable but Gil, settling in Notting Hill Gate, immersed himself in London life. "I used to eat Jamaican food at the Mangrove," Gil told the audience, referring to a famed cafe in Notting Hill Gate.

Persons: Gilberto Gil, Gil, Caetano Veloso, Veloso, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Bob Marley's, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Toda, Angus MacSwan, Alex Richardson Organizations: London, Royal Albert Hall, Thomson Locations: London, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Notting Hill, Glastonbury, Rio de Janeiro

☆ Egypt facilitating deliveries of aid to Sinai for Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks as he attends a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (not pictured), in Cairo, Egypt, October 11, 2023. The Rafah crossing between Sinai and Gaza remained open, the Egyptian foreign ministry said, adding that Egypt had asked Israel to avoid targeting the Palestinian side of the crossing after strikes that prevented normal operations there. Al Arish airport in northern Sinai, about 45 km (28 miles) from the Gaza border, was preparing to receive three aid flights from Qatar and Jordan, but these would not leave the airport until humanitarian corridors had been established, two Egyptian security sources said. They said Egypt and Jordan had received assurances from the United States that aid would be delivered to Gaza, without giving details. Since Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade, restricting the passage of people and goods in and out of the territory.

Persons: Antonio Tajani, Sameh Shoukry, Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Israel, Jordan, retaliating, Rishi Sunak, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Sunak, Ahmed Elimam, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Nadine Awadalla, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens, Angus MacSwan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Italian, Egyptian Foreign, REUTERS, Rights, Lithuanian, Hamas, British, Thomson Locations: Cairo, Egypt, Rights CAIRO, Gaza, Sinai, Rafah, Israel, Al Arish, Qatar, Jordan, United States, Palestinian

☆ Germany to support Israel in its defence efforts with two drones - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Visitors stand in front of an Heron TP drone at the ILA Air Show in Berlin, Germany, April 25, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Berlin will allow Israel to use two Heron drones the German air force has in use in the country, defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels. "We will provide two drone the Israelis had asked for. In addition, there are first requests for ammunition for ships that we will now discuss with the Israelis," Pistorius said, adding: "We stand by Israel's side." (This story has been corrected to make clear that Israel requested 'ammunition for ships', not 'ammunition and ships')Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, editing by Bart Meijer and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Axel Schmidt, Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Israel, Tassilo Hummel, Bart Meijer, Alex Richardson Organizations: ILA, REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Israel, Brussels

☆ Fierce fighting rages around Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Anna Pruchnicka | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] A view shows grain warehouses heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at a compound of a port in Odesa region, Ukraine October 12, 2023. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces were holding their ground on the third day of battle, but municipal officials said the Russian attacks were relentless. It is Ukrainian courage and unity that will determine how this war will end," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app alongside photos of Ukrainian troops and of Avdiivka's entrance sign. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had inflicted damage on Ukrainian forces in areas including Avdiivka but gave few details. In other fighting, Ukraine said it had thwarted an attempt overnight by a Russian eight-member saboteur group to cross its northeastern border in the Sumy region.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Vitaliy Barabash, Barabash, Oleksandr Shtupun, Andriy Yermak, Olena Harmahs, Alex Richardson, Timothy Organizations: Press, REUTERS Acquire, Moscow, Special Operations Forces, Russian, Russia's Defence Ministry, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa region, Handout, Russia, Ukraine Ukraine, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Kyiv, Moscow, Donetsk, Crimea, American, Odesa, Sumy

☆ Bond yields ease, stocks near flat ahead of Fed minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2023. The Fed minutes are due later Wednesday, and investors will assess them for further hints about the economic outlook and where U.S. rates are heading. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) rose 0.15% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) gained 0.19%. Global stocks have edged higher in recent sessions with U.S. bond yields - which underpin borrowing costs around the world - easing as Fed officials have suggested interest rate hikes may be over for now. U.S. crude fell 2.68% to $83.67 per barrel and Brent was at $85.73, down 2.19% on the day.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Edward Moya, Brent, Herbert Lash, Harry Robertson, Tom Westbrook, Sam Holmes, Alex Richardson, Deepa Babington Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Companies, Treasury, Reserve, Palestinian, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Gaza, New York, London, Singapore

REUTERS/Staff/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Global stocks tick up; U.S. futures riseBond yields tumble again but remain highOil prices steady after rising on Israel-Hamas warLONDON/SINGAPORE, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Global stocks edged higher on Wednesday while bond yields dropped again as investors waited for minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting and U.S. inflation figures. Meanwhile, oil prices were little changed as traders kept an eye on the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel. The MSCI All World stock index (.MIWD00000PUS) was last up 0.21% on Wednesday, after rising 1% in the previous session. Futures for the S&P 500 were up 0.26% after the stock index (.SPX) climbed 0.52% on Tuesday. Global stocks, which had been on the slide since early August, have rallied for the last few sessions.

Persons: Dow Jones, I'm, Florian Ielpo, Arthur van Slooten, Raphael Bostic, Harry Robertson, Tom Westbrook, Sam Holmes, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, LONDON, Reserve, Nasdaq, Dow, Lombard, Global, Investors, Treasury, Societe Generale, Atlanta Fed, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Israel, SINGAPORE, Palestinian, Nashville, Gaza, Brent, China, London, Singapore

The head of the Israeli military, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, said lessons would be drawn from the security failures around Gaza that enabled the attack. Scores of Israeli and foreign hostages were taken back to Gaza; Israel says it has identified 97 of them. Amid international calls for a ceasefire to allow in aid, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said there would be no halt to the siege without freedom for Israeli hostages. The Israeli military said it does not comment on such reports. The Israeli military says it has responded with artillery fire to launches coming from Lebanese territory.

Persons: Abbas, Antony Blinken, Blinken, General Herzi Halevi, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Kan, Cross, Fabrizio Carboni, Israel Katz, Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Najib Mikati, Jordan, King Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Jerusalem's Mount Herzl, Ibrahim Hamdan, Hamdan, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, Nidal, Emma Farge, Jeff Mason, Peter Graff, Alexandra Hudson, Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie, Toby Chopra, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, NATO, Public, International Committee, United Nations, Food Programme, ICRC, Israeli Energy, Israel, United Nations Security, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, Egypt, Israel, JERUSALEM, GAZA, TEL AVIV, Gaza, Syria, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Lebanese, Jerusalem's Mount, Jerusalem, Geneva

Shmyhal told a high-level roundtable to support Ukraine held during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, that Ukraine's state budget deficit would be about 20% of the country's GDP this year and 21% in 2024. "We expect support from all our partners, both in equal amounts, Shmyhal said. He said the World Bank has been helping to assess recovery needs, adding that $14 billion alone would be needed for a rapid-recovery response program. Shmyhal said the key to the country's resilience has been economic reform programs, including those to fight corruption and boost digitalization. "If the right conditions are created, we estimate that as much as one-third of Ukraine's future needs could be met with private-sector financing," Banga said.

Persons: Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Ajay Banga, Banga, Janet Yellen, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, David Lawder, Alex Richardson, Leslie Adler Organizations: Ukrainian, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Bank, U.S, Treasury, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Ukraine, Marrakech, Russia, U.S

☆ Israel's new war cabinet vows to wipe Hamas off the earth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forged an emergency government on Wednesday to direct war against Hamas, and his defence minister vowed to wipe the Palestinian militant group "off the face of the earth" over its deadly weekend attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, September 27, 2023. Gallant, the defence minister, said: "We will wipe this thing called Hamas, ISIS-Gaza, off the face of the earth. Gantz, a former Israeli defence chief and general, said it was a time to join together and win. During the fighting with Hamas in Gaza, the emergency government will not take up any unrelated policy or laws, Netanyahu and Gantz said in their joint statement.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Yoav Gallant, ABIR, Gantz, Gallant, Yair Lapid, Maayan Lubell, Alison Williams, Alex Richardson Organizations: Hamas, ISIS, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem

☆ Money now, shares later: more IMF countries voice support for pragmatic IMF funding boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the extra resources were needed to ensure the IMF can respond to another large-scale crisis. But with anti-China sentiment running high in the U.S. Congress, any IMF funding increase that increases Beijing's influence would face stiff opposition. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proposed the money now, shares later plan as a way to sidestep the China issue and speed resources to the IMF. A 50% quota increase would be equivalent to about $312 billion at current exchange rates.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Fernando Haddad, Kristalina Georgieva, Janet Yellen, Ernest Addison, David Lawder, Alex Richardson, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Monetary, IMF, U.S . Congress, Treasury, International Monetary, Financial Committee, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Rights MARRAKECH, Morocco, France, Britain, Ghana, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, China, Brazil, U.S, Algeria, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Tunisia

In southern Israel, Hamas gunmen were still fighting Israeli security forces in several places 24 hours after their incursion in the early hours of Saturday, both sides said, as more rockets were fired from Gaza, sparking air raid sirens. More than 300 Gazans were killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes. [1/23]Palestinian inspect a mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 8, 2023. Bodies of Israeli civilians surrounded by broken glass were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel near Gaza in the aftermath of Saturday's assault. Senior military officers were among those killed in fighting near Gaza, the Israeli military said.

Persons: Israel, Israel Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, DAWN, Gunmen, Al Hadath, Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Peacemaking, YOU, Ismail Haniyeh, Gazans, Jerusalem's Al, Joe Biden, Osama Hamdan, Maayan Lubell, Nidal, Ammar Anwar, Henriette Chacar, Emily Rose, Dan Williams, Ali Sawafta, James Mackenzie, Angus McDowall, Robert Birsel, Lisa Shumaker, William Mallard, Alex Richardson Organizations: Hamas, Gaza, Jets, Palestinian, West Bank, REUTERS, Jerusalem, Senior, Islamic, BIDEN, NETANYAHU, White, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, Lebanon JERUSALEM, GAZA, SDEROT, Gaza, Lebanon, Israeli, Egypt, Syria, Yom, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Gaza's Beit Hanoun district, Aqsa, Sderot, United States, Iraq, Yemen, Jerusalem, Ramallah

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