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☆ U.S. says Guatemala ministry is interfering in election transition of power
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Sofia Menchu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ministry, which functions similar to the attorney general in other countries, raided the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Friday for at least 20 hours to seize boxes holding tabulations from general election voting. "The United States is gravely concerned with continued efforts to undermine Guatemala's peaceful transition of power to President-elect Arevalo," Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, said in a statement. The Public Ministry said that it "acts in all cases with objectivity and impartiality to ensure strict compliance with the law." He has repeatedly complained of a "coup d'état" and persecution by prosecutors against him and his party, Movimiento Semilla. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva also on Sunday expressed concern about actions by the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Persons: Bernardo Arevalo, Arevalo, Matthew Miller, Volker Türk, Drazen Jorgic, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Justice, GUATEMALA CITY, U.S . State Department, Public Ministry, State Department, Movimiento, United Nations, Human Rights, Public, Thomson Locations: Guatemala City, GUATEMALA, United States, U.S, Geneva

☆ New Zealanders start voting in Oct. 14 general election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Praveen Menon Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - New Zealanders on Monday started voting for a new government as advance in-person balloting opened ahead of the Oct. 14 general election. Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said in a statement that 400 polling places were open on Monday. Voting before election day has increased in popularity, and in 2020, 68% of votes were cast in advance, Le Quesne said. Overseas electronic and in-person voting at embassies opened last week for enrolled voters. New Zealand does not use mail voting but in special circumstances some people can vote electronically.

Persons: Praveen Menon, Karl Le Quesne, ”, Le Quesne, Chris Hipkins, Lucy Craymer, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: New, REUTERS, Rights, Zealanders, Overseas, National Party, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Wellington , New Zealand, Zealand

☆ North Korea Slams UN Nuclear Agency as US Mouthpiece
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday denounced the U.N. atomic watchdog for joining a U.S.-led pressure campaign and "cooking up" a resolution over its nuclear programmes, calling the agency a "paid trumpeter" for Washington. An unnamed spokesman of Pyongyang's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry released a statement criticising a resolution adopted on Friday at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference that calls for the North to curb its nuclear programmes. The spokesman described the resolution as a "result of conspiracy" by the United States and its allies, saying North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state has already become "irreversible." Grossi warned last year that the reclusive country could resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. The IAEA has had no access to North Korea since Pyongyang expelled its inspectors in 2009 and then restarted nuclear testing.

Persons: Shin, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Hyonhee Shin, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Monday, Pyongyang's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, DPRK, Democratic People's Locations: Shin SEOUL, North Korea, U.S, Washington, United States, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, Pyongyang

☆ North Korea slams UN nuclear agency as US mouthpiece
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSEOUL, Oct 2 (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday denounced the U.N. atomic watchdog for joining a U.S.-led pressure campaign and "cooking up" a resolution over its nuclear programmes, calling the agency a "paid trumpeter" for Washington. An unnamed spokesman of Pyongyang's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry released a statement criticising a resolution adopted on Friday at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference that calls for the North to curb its nuclear programmes. The spokesman described the resolution as a "result of conspiracy" by the United States and its allies, saying North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state has already become "irreversible." Grossi warned last year that the reclusive country could resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. The IAEA has had no access to North Korea since Pyongyang expelled its inspectors in 2009 and then restarted nuclear testing.

Persons: Tae Sung, Kim Hong, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Hyonhee Shin, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Monday, Pyongyang's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, DPRK, Democratic People's, Thomson Locations: Gijungdong, Paju, South Korea, SEOUL, North Korea, U.S, Washington, United States, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, Pyongyang

☆ California's Newsom promoting Biden in '24 - and perhaps himself in '28
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It was an increasingly familiar position for Newsom, who has emerged as perhaps the Biden re-election campaign's most visible representative. Newsom is near the top of a list that includes Vice President Kamala Harris, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, among others. Senator Dianne Feinstein's death meant Newsom will have the job of naming a replacement to help protect Democrats' slim Senate majority. "It benefits Biden, and it benefits Newsom." Jane Kim, the California director of the liberal Working Families Party, said Newsom deserves credit for many of his achievements.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Ronald Reagan, David Swanson, Wednesday's, Joe Biden, Newsom, Biden, Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Dianne Feinstein's, Harris, Steven Maviglio, Ron DeSantis, Sean Hannity, Jane Kim, We've, Representative Barbara Lee, Eric Schickler, Schickler, Joseph Ax, James Oliphant, Tim Reid, Jarrett Renshaw, Colleen Jenkins, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Republican, Ronald Reagan Presidential, REUTERS, Democratic, Fox News, Democracy, California's Democratic, Families Party, U.S, Representative, University of California, Thomson Locations: Simi Valley , California, U.S, California, Michigan, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Long Beach , California, Berkeley

[1/6] Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the fall convention of the California Republican Party in Anaheim, California, U.S., September 29, 2023. "With your help, we're going to win the California primary," the former president said to a crowd of Republican activists and party members who gave him a raucous standing ovation when he took the stage at the California Republican Party convention in Anaheim, 25 miles (40 km) south of Los Angeles. But in the battle to become the Republican nominee, California offers the most valuable prize of all. The country's most populous state has 169 delegates up for grabs on March 5, in a race where winning delegates state by state determines who will capture the nomination. She said she had taken a look at DeSantis and other Republican candidates but still preferred Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Blake, Trump, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, hadn't, Joe Biden, Nikki Haley, Haley, Lori Cisneros, Tim Reid, James Oliphant, Colleen Jenkins, Daniel Wallis, Cynthia Osterman, Michael Perry Organizations: U.S, Republican, California Republican Party, REUTERS, Rights, California, Trump, Reuters, Democratic, Social, United Nations, Port, Golden State, Thomson Locations: Anaheim , California, U.S, Rights ANAHEIM , California, California, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Florida, Lago, Georgia, Arizona, South Carolina, Port of Los Angeles, Golden, Tehachapi , California

☆ Man dies in Australia after whale collides with boat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Sept 30 (Reuters) - One man died and another was in hospital on Saturday in Australia after a whale struck and flipped their boat during a fishing expedition, authorities said. "A whale has been involved, whoever would have thought that that would have occurred, it's terribly tragic," said New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley. The boat "was likely to have struck or been impacted by a whale breaching, causing the boat to tilt, ejecting both men", police said in a statement. While human deaths caused by whales in the region are rare, Australia and neighbouring New Zealand are hot spots for mass whale strandings on beaches. Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: it's, Yasmin Catley, Jihad Dib, Danes, Sam McKeith, Cynthia Osterman, William Mallard Organizations: Police, New South Wales Police, Emergency Services, Thomson Locations: Australia, Botany Bay, Sydney, New, New Zealand

In May, staff at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel (OSC), which protects federal whistleblowers, alleging mismanagement and unsafe work conditions including poor lab ventilation, broken fire alarms and wild temperature swings. After Reuters exclusively reported the complaint, USDA closed one major research building at the site for repairs. Maintenance tasks should be performed on a schedule ranging from daily to annually, the complaint said. BARC staff conduct research on climate change, invasive pests, crop yields and more. Reporting by Leah Douglas; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BARC, Leah Douglas, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Research, Staff, U.S . Department, Reuters, Agricultural Research, U.S . Office, USDA, OSC, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Centers for Disease Control, OSHA, Thomson Locations: Beltsville, Beltsville , Maryland, Legionella, BARC's

☆ Feinstein's death poses two big questions for US Senate Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Filling the 90-year-old lawmaker's seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee touches one of the most critical levers of partisan power in Washington and will require cooperation from Republicans. "There is simply nobody who possessed the poise, gravitas and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein," Newsom said. JUDICIARY VACANCYFeinstein's death leaves a 10-10 deadlock on the Judiciary Committee, which is in charge of reviewing presidential nominations to federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. With the Republican-controlled House blocking most attempts at bipartisan legislation, the Democratic Senate has focused this year on approving Democratic President Joe Biden's judicial nominees. Senate Republicans said on Friday they do not intend to contest a move to replace Feinstein on the committee after her death.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, Gavin Newsom, Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, NEWSOM Newsom, Newsom, Representative Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, Joe Biden's, Biden, That's, Donald Trump's, Republican Mitch McConnell, Barack Obama's, Antonin Scalia, Richard Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S . Senate, Capitol, California Democratic, Republicans, Democrats, Democratic Party, Democrat, Republican, Democratic, Liberal U.S, Representative, U.S, Committee, Supreme, Democratic Senate, Thomson Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, U.S, California

☆ Calm returns to Iran prison after protest by inmates - state media
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Order has been restored at a prison in southwest Iran, the state news agency IRNA reported on Friday, after prisoners reportedly started a fire to protest against a fellow inmate's death sentence and shots were heard. "The prison situation was briefly unsettled after a number of prisoners provoked clashes, but calm was restored immediately after the presence of prison officers and the facility returned to normal," IRNA reported, citing the state prisons administration. Iran, which carries out the world's highest number of executions after China, has often faced criticism by rights groups. Iran blames the high number of executions on heavy drug trafficking through the country from neighbouring Afghanistan, the world's main opium producer. Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: IRNA, Mehr, Chris Reese, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Amnesty, Dubai, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, Ramhormoz, Khuzestan province, China, Afghanistan, Tehran

☆ US accuses China of global media manipulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - China is manipulating global media through censorship, data harvesting and covert purchases of foreign news outlets, the United States said on Thursday, warning the trend could lead to a "sharp contraction" of global freedom of expression. Chinese leaders have sought to combat the negative images of China they feel are spread by world media. It had also invested in satellite networks and digital television services in developing regions that prioritize Chinese state-backed media content. Chinese data harvesting overseas "has enabled Beijing to fine-tune global censorship by targeting specific individuals and organizations," it said. "Unchecked, Beijing's efforts could result in .... a sharp contraction of global freedom of expression," the report said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Mark Schiefelbein, Michael Martina, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Treasury, Rights, U.S . State Department, NATO, Global, Center, Thomson Locations: United States, Diaoyutai, Beijing, China, Washington, U.S, .

☆ Full-frontal nude dating show ‘Naked Attraction’ premieres on Max
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 27 (Reuters) - A new addition to streaming service Max strips the reality dating show genre down to its bare essentials. "Naked Attraction" features six nude contestants in glass booths whose body parts are gradually revealed, “bit by lovely bit,” until a single contestant is chosen for a date. “I will remind you that HBO is the home of ‘Real Sex’ and ‘Cathouse,'” Bloys said at the Vox Media’s Code 2023 conference, referring to other explicit shows. “You need an entire mix of programming.”Discovery+ acquired all seasons of "Naked Attraction," in a 2021 deal with Britain-based distributor All3Media. As of Wednesday, the show was the most popular series on the streaming service, a week after its launch.

Persons: Casey Bloys, Danny Moloshok, Max, ” Casey Bloys, ‘, Bloys, CNN Max, Ana Navarro, Dawn Chmielewski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: HBO, HBO Television, Association Summer Press, REUTERS, Max, ‘, Vox, Warner Bros, Discovery, CNN, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, Britain, Italy, Sweden, Singapore, American, Dana Point , California

☆ Air Senegal, Royal Air Maroc sign codeshare agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Air Senegal planes are parked at Blaise Diagne International Airport amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Thies, Senegal, March 28, 2020. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDAKAR, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Air Senegal and Morocco's Royal Air Maroc on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for code-sharing and other steps to deepen cooperation. Air Senegal said in statement the carriers would seek to increase connections and provide more options for passengers. "Royal Air Maroc and Air Senegal today are giving concrete expression to the desire of the highest authorities in our respective countries to develop this air bridge, in terms of both passenger and cargo transport," Air Senegal's CEO, Alioune Badara Fall, said. Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zohra, Alioune, Diadie, Anait Miridzhanian, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Blaise Diagne, REUTERS, Rights, Air, Morocco's, Air Maroc, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Senegal, Thies, Air Senegal

Craig Ruttle/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday announced visa restrictions for individuals who he said were "undermining democracy" in Liberia ahead of the country's elections in October. THE TAKEBlinken in a statement released by the U.S. State Department did not specify how many people were affected or identify them. KEY QUOTEThe U.S. visa restrictions target people believed to be responsible for "undermining democracy in Liberia, including through manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; use of violence ....; or engagement in any other activity designed to improperly influence the outcome of an election," Blinken said. * October elections in Liberia will test the popularity of ex-football star Weah after a chaotic first term. * The European Union said last month it will send an observation mission to Liberia ahead of the country's general election in October.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Craig Ruttle, Blinken, George Weah's, Nathaniel McGill, Weah, Joseph Boakai, Kanishka Singh, Tom Hogue, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Rights, Wednesday, U.S . State Department, U.S, Liberian, European Union, Thomson Locations: Iran, New York, U.S, Liberia, Americas, Washington

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody and heading home after being expelled by North Korea into China, the United States said on Wednesday. For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was disillusioned about unequal U.S. Last month, it said that he wanted refuge in North Korea or elsewhere because of maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army. KING IN 'GOOD HEALTH'The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China.

Persons: Travis King, King, KCNA, Matthew Miller, Nicholas Burns, Miller, Kim Hong, Jonathan Franks, Claudine Gates, Gates, Myron Gates, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Hyonhee Shin, hyang Choi, Phil Stewart, Susan Heavey, Trevor Hunnicutt, Doina, Idrees Ali, Daphne Psaledakis Michael Martina, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom, Brendan O'Brien, Johan Ahlander, Philippa Fletcher, Sharon Singleton, Bill Berkrot, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: North, The State Department, ., China . State Department, U.S, Osan Air Force Base, King, REUTERS, United States Army, ABC News, South Korean, Brooke Army Medical Center, Base San, Fort, Russia, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, SEOUL, U.S, North Korea, China, United States, Washington, Pyongyang, Swedish, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, South Korea, Sweden, Gijungdong, Panmunjom, Texas, Base San Antonio, Seoul, Chicago, Stockholm

☆ Nvidia's dominance in AI chips deters funding for startups
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Max A. Cherney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. chip startups have raised $881.4 million through the end of August, according to PitchBook data. Nvidia has "indirectly" contributed to overall AI chip fundraising woes, because investors want "Home run only type investments with a huge investment, huge return," Mythic CEO Dave Rick said. About two years ago, new investments in chip startups were often $200 million or $300 million. At least two AI chip startups have overcome investor reluctance by trumpeting potential customers or their relationships with well-known executives. While these chip makers in Nvidia's shadow struggle, startups in AI software and related technologies do not face the same constraints.

Persons: Ann Wang, Nvidia’s, Greg Reichow, Dave Rick, Rick, Rivos, Brendan Burke, Tenstorrent, Jim Keller, Max A, Kenneth Li, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Nvidia, Eclipse Ventures, Apple, Devices, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Santa Clara , California, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Instacart to target valuation of up to $9.3 billion in IPO, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Cheney Orr Acquire Licensing RightsSept 10 (Reuters) - Grocery delivery service Instacart is targeting a valuation between $8.6 billion and $9.3 billion in its initial public offering, according to a person familiar with the matter. The valuation range will be disclosed in an updated IPO regulatory filing on Monday, the source said on SundayInstacart declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on Sunday on Instacart's IPO valuation target. Unlike an IPO, no shares are sold in advance in a direct listing and investors can sell their shares directly to the public. For the six months ended June 30, Instacart last month reported revenue of $1.48 billion, up 31% from the same period last year.

Persons: Eric Cohn, Cheney Orr, Instacart, Andreessen Horowitz, Rowe Price, Anirudh Saligrama, Manya Saini, Niket, Echo Wang, Cynthia Osterman, Leslie Adler Organizations: Safeway, REUTERS, Arm Holdings Ltd, Reuters, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management & Research, Thomson Locations: Tucson , Arizona, U.S, Bengaluru, Echo, New York

☆ Escaped Pennsylvania murderer changes appearance to elude capture
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The escape of inmate Danelo Cavalcante from a prison in West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. is seen in a screen grab from a video released September 6, 2023. The images showed Danelo Cavalcante, 34, clean shaven and wearing a hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants and white shoes, police said. Police said Cavalcante was seen near the town of Phoenixville, about 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia, on Saturday night. He escaped on Aug. 31 from Chester County Prison in the same region where he was awaiting transfer to a state prison to serve a life sentence for killing his ex-girlfriend. Last week school districts in the area canceled classes for a day after one such sighting, officials said.

Persons: Danelo Cavalcante, Cavalcante, Maria Caspani, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Chester, Facebook, REUTERS, Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Ford, U.S, Marshals, Thomson Locations: West Chester , Pennsylvania, U.S, Chester County, Phoenixville, Philadelphia, Chester, Brazilian, Brazil

☆ Hurricane Lee to bring dangerous surf conditions to U.S. East Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A composite image shows Hurricane Lee churning towards the Caribbean after intensifying into a major storm, September 8, 2023. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Handout REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSept 10 (Reuters) - Hurricane Lee was churning west-northwest in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and was expected to bring dangerous surf and rip currents to the U.S. East Coast from Sunday night into next week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The storm, about 270 miles (535 km) northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, should pass north of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands. Swells were affecting portions of the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Bermuda. The National Weather Service's office in Puerto Rico forecast waves of 6 to 10 feet, possibly higher, in some coastal areas.

Persons: Lee, Handout, Kelly Herrera, Herrera, Maria Caspani, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Handout REUTERS, U.S ., U.S, National Hurricane Center, U.S . Virgin, British, Vanderbilt, Thomson Locations: U.S . East Coast, Leeward, Puerto Rico, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, U.S . Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks, Caicos, Bahamas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico's, San Juan, San Juan's

Biden said he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping's No.2, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, at the annual G20 summit in New Delhi. "My team, my staff still meets with President Xi's people and his cabinet," Biden told reporters. Biden called China's economic situation a "crisis," citing issues in the real estate sector and high youth unemployment. "One of the major economic tenets of his plan isn't working at all right now," Biden said of Xi, without elaborating. "I don't think this is going to cause China to invade Taiwan," Biden said of the country's economic troubles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Xi Jinping's, Li Qiang, Xi, Li, Xi's, I'm, it's, Evelyn Hockstein, Nandita Bose, Trevor Hunnicutt, Doina Chiacu, Lisa Shumaker, Heather Timmons, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Taiwan, Southern, Sunday, Global Infrastructure, REUTERS, Democratic, Thomson Locations: HANOI, New Delhi, Indonesia, India, U.S, Beijing, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, United States, Hanoi, Washington

☆ Instacart to target valuation of up to $9.3 bln in IPO -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 10 (Reuters) - Grocery delivery service Instacart is targeting a valuation between $8.6 billion and $9.3 billion in its initial public offering, according to a person familiar with the matter. The valuation range will be disclosed in an updated IPO regulatory filing on Monday, the source said on SundayInstacart declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on Sunday on Instacart's IPO valuation target. The targeted valuation is a steep drop from the firm's $39 billion valuationin 2021, when the coronavirus pandemic was raging and doorstep delivery boomed. Like SoftBank's chip designer Arm Holdings Ltd and marketing automation firm Klaviyo, Instacart is expected to list its shares in September - part of a wave of high-profile names testing investor appetite for new listings.

Persons: Instacart, Anirudh Saligrama, Manya Saini, Niket, Echo Wang, Cynthia Osterman, Leslie Adler Organizations: Arm Holdings Ltd, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Echo, New York

☆ Russia ramps up artillery production but still falling short, Western official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, estimated Russia fired between 10 million and 11 million rounds last year in Ukraine. "If you expended 10 million rounds last year and you're in the middle of a fight and you can only produce 1 to 2 million rounds a year, I don't think that's a very strong position." Other Russia investments in its defense sector may also allow Moscow to produce close to 200 tanks a year, double some previous Western estimates, the official said. The Western official said those negotiations were likely aimed at securing artillery and demonstrated Moscow's desperation in Ukraine. The U.S. government has provided more than $43 billion in weaponry and other military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began last year.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, they've, you've, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Phil Stewart, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Russian, Republican, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow, Washington, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russian, U.S

☆ Musk says he refused Kyiv request for use of Starlink in attack on Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk gets in a Tesla car as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, China May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Elon Musk said he refused a Ukrainian request to activate his Starlink satellite network in Crimea's port city of Sevastopol last year to aid an attack on Russia's fleet there, saying he feared complicity in a "major" act of war. "The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor," Musk wrote. The Russian fleet fires cruise missiles at Ukrainian civilian targets, and Kyiv has launched attacks on Russian ships using maritime drones. The Pentagon said in June that SpaceX's Starlink had a Department of Defense contract to buy satellite services for Ukraine.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tingshu Wang, Musk, Walter Isaacson's, Simon & Schuster, SpaceX's Starlink, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Landay, Phil Stewart, Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, CNN, Twitter, Russian, SpaceX, Ukrainian, Pentagon, Department of Defense, Department, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Sevastopol, Crimean, Ukraine, Russia, Crimea, Russian, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Novorossiysk

☆ U.S. mortgage rates fall for a second week but hold above 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Amina Niasse | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Key U.S. mortgage interest rates fell for a second week but held above 7% and remained near the highest in decades, according to a survey released Thursday by housing finance giant Freddie Mac. The average contract rate on 30-year-fixed-rate mortgages declined to 7.12% as of Thursday from 7.18% the prior week, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates climbed steadily over the past two years on the back of the Federal Reserve's rate hikes, and they recently spiked to the highest rate in more than two decades. A "For Rent, For Sale" sign is seen outside of a home in Washington, U.S., July 7, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights“For the fourth consecutive week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hovered above 7%,” said Sam Khater, chief economist at Freddie Mac.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sarah Silbiger, ”, Sam Khater, Andrew Flowers, Amina Niasse, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Appcast Inc, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

☆ US authorities interview Winklevoss over claims against DCG and its CEO -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are probing claims of fraud that Cameron Winklevoss, the co-founder of crypto firm Gemini Trust Co, has made against the Digital Currency Group (DCG) and its founder Barry Silbert, according to a source familiar with the inquiry. Winklevoss has said that DCG and Silbert misrepresented the financial health of DCG's lending arm Genesis, which filed for bankruptcy in January. Gemini was the largest creditor of the bankrupt firm and is suing DCG and Silbert. Federal prosecutors in New York and investigators from the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission asked Winklevoss about his claims during an interview in recent months, the source said. Authorities have not accused DCG or Silbert of any misconduct and investigations do not always lead to charges.

Persons: Cameron Winklevoss, Lucas Jackson, Barry Silbert, Winklevoss, Silbert, Gemini, DCG, Chris Prentice, Jaiveer Singh, Devika Syamnath, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: New York State Department of Financial Services, REUTERS, Gemini Trust, Digital Currency Group, FBI, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bloomberg, SEC, Gemini, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York, Bengaluru

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