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☆ Web Summit CEO apologises for comments on Israeli conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Web Summit Chief Executive and founder Paddy Cosgrave on Tuesday apologised for comments he made on the Israeli-Hamas conflict that prompted some technology companies and investors to withdraw plans to attend its conference in Portugal next month. Web Summit, one of the world's largest tech conferences, will take place in Lisbon from Nov. 13-16, with attendees from companies such as Meta (META.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) to investors such as Atomico. "War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are," wrote Cosgrave, who was born in Ireland. Among executives to have cancelled their participation at Web Summit are AI21 Labs' Ori Goshen; Tome's Keith Peiris; Sequoia Capital partner Ravi Gupta; Yinon Costica, co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity unicorn Wiz; and Y Combinator’s Garry Tan, according to LinkedIn and X posts. Philippe Botteri, CEO of tech investor Accel, said in a LinkedIn post on Monday he would no longer speak at Web Summit.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, I’m, Leo Varadkar's, Israel, Cosgrove, Goshen, Tome's Keith Peiris, Ravi Gupta, Yinon Costica, Y, Garry Tan, Philippe Botteri, Portugal Dor Shapira, Steven Scheer, Supantha Mukherjee, Josephine Mason, Alison Williams, Mark Potter Organizations: Web, Microsoft, Palestinian, Hamas, Irish, AI21 Labs, Sequoia Capital, Thomson Locations: Portugal, Lisbon, Gaza, Israel, Ireland, Jerusalem, Stockholm, London

☆ Priced for earnings recession, European equities could weather storm
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

After a long period of scepticism towards European equities, some investors and analysts are finding cause for optimism. European companies are expected to enter their first earnings recession - two consecutive quarters of falling earnings - since 2020. But European stocks are better priced for a recession than their U.S. counterparts, said Matthew McLennan, co-head of First Eagle’s Global Value team. First Eagle's McLennan said the weaker euro in part supported the outlook for European equities. "There's some possibility that European equities, by both their valuation and their currency valuation, could do better than U.S. equities over a period of time".

Persons: Jefferies, Mohit Kumar, LSEG, Matthew McLennan, Goldman Sachs, Oliver Collin, Europe's, Collin, LVMH, Ayesha Akbar, Eagle's McLennan, Joice Alves, Mark Potter Organizations: Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, U.S, drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Fidelity, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Silicon, Germany, U.S

STOCKHOLM/HELSINKI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A Baltic Sea telecom cable connecting Sweden and Estonia was damaged at roughly the same time as a Finnish-Estonian pipeline and cable were earlier this month, but remains operational, Sweden's civil defence minister said on Tuesday. The damage to the Swedish-Estonian cable was sustained outside the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of Sweden, the country's civil defence minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin said, and the cable had continued to function since then. VESSELS IN AREAEurope and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. The latest incidents follow explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Finland said on Oct. 8 that the Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia had been damaged in what may have been a deliberate act.

Persons: Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Arelion, Ewa Skoog Haslum, NBI, Atomflot, Ulf Kristersson, Nerijus Adomaitis, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson, Marie, Gleb Stolyarov, Andrew Gray, Gwladys, Bill Berkrot, Mark Potter, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Estonian Economic Affairs, Communications Ministry, NATO, Reuters, National Bureau of Investigation, NewNew Shipping, Sweden's, Joint Expeditionary Force, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, HELSINKI, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Swedish, Finland, Hiiumaa, NATO, Baltic, Europe, Rosatom, Oslo, Stockholm, Brussels

☆ Vodafone, Three execs tell lawmakers their UK merger will benefit 5G, jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Branding is displayed for Vodafone at one of its stores in London, Britain, June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Executives from Vodafone (VOD.L) and CK Hutchison's (0001.HK) Three UK unit said their 15 billion pound ($18 billion) merger would benefit Britain's consumers, infrastructure and jobs, as lawmakers scrutinise the planned tie-up. Vodafone and Three UK have pledged to invest 11 billion pounds to build a 5G network for Britain as part of their bid to secure backing from politicians, unions and competition authorities for the merger announced in June. They warned that without the deal, Britain's 5G network would continue to lag that of other European nations. "Neither us nor Vodafone can invest sufficiently to build the type of 5G network that's needed," Three's Chief Technical Officer David Hennessy said.

Persons: Toby Melville, CK Hutchison's, Nicki Lyons, David Hennessy, Stephen Lerner, Sarah Young, Mark Potter Organizations: Vodafone, REUTERS, HK, Trade, VM O2, Telefonica, Liberty Global, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

Japan's vice minister of finance for international affairs, Masato Kanda, poses for a photograph during an interview with Reuters at the Finance Ministry in Tokyo, Japan January 31, 2022. Masato Kanda, vice finance minister for international affairs at Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF), also said that if excessive moves occurred in the currency market, the government would take steps such as raising interest rates or intervening in the market. "We will firmly take appropriate steps when necessary," Kanda told reporters during an ad hoc news conference. Various factors determine currency rates and long-term interest rates are "only one factor", Kanda said. "Relatively speaking, global funds are still flowing into the dollar, yen and Swiss franc and pound, with many people describing the moves as 'textbook-style' moves," he said, referring to safe-haven flows.

Persons: Masato Kanda, Issei Kato, Kanda, Tetsushi, Toby Chopra, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, Finance Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Swiss, Japan's Ministry of Finance, International Monetary Fund, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Israel, Palestinian

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency issuer Tether has frozen 32 crypto wallet addresses containing a combined $873,118 it said were linked to "terrorism and warfare" in Israel and Ukraine, the company said on Monday. Israeli police said last week they had frozen crypto accounts used to solicit donations for Hamas on social media. Tether said that it is committed to "working closely" with law enforcement agencies globally "to combat cryptocurrency-funded terrorism and warfare." Crypto has been widely used in Ukraine since Russia's invasion last year, with Kyiv raising over $100 million in crypto after appealing for donations. Pro-Russian groups have used crypto for funding in eastern Ukraine, blockchain researcher Chainalysis said last year.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Crypto, Chainalysis, TRM, Elizabeth Howcroft, Tom Wilson, Mark Potter, Rod Nickel Organizations: REUTERS, TRM Labs, Israel's National Bureau for, Reuters, bitcoin, Thomson Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Hamas, U.S

[1/4] People walk into Jerusalem's Old City via Jaffa Gate, as the conflict wreaks havoc across the tourism sector October 11, 2023. Now they are empty after a devastating attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7. InterContinental Hotels (IHG.L) said two of its hotels, Six Senses Shaharut and Hotel Indigo Tel Aviv – Diamond District, were temporarily shut. Australian tour operator Intrepid Travel has called off tours to Israel and Palestinian territories until the end of the year. Odysseys Unlimited has suspended its Israel trips until March 31.

Persons: Sinan Abu Mayzer, Abu Dawoud, Khader Hussein, Jesus, That's, Elias al, Dan Hotels, Isrotel, Dan, Israel, Joanna Plucinska, Steven Scheer, Doyinsola, Yadarisa, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian, Hamas, West Bank, Virgin, European, InterContinental Hotels, Indigo, Aviv, Diamond, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Arab Hotel Association, Intrepid, Odysseys, NEW, Thomson Locations: City, Jaffa, Rights BETHLEHEM, JERUSALEM, Bethlehem's, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, United States, European Union, Britain, Europe, Bethlehem, Tel, U.S, West, Australian, Egypt, Jordan, LONDON, Bengaluru

☆ Mediation collapses between Meta and Kenyan moderators, rights group says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of Meta Platforms' business group is seen in Brussels, Belgium December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNAIROBI, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Settlement talks have collapsed between Facebook's parent company Meta (META.O) and Kenyan content moderators over a lawsuit alleging unfair dismissal, a tech rights group working with the moderators said on Monday. British tech rights group Foxglove said in a statement on Monday that the negotiations had broken down, accusing Meta and Sama of making "very little attempt to address core issues raised by the petitioners". The moderators also allege that Meta is trying to terminate their contracts in defiance of an earlier court order. A hearing on their petition to find Meta and Sama in contempt of court is scheduled for Oct. 31, Foxglove said.

Persons: Yves Herman, Meta, Foxglove, Mercy Mutemi, Sama, Majorel, George Obulutsa, Aaron Ross, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Meta, Facebook, Kenyan, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights NAIROBI, British, Sama, Kenya, Ethiopia

☆ India wants to host summer Games in 2036, says PM Modi
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 14 (Reuters) - India is interested in hosting the Olympic Games in 2036, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai. "India will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to organise the Olympics in India in 2036. India is among several nations eyeing future Games, with Paris set to host the 2024 summer Olympics and Los Angeles picked for the 2028 Games. Modi also said India would look to host the Youth Olympics in 2029. "Sport is not just about winning medals but also winning hearts," he said.

Persons: Arun Haryani, Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Modi, Andrzej Duda, Rohith Nair, Maria Ponnezhath, Mark Potter, Hugh Lawson, Toby Davis Organizations: Tokyo, REUTERS, Olympic Games, International Olympic Committee, Commonwealth Games, IOC, Cricket, Youth Olympics, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, Mumbai, Delhi, Paris, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, Bengaluru

☆ US advises its citizens in Gaza to move closer to Egypt's Rafah crossing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Washington has been working with Egypt, Israel and Qatar to open the Rafah crossing on Saturday afternoon to allow Palestinian-Americans to leave, a senior State Department official said earlier. "We have informed U.S. citizens in Gaza with whom we are in contact that if they assess it to be safe, they may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. "There may be very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time." [1/6]Palestinians with dual citizenship gather outside Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the hope of getting permission to leave Gaza, amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip October 14, 2023. "And we're working together to do exactly that, in particular working on establishing safe areas in Gaza, working on establishing corridors so that humanitarian assistance can reach people who need it.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, Abu Mustafa, Wang Yi, Matthew Miller, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Humeyra Pamuk, Matt Spetalnick, James Mackenzie, Helen Popper, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Saturday, State Department, Hamas, U.S . State Department, Palestinian, Saudi Foreign, REUTERS, United Arab, Saudi Crown, Thomson Locations: ABU DHABI, Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Israel, Washington, Qatar, Palestinian, Antony Blinken . Washington, U.S, Riyadh, American, Beijing, it's, Saudi, United Arab Emirates

☆ Netanyahu, opposition's Lieberman disagree on reported unity deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party said on Saturday opposition politician Avigdor Lieberman had agreed to join the security cabinet, but Lieberman appeared to deny this, saying he wanted to be part of a smaller forum running the Gaza war. "I am willing to join the war cabinet in order to bring about the fastest possible victory. I have no interest in being 'Minister Number 38' in the cabinet and serve as a fig leaf," Lieberman said in a social-media post. An hour earlier, Netanyahu's Likud party said he had invited Lieberman and another, unidentified member of the opposition politician's nationalist party to the security cabinet. Reporting by Dan Williams Writing by James Mackenzie Editing by Mark Potter and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Avigdor Lieberman, Lieberman, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Dan Williams, James Mackenzie, Mark Potter, Christina Fincher Organizations: Likud, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ Man surrenders to Polish police after incident that closed Warsaw square
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Polish police negotiators persuaded a man to come down from a monument in a central Warsaw square, a spokesperson said, putting an end to an incident that had seen part of the capital cordoned off amid reports of a bomb threat. Private broadcaster Polsat News reported that at around 1130 GMT the man surrendered to police. Police spokesperson Sylwester Marczak told reporters officers had seen the man climbing onto the Smolensk monument at around 0800 GMT. quoted by the state-run PAP news agency, did not confirm the reports that the man was threatening to blow himself up. A guest at the Sofitel hotel, which faces the square, said they had been told to only leave the building by the back exit.

Persons: Sylwester Marczak, Lech Kaczynski, Maria, Thomas Holdstock, Kuba Stezycki, Alan Charlish, Sharon Singleton, Helen Popper, Mark Potter Organizations: Polish, Polsat, Police, Twitter, Reuters, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Warsaw, Smolensk, Poland

A child collecting chunks of coal looks on at a colliery while smoke rises from the Duvha coal-based power station owned by state power utility Eskom, in Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, June 2, 2021. South Africa is facing its worst power crisis, with Eskom's ageing, coal-fired plants often breaking down. "It's a policy development loan which supports critical reforms," Marie-Nelly said of the potential World Bank funding. The World Bank loan would also support South Africa to make a "just transition" away from coal, to ensure vulnerable people do not suffer as a result, Marie-Nelly said. In November 2022, the World Bank approved $497 million in financing to decommission and repurpose one of Eskom's coal-fired power plants.

Persons: Siphiwe, Marie Francoise Marie, Nelly, Marie, Eskom, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Kopano Gumbi, Mark Potter, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, World, Reuters, Bank, South, World Bank, Thomson Locations: Emalahleni, Mpumalanga province, South Africa, MARRAKECH, Morocco, Marrakech, Africa, Rosario

☆ Important to Avoid Hezbollah's Intervention in Israel-Hamas Conflict - German Chancellor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed in a phone call on Saturday with Israel's prime minister that it was important to avoid a wider Middle East war as well as Hezbollah's intervention in the Israel-Hamas conflict, a spokesperson for the Chancellery said. "Chancellor Scholz renewed Germany's full solidarity with the people of Israel in these difficult times and emphasized that Germany stands unwaveringly at Israel's side," the spokesperson added in a statement. Baerbock, who arrived on Saturday morning in Cairo for discussion with her Turkish and Egyptian counterparts, said Israel's fight against Hamas must be carried out with consideration for the humanitarian situation in Gaza. "The fight against Hamas must be carried out with the greatest possible consideration for the humanitarian situation ... (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa and Alexander Ratz; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mark Potter)

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Chancellor Scholz, Annalena Baerbock, Berlin, Baerbock, Israel's, Riham Alkousaa, Alexander Ratz, Emelia Sithole, Mark Potter Organizations: BERLIN, German, United Nations Locations: Israel, Germany, Gaza, Egypt, Berlin, Cairo

☆ Polish police cordon off Warsaw square amid reports of bomb threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Police cordoned off Warsaw's Pilsudski Square and the surrounding area of the Polish capital on Saturday, with local media reporting that a man had climbed onto a monument in the square and threatened to blow himself up. Private broadcaster Polsat News reported that at around 1130 GMT the man surrendered to police. Its footage showed him climbing down from the monument, taking off his jacket and walking away with his hands in the air. PAP said several hundred officers were involved in an operation around the square. A guest at the Sofitel hotel, which faces the square, said they had been told to only leave the building by the back exit.

Persons: Lech Kaczynski, Maria, Thomas Holdstock, Kuba Stezycki, Alan Charlish, Sharon Singleton, Helen Popper, Mark Potter Organizations: Police, Polsat, Twitter, Reuters, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Smolensk

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. He said he had spoken with the leader of the conservative ACT New Zealand, David Seymour, twice on Saturday and believed the two parties would work constructively. National "will be coalescing with the ACT party and also with New Zealand First and we just don't know yet what dynamic that's going to bring." National's campaign manager Chris Bishop warned the party might lose at least one seat when the special votes are counted. If National and ACT lose a seat, they would need to reach an agreement with the populist New Zealand First.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, ” Luxon, David Seymour, Bryce Edwards, Edwards, Chris Bishop, Luxon, Winston Peters, Peters, Anthony Albanese, Lucy Craymer, Mark Potter, Chizu Nomiyama, William Mallard Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, ACT New Zealand, National, ACT, Electoral, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Auckland, Australia

☆ Colombia eyes two rate cuts before year-end, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | Thomson Reuters | Jorgelina Do Rosario Is Emerging Markets Correspondent At Reuters Based In London | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The expectation is for another cut in December," Bonilla told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings in Marrakech. "The message of reducing the key rate is for all the banks, because today the rate is an obstacle for economic recovery," he added. The central bank held the key rate steady at 13.25% in September for the third time in a row, citing stubborn inflation. That was down from highs in 2022, but still more than double the central bank's long-term target of 3%. The central bank's technical team expects Colombia's economy to grow 0.9% this year, compared with an expansion of 7.3% in 2022.

Persons: Ricardo Bonilla, Susana Vera, Bonilla, Gustavo Petro, Jorgelina, Julia Symmes Cobb, Mark Potter, Helen Popper Our Organizations: Colombia's, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Colombian Finance, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, Israel, Hamas, Rosario

☆ Euro zone labour market shows no sign of weakening: Lagarde
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MARRAKECH, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The euro zone labour market shows no sign of softening, despite a near recessionary environment and a record string of interest rate hikes, European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said on Saturday. "The labor market still shows no real sign of weakening," Lagarde told a conference. "The numbers we see both in terms of actual participation in the unemployment and unemployment in nominal numbers are quite striking." The ECB has been raising rates to dampen demand and persistently low unemployment is a key reason why some policymakers worry that high inflation could get stuck above target as workers enjoy the some of the best wage growth in years. Reporting by Balazs Koranyi Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Lagarde, Balazs Koranyi, Mark Potter Organizations: Central Bank, ECB, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH

☆ New Zealand PM Elect Luxon Expected to Start Coalition Negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Lucy CraymerWELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand’s Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon and his centre-right National Party are expected to start negotiations with the ACT Party Sunday, after the two parties won a slim majority in the general election. The conservative National Party won 50 seats and the ACT Party won 11, securing a majority of just one seat in the 121 seat parliament, according to provisional results from the Electoral Commission. Chris Bishop, National Party Campaign Chairperson, said on TVNZ political show Q+A that Luxon had already spoken with ACT leader David Seymour and senior National members would meet this afternoon to discuss coalition negotiations. Bishop said he expected National would lose at least one seat once these votes were counted. Under New Zealand’s mixed member proportional system it is very uncommon for a single party to form government, although Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government did in 2020.

Persons: Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Christopher Luxon, Luxon, Chris Bishop, David Seymour, Bishop, Lucy Craymer, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, Zealand’s, National, ACT Party Sunday, National Party, ACT Party, Electoral, TVNZ, ACT, New Zealand, Labour Locations: New Zealand

☆ Dollar up after inflation data boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The employee of a currency exchange shop counts U.S. dollar banknotes in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico July 27, 2023. Data on Wednesday had shown U.S. producer prices increased more than expected in September amid higher costs for energy products and food. The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six of its major peers, ticked up 0.11% to 106.63. Sweden's crown , edged up against both the dollar and euro after consumer price data came in higher-than-forecast, adding to risks that the Riksbank could raise rates further. Investors also digested producer and consumer prices data out of China on Friday that showed deflationary pressures were slightly stronger than expected.

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Helen, Jonas Goltermann, Patrick Harker, Adam Cole, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Brigid Riley, Samuel Indyk, Miral Fahmy, Mark Potter, Alexander Smith, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Federal, Reuters, PPI, Capital Economics, Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, RBC, of Canada, Thomson Locations: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Israel, Gaza, Sweden's, China

☆ Volkswagen's Europe and US sales offset China weakness in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Christoph Steitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Volkswagen group delivered 2.34 million vehicles in total in July-September. In China, deliveries fell 5.8% to 837,200, the company said, joining rival German carmakers in reporting a quarterly decline there. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE) earlier this week said their third-quarter sales in China fell, with the former hit by supply chain issues and model changes. Still, car sales in China continued a recovery in September, rising for the second consecutive month, benefiting from stronger demand and new models ahead of key holidays. Volkswagen recorded a 40.5% increase in deliveries of all-electric vehicles to 209,900 in the third quarter, accounting for 9% of group deliveries.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, carmaker, Ola Kaellenius, Hildegard Wortmann, Christoph Steitz, Tristan Chabba, Rachel More, Mark Potter Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, German, Mercedes, Benz, BMW, Thomson Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, China, FRANKFURT, Europe, North America, Zwickau

The logo of Meta Platforms' business group is seen in Brussels, Belgium December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Meta Platforms Inc FollowSTOCKHOLM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Meta (META.O) said on Friday it was taking steps including removing praise and substantive support for Hamas from its platforms after the European Union reprimanded social media companies for not doing enough to tackle disinformation. Following the attack, Hamas has taken scores of Israeli and foreign hostages to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza. Meta said it was aware of Hamas' threats to broadcast footage of the hostages and it would swiftly remove any such content and prevent copies being re-shared. While Hamas is banned from the platforms, Meta allows social and political discourse - such as news reporting, human rights related issues, or academic, neutral and critical discussion.

Persons: Yves Herman, Meta, Supantha Mukherjee, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Union, Facebook, Hamas, European Commission, Digital Services, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Israel, Gaza, Stockholm

☆ CI Games shares drop on critical reviews of 'Lords of the Fallen'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Adrianna Ebert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummaryCompanies CI Games shares extend losses to hit six month lowLosses follow some critical reviews of 'Lords of the Fallen'Critical reviews may affect sales - analystGDANSK, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Shares in Polish video game producer CI Games (CIG.WA) dropped as much as 18% to a six month low on Friday, adding to heavy losses the day before, following some critical reviews of its newest game "Lords of the Fallen". At 0844 GMT, CI Games shares were down 13.6% at 3.89 zlotys. The game release for PC and PlayStation 5 is set for Friday. CI Games' most popular game series is "Sniper Ghost Warrior", which has sold over 13 million copies. The first version of "Lords of the Fallen", released in 2014, sold over three million copies.

Persons: Piotr Bogusz, Bogusz, Adrianna Ebert, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: Games, IGN, Erste Group, Steam, CI Games, Thomson Locations: GDANSK

☆ Global market reaction to a week of war in Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Below are five charts showing the volatile response of global financial markets to this week's war between Israel and Hamas. 1/TAKING STOCKMSCI's main world stocks index (.MIWD00000PUS) has reacted to the conflict by notching up its best week in almost two months. But that may have more to do with global bond market borrowing costs which - after rising sharply and knocking the confidence of equity markets - have seen their biggest weekly drop since early June. Its more than 3% drop marks its biggest weekly fall since February when concerns about rule of law changes were still raw. Investors use CDS either as a protection tool or to speculate and this week the cost of buying Israel CDS has surged 80%.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Israel, Brent, Moody's, Fitch, Marc Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, GAS, Reuters, CDS, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Iran, United States, Moscow, Ukraine, India

☆ UK watchdog fines Equifax $13.4 mln for role in cyber breach
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Credit reporting company Equifax Inc. corporate offices are pictured in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., September 8, 2017. The FCA said the hackers could also access the personal data of 13.8 million UK consumers because the data was stored on company servers in the United States. Equifax Ltd had outsourced data such as names, dates of birth, Equifax membership login details, partially exposed credit card details and addresses. "Few companies have invested more time and resources than Equifax to ensure that consumers’ information is protected," Remon said. "There were known weaknesses in Equifax Inc’s data security systems and Equifax failed to take appropriate action in response to protect UK customer data," it said.

Persons: Tami Chappell, rater Equifax, Equifax, Patricio Remon, Remon, Huw Jones, David Evans, Mark Potter Organizations: Equifax Inc, REUTERS, Financial Conduct Authority, FCA, Equifax, Europe, Commissioner's, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, United States, Equifax

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