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They were the first hostages confirmed by both sides in the conflict to be freed since Hamas gunmen burst into Israel and killed 1,400 people, mainly civilians, and abducted around 200 others. Abu Ubaida, a spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, said the hostages were released in part "for humanitarian reasons" in response to Qatari mediation efforts. HEAVY BOMBARDMENTPalestinian media reported heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza overnight, including a strike on a house in Jabalia in northern Gaza that killed at least 19 people. [1/8]Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, U.S. citizens who were taken as hostages by Palestinian Hamas militants, walk while holding hands with Brig.-Gen. Israel has already told all civilians to evacuate the northern half of the Gaza Strip, which includes Gaza City.

Persons: Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie, Gal Hirsch, Uri Raanan, we'll, Abu Ubaida, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, it's, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, Antony Blinken, Biden, Antonio Guterres, Nandita Bose, Nidal, Idrees Ali, Stephen Coates, Diane Craft Organizations: Gaza Hamas, Friday, Reuters, Israeli, Brig, Palestinian, of Saint, United, Israel, Hamas, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Gaza, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Israel, Bannockburn , Illinois, Chicago, Jabalia, U.S, Jerusalem, of Saint Porphyrius, Gaza City, Iran, United States, United Nations, Rafah, Egypt, Palestinian, Jericho, Washington

Smith’s appearance with their two children, Jaden and Willow, and his son Trey Smith, was apparently a surprise for Pinkett Smith. “It is a sloppy public experiment in unconditional love,” he said, a description that prompted Pinkett Smith to double over in laughter. “Will and me are good,” Pinkett Smith told Laura Coates of CNN, who moderated Wednesday night’s discussion. Pinkett Smith told The Associated Press that she is feeling free since opening up about the separation. “It’s a weight off my shoulders, honestly,” Pinkett Smith said in an AP interview this week.

Persons: — Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, “ Jada, ”, Enoch Pratt, Pinkett, Willow, Trey Smith, Pinkett Smith, “ Worthy, Will Smith’s, Adrienne Banfield, Norris, Smith, “ brutiful, “ Will, ” Pinkett Smith, Laura Coates, he’s, We’ve, Hoda, Chris Rock, “ Organizations: BALTIMORE, Baltimore, Enoch, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore Sun, CNN, Associated Press

Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denied responsibility. Palestinian officials said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, with the Palestinian Authority's health minister accusing Israel of causing a "massacre". A Gaza civil defence chief gave a death toll of 300, while health ministry sources put it at 500. [1/5]An Injured child is taken into a hospital after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, in this screen grab obtained from video, October 17, 2023. Iran, which supports Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, has warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Israel, Ashraf Al, Qudra, Al Jazeera, Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, John Kirby, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kirby, he'll, Sisi, Richard Gowan, U.N, Nidal Mughrabi, Steve Holland, Costas Pitas, Rami Ayyub, Jeff Mason, Arshad Mohammed, Miral Fahmy, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, Hamas, Islamic, Reuters, West, REUTERS, White House, Crisis Group, State Department, Air Force, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Gaza, Israel, Al, Ahli, Israeli, West Bank, Ramallah, Turkey, Jordan, U.S, Lebanon, Gaza City, Israel's, Tel Aviv, White, Washington, United States, Lebanon's, Iran

☆ Posco-backed group invests in lithium technology startup EnergyX
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Ernest Scheyder | Thomson Reuters | Ernest Scheyder Is An Award-Winning Senior Correspondent Covering The Green Energy Transition | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Posco, which invests through those funds, will work with EnergyX to help its technology reach commercial production, the companies said. The companies declined to say how much of the EnergyX Series B that the consortium is funding. Reuters reported in April that the EnergyX Series B is being led by General Motors (GM.N). Allkem (AKE.AX), Livent (LTHM.N) and others produce lithium nearby. In addition to working with Posco, EnergyX is looking for Argentine brine deposits to purchase, Egan said, though he declined to be more specific.

Persons: Kim Hong, EnergyX, Jaeho Rhee, Posco's Sal, Teague Egan, Posco, Egan, China's CATL, Ernest Scheyder, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, South, Posco Holdings, EnergyX, Elohim Partners, IMM Investment, Reuters, General Motors, EnergyX's, GM, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, KS, Argentina, Oro, Argentina's Salta Province, Posco's, Posco, Chile, Bolivia, South

☆ U.S. lawmaker seeks answers from Meta, X, Google, TikTok over Israel-Hamas false content
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Zeba Siddiqui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Michael Bennet on Tuesday sought information on how tech giants Meta (META.O), X, TikTok and Google (GOOGL.O) were trying to stop the spread of false and misleading content about the Israel-Hamas conflict on their platforms. Visuals from older conflicts, video game footage, and altered documents are among misleading content that has flooded social media platforms since Hamas militants attacked Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. "In many cases, your platforms’ algorithms have amplified this content, contributing to a dangerous cycle of outrage, engagement, and redistribution,” Bennet said. The short video app TikTok said it had hired more Arabic and Hebrew-speaking content moderators. "The mountain of false content clearly demonstrates that your current policies and protocols are inadequate," he said in the letter.

Persons: Michael Bennet, Biden, Bonnie Cash, Bennet, ” Bennet, Thierry Breton, Elon Musk, Zeba Siddiqui, Stephen Coates Organizations: Capitol, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Google, European Union, YouTube, Twitter, Elon, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, San Francisco

☆ Biden has 'tough questions' for Netanyahu, Gaza strike upends Israel trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

After his meetings in Israel, Biden had planned to travel to Jordan for meetings with Arab leaders, but that stop was canceled after the strike on the hospital which Palestinian officials blamed on Israel and Israel blamed on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. "He'll be asking some tough questions, he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel, but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said. Kirby declined to specify the nature of the questions Biden intended to ask beyond "what their plans are going forward." [1/4]U.S. President Joe Biden walks as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a high-stakes visit to Israel, in Maryland, U.S., October 17, 2023. It was unclear what he could accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike, conflicting reports about responsibility, and the cancellation of the summit in Jordan.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, John Kirby, he'll, Kirby, Base Andrews, Evelyn Hockstein, Richard Gowan, U.N, ” Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Cynthia Osterman, Stephen Coates Organizations: AIR FORCE ONE, Islamic, Air Force, Base, REUTERS, Washington, Crisis, Israeli, U.S, American, Palestinian, Democrat, Council, Islamic Relations, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Tel Aviv, United States, Maryland, U.S, Amman, Egypt

A European Union flag flutters outside the congress palace ahead of the European Political Community summit in Granada, Spain, October 4, 2023. The council said all three jurisdictions either lacked tax information or failed to deliver on commitments regarding governance and transparency reforms. Barring Russia, it said in a statement, the EU list only includes "small and vulnerable countries like Belize yet fails to include any EU member state" which were given the same Global Forum rating. Oxfam's EU tax expert Chiara Putaturo also slammed the list as "toothless" for not screening the United States, the UK, or EU states such as Luxembourg and Malta, adding "countries deemed too big to be listed can no longer escape scrutiny." The EU Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Jon Nazca, Chiara Putaturo, Sarah Morland, Alvaro Murillo, Jose Sanchez, Bill Berkrot, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, OECD's, Transparency, Information, EU, Marshall, Thomson Locations: Granada, Spain, Seychelles, Caribbean, Belize, Antigua, Barbuda, Russia, Panama, EU, United States, Luxembourg, Malta, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Mexico City, San Jose, Belmopan

The trip by Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, is the latest by a senior U.S. official to Israel ahead of an expected ground assault by Israel's military in Gaza. The Pentagon is also rushing weaponry, including air defenses and munitions, to Israel. "I'm here to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself, particularly focused on avoiding other parties expanding the conflict," Kurilla told Reuters, which is traveling with him, in brief remarks before landing. A U.S. official told Reuters Kurilla was scheduled to hold high-level meetings with Israel's military leadership, ensuring a clear understanding of the close U.S. ally's defense requirements. Clashes this last week have been the deadliest in the Lebanon border area since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Persons: Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Jehad, Joe Biden, Reuters Kurilla, Biden, Israel, Antony Blinken, Phil Stewart, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Central Command, Jordan, REUTERS, American, Palestinian, Hamas, Army, U.S, Pentagon, Reuters, United, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: U.S, Jordan, Amman's, TEL AVIV, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Washington, United States, Lebanon, Lebanese

The Offshore Alliance union said it had called off strikes originally planned for Thursday at the U.S. energy major's Gorgon and Wheatstone projects in Western Australia, which supply around 6% of the world's LNG. Workers have showed "incredible patience" with Chevron, Offshore Alliance spokesperson Brad Gandy said in a statement, blaming the company for trying to back away from the tentative deal agreed last month. "There was some real compromises by Chevron at the 11th hour that enabled a deal to be re-struck and strikes withdrawn," energy analyst Saul Kavonic said. Kavonic said the agreement would end the risks of strikes across Australia's largest offshore LNG projects. The Offshore Alliance, a coalition of the Australian Workers' Union and the Maritime Union of Australia, said workers would vote on the proposed enterprise agreements.

Persons: Brad Gandy, Gandy, Saul Kavonic, Kavonic, Renju Jose, Lewis Jackson, Emily Chow, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Chevron, Handout, REUTERS, Union, SYDNEY, Offshore Alliance, Traders, Workers, Australian Workers ' Union, Maritime Union of Australia, Thomson Locations: Wheatstone, Western Australia, Australian, Chevron's, Australia, U.S, Asia, Norway, Sydney, Singapore, Bengaluru

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried directed political donations despite $13 bln 'hole', ex-colleague testified
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Singh said another FTX executive had told him the deals were meant to help spur user growth. 'I WAS A STRAW DONOR'Bankman-Fried's trial, which started on Oct. 3, has so far focused largely on how prosecutors say Bankman-Fried allowed Alameda to plunder FTX customer funds. Singh gave jurors a window into Bankman-Fried's political operation. He said another FTX executive, Ryan Salame, had access to his bank account to make donations via wire transfers. "I knew that the money for those donations was coming from customer funds."

Persons: Sam Bankman, Andrew Kelly, Fried, Nishad Singh, Bankman, Singh, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Steph Curry, Larry David, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Michael Kives, Hillary Clinton, FTX, Gary Wang, Caroline Ellison, Alameda's, Gabriel, Gabriel Bankman, Ryan Salame, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Matthew Lewis, Stephen Coates Organizations: FTX, Manhattan, REUTERS, Alameda Research, U.S, Democratic, Prosecutors, Alameda, Miami Heat's, District, Monday, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alameda, Fried, . U.S, New York

☆ Exclusive-Senior US General Flies Into Israel as Its War With Hamas Deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The trip by Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, is the latest by a senior U.S. official to Israel ahead of an expected ground assault by Israel's military in Gaza. "I'm here to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself, particularly focused on avoiding other parties expanding the conflict," Kurilla told Reuters, which is traveling with him, in brief remarks before landing. A U.S. official told Reuters Kurilla was scheduled to hold high-level meetings with Israel's military leadership, ensuring a clear understanding of the close U.S. ally's defense requirements. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held hours of talks with Israel's war cabinet in Israel on Monday, and was once forced to shelter in a bunker for five minutes when air raid sirens went off. Clashes this last week have been the deadliest in the Lebanon border area since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Persons: Phil Stewart TEL, Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Joe Biden, Reuters Kurilla, Biden, Israel, Antony Blinken, Phil Stewart, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, American, Palestinian, Hamas, Army, U.S . Central Command, U.S, Pentagon, United, Hezbollah Locations: Phil Stewart TEL AVIV, Israel, U.S, Gaza, Iran, Washington, United States, Lebanon, Lebanese

Voters walk past Vote Yes and Vote No signs at the Old Australian Parliament House during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's parliament will on Monday meet for the first time since the failure of a referendum on Indigenous recognition that could weaken the authority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, with the opposition Liberal party opposing it. The outcome is a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and damages Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats them. The country's main business newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, called the result "heartbreaking" for the country's Indigenous community, that make up around 3.8% of the population and have suffered from centuries of neglect and discrimination since colonisation by Great Britain in 1788.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: Old Australian, House, The, REUTERS, Rights, Liberal, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

SYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday he accepted his share of blame for the failure of a referendum question on Indigenous recognition that could weaken his authority. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, pushing ahead despite the opposition Liberal party opposing it. He faced Liberal leader Peter Dutton during parliamentary question time on Monday for the first time since the referendum failure. The referendum outcome is seen as a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and risks damaging Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats people in that community. Remote areas dominated by Indigenous communities voted strongly in favour of the referendum question, Albanese said, in contrast to the rest of the country.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, " Albanese, Tracey Nearmy, Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Liberal, Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Labor, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

The Group of 20 major economies did reach consensus on an official communique but omitted any mention of the Israel-Hamas war. Senior World Bank Group officials were more pointed in a statement to staff, saying they were "shocked and appalled by the unprecedented escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza." "We condemn terrorism in all forms, including the abhorrent targeting of innocent civilians and kidnapping," the leaders of the World Bank, the International Finance Corp and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, said in an internal statement seen by Reuters. "Geopolitical shocks are economic shocks now and economic shocks are geopolitical shocks - and they're trying to detach the two." Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder; Editing by Giles Elgood and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, that's, Rachel Nadelman, Joe Biden, China's Xi, Ajay Banga, Josh Lipsky, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Giles Elgood, Stephen Coates Organizations: Global, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, IMF, West Bank, Reuters, Research Center, U.S, Treasury, Bank Group, International Finance Corp, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, GeoEconomics, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, United States, China, Africa

[1/5] English sparkling wine, brand Coates and Seely, is pictured at the Tate Modern art gallery in London, Britain, October 6, 2023. But with vineyards now dotted across hills in southern England and sustainability concerns growing, local fizz is emerging as the drink of choice. Quality has improved, and English wine is no longer mocked by continental neighbours who once joked it tasted of rain. English sparkling and still wine feeds into that narrative," he said. In the UK market for sparkling wine, English fizz accounts for 3% of volumes compared to Champagne's 12%.

Persons: Coates, Seely, Susannah Ireland, Winston Churchill, Josh Donaghay, Henkell Freixenet, Geneva Guerin, Seely Brut, Hectarage, Ned Awty, Awty, Hamish Anderson, Anderson, Champagne Martin, Sarah Young, Catherine Evans Organizations: Tate, REUTERS, UK, Seely, Seely Brut Reserve, Tate Enterprises, Searcys, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, England, Champagne, Boxley, Kent Downs, Bolney, Hampshire

☆ New Zealand election campaign winds down with Labour facing defeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins speaks at the New Zealand Labour Party’s election campaign launch event in Auckland, New Zealand, September 2, 2023. However, Hipkins, 45 said Labour was starting to see momentum build in the final hours of campaigning. “We are expecting a really huge turnout ... and we’re expecting a really strong result tomorrow night," Hipkins, 45, told reporters. Polls predict that the nationalist New Zealand First Party will hold the balance of power. The party was Labour’s coalition partner in 2017 but has said it will not work with Labour again.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, David Rowland, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, we’re, Christopher Luxon, you've, ” Luxon, walkabouts, ”, Kelly Eckhold, Lucy Craymer, Stephen Coates Organizations: Labour Party, New Zealand Labour, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand, Labour, ACT Party, New Zealand First Party, National Party, MMP, Zealanders, “, Westpac, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Hipkins

☆ Citigroup's board to meet in Singapore for the first time since 2011
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A Citi sign is seen at the Citigroup stall on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, October 16, 2012. CREUTERS/Brendan McDermid//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc (C.N) said on Thursday that its board of directors will meet in Singapore for the first time since 2011 as a show of commitment to the city state. The meeting will be held next week, and Citi's board and executive management team will meet with clients, staff and regulators during their visit to the Asian financial hub, the bank said in a statement. "The selection of Singapore for this year's board meeting signals Citi's intent to invest and grow our business here for years to come," said Tibor Pandi, Singapore Citi country officer. Singapore has been one of Citi's largest markets globally and is home to one of the bank's four wealth hubs, with staff amounting to some 8,500 in the city-state.

Persons: CREUTERS, Brendan McDermid, Tibor Pandi, Yantoultra Ngui, Stephen Coates Organizations: Citi, Citigroup, New York Stock Exchange, Rights, Citigroup Inc, Singapore Citi, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Singapore, China , Hong Kong

☆ Australians to reject Indigenous Voice in referendum, final YouGov poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

More than 4 million people have already cast their ballot after early voting began on Oct. 2. "Our final poll indicates a sweeping ‘No’ victory – with nearing six in 10 voters intending to cast a ‘No’ vote," said Amir Daftari, YouGov Director of Polling and Academic research. Support for the referendum, the first since voters rejected a 1999 proposal to become a republic, has ebbed over the past few months. Supporters argue the Voice will bring progress for Indigenous Australians, while some opponents say enshrining one group in the constitution would be divisive. Referendums are difficult to pass in Australia, with only eight referendums being approved since it became a country in 1901.

Persons: Rita Wright, Loren Elliott, YouGov, Yougov, Amir Daftari, ”, Praveen Menon, Stephen Coates Organizations: Australian, REUTERS, Rights, Aboriginal, Indigenous, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Torres

REUTERS/Jaimi Joy/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Phone lines at 13Yarn, a national Indigenous helpline in Australia, are ringing off the hook. Australians will vote 'Yes' or 'No' to a single line question, asking whether they agree to alter the 122-year old constitution to recognise the First Peoples. It will also create a body, called the Voice to Parliament, that can advise the government on matters affecting the Indigenous community. Supporters believe the change will unite Australia and usher in a new era with its Indigenous people, who continue to be the most marginalised people in Australia. Ian Hamm an Aboriginal man who chairs the First Nations Foundation, an Aboriginal rights organisation, said he felt his community’s voice was at risk of being silenced.

Persons: Jaimi, Marjorie Anderson's, Anderson, they've, Nathan Allen, Gilbert, Tobin, Allen, Surya Deva, Deva, Price, Anthony Albanese, Ian Hamm, Praveen Menon, Kat Stafford, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Australia, United Nations, Development, UN, Indigenous Peoples, First Peoples ., Authorities, Indigenous, Nations Foundation, Thomson Locations: Todd, Alice Springs, Australia, 13Yarn, Torres, Australia's, Sydney, Canada, New Zealand

☆ Explainer-What Is Australia's Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what you need to know about Australia's Voice to Parliament campaign:WHO ARE AUSTRALIA'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE? Australia's Indigenous population plummeted after British colonisation began in 1788 as they were dispossessed of their land, exposed to new diseases, forced to work in slave-like conditions, and killed by colonisers. The country also created Maori seats in parliament, allowing the Indigenous population to choose to vote for candidates for these seats or participate in the general election. HOW DID THE VOICE REFERENDUM COME ABOUT? In 2022, Labor's Anthony Albanese became prime minister and said Australians would have their say in a referendum to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Persons: Praveen Menon SYDNEY, colonisers, Labor's Anthony Albanese, Lidia Thorpe, Praveen Menon, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: WHO, Torres Strait, Nations, Te reo, Torres Strait Islander, Albanese's Labor Party, Greens, Independent, Green, Liberal Party, Party, Liberals, Nationals Locations: Australia, Canada, Waitangi, Uluru, New Zealand, Sydney

☆ Australians to reject Indigenous Voice in referendum - final YouGov poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

More than 4 million people have already cast their ballot after early voting began on Oct. 2. With less than two days to go before voting day on Oct. 14, those opposed to the proposal lead the 'Yes' camp by 56% to 38%, according to the final poll by YouGov published on Thursday. "Our final poll indicates a sweeping ‘No’ victory – with nearing six in 10 voters intending to cast a ‘No’ vote," said Amir Daftari, YouGov Director of Polling and Academic research. Support for the referendum, the first since voters rejected a 1999 proposal to become a republic, has ebbed over the past few months. Supporters argue the Voice will bring progress for Indigenous Australians, while some opponents say enshrining one group in the constitution would be divisive.

☆ Most Japanese firms expect China's economic slowdown to persist into 2025 - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Of 502 major Japanese companies surveyed by Reuters, 52% said they expected the slowdown in China to continue into 2025, with 17% predicting weaker economic growth to persist until the end of 2024. The value of that cross-border economic activity jumped 14% to 43.8 trillion yen ($294 billion) last year, according to the Japanese government. Japanese companies also operate from more than 31,000 locations in the country. Some 45% of the firms that responded to the survey said the slowdown in China had affected their businesses. The Reuters Corporate Survey, conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research between Sept. 27 and Oct. 6, canvassed 502 big non-financial Japanese firms.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Fumio Kishida, Tim Kelly, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Cargo, Reuters Corporate Survey, Nikkei Research, Thomson Locations: China, Japan TOKYO, Japan

Disney+ Hotstar logo is seen in this illustration taken August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Blackstone (BX.N) has held preliminary discussions with Walt Disney (DIS.N) to acquire a stake in the Indian arm of the entertainment firm, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Blackstone-backed U.S. media firm Candle Media, founded by former Disney executives, led conversations between the two parties last week, one of the sources said. Indian newspaper The Economic Times first reported the talks earlier on Wednesday. Disney has also held talks with Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Sun TV Network (SUTV.NS) owner Kalanithi Maran, Bloomberg News reported last week.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Walt Disney, Blackstone, Gautam Adani, Kalanithi Maran, Mukesh Ambani's, M Sriram, Aditya Kalra, Christian Schmollinger, Stephen Coates Organizations: Disney, REUTERS, Rights, Blackstone, Reuters, Candle Media, Economic Times, Sun TV Network, Bloomberg News, Indian Premier League, Thomson Locations: Rights MUMBAI, India, Mumbai, New Delhi

☆ Australia unveils draft law to regulate digital payment providers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A smartphone with Apple Pay and Google Pay logos is placed on a laptop in this illustration taken on July 14, 2021. Apple Pay, Google Pay and China's WeChat Pay, which have grown rapidly in recent years, are not currently designated as payment systems, putting them outside Australia's financial regulatory system. The proposed rules would enable the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to monitor digital wallet payments in the same way as credit card networks and other transactions. The draft law would expand the definitions of "payment system" and "participant" in Australia's existing laws, treasury documents showed. Payments infrastructure and the regulatory framework have not kept pace with transitions in finance, particularly in Australia's digital economy and payments.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jim Chalmers, Renju Jose, Stephen Coates Organizations: Apple, REUTERS, Rights, Google, Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Banking Association, Thomson Locations: Sydney

☆ New Zealand Labour party support rises, NZ First remains kingmaker, polls show
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Christopher Luxon, leader of the New Zealand National Party, holds a media conference after casting his vote in the general election in Auckland, New Zealand, October 2, 2023. In the Oct. 14 vote, the centre-right National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, is expected to emerge as the largest party with 34% of the vote, while Chris Hipkins' Labour Party is sitting on 30% of the vote, the Guardian Essential poll showed. A Newshub-Reid Research poll also released on Wednesday similarly found the populist party set to play kingmaker come election day. The poll also recorded a slight jump in support for Labour and a dip for the Nationals, who polled at 27.5% and 34.5%, respectively. Earlier polls gave the centre-right bloc of National and the ACT Party a larger proportion of the vote, although most recent polls put NZ First in position of kingmaker.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Chris Hipkins, Te Pati, Reid, kingmaker, Luxon, Chris Bishop, Lucy Craymer, Sharon Singleton, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: New Zealand National Party, REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand First Party, Labour Party, National Party, Guardian, National, ACT, Labour, Greens, Te, New Zealand, Reid Research, Nationals, New, ACT Party, NZ, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealand

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