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Indonesian military: 18 separatists were killed in Papua, according to the country's military
An official confirmed that Indonesian military killed 18 Papuan Separatists in an operation conducted in the easternmost region Papua on Thursday. Three civilians were also killed. In a statement, Kristomei Santuri, the military spokesperson, said that during Wednesday's raid, the military seized dozens munitions including an assault weapon, bows andarrows, and an unspecified home-made weapon. The Indonesian military suffered no casualties. Sebby Samboom, a spokesperson for the Papua Separatists, said that three of its members were dead. A prominent church group in Papua, citing reports from local churches, said that three civilians died during the shootout. Nearly 1,000 people were evacuated. Ronald Rischard is the head of the Papua branch. He told reporters that the attack happened while villagers were sleeping. Ronald Rischard urged the country's rights agency to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. He said that the cycle of violence has continued, and a child’s ear had been razed to ashes by a bullet. However, he did not know who had fired the shots. Since 1969, when the area was controversially handed over to Indonesian rule following Dutch rule by a vote overseen and supervised by the United Nations, rebels have waged a low-level independence campaign in the richly resourced Papua bordering Papua New Guinea. Rebels have held foreigners as hostages, including 26 wildlife researchers from 1996 and a New Zealander pilot who was freed last year after 19 months of imprisonment. The rebels claimed to have killed 17 people in the last month. They said that they were disguised gold miners. The statement stated that the Indonesian military had deployed personnel to the area of the operation on Wednesday in order to anticipate the movements of the remaining rebels. (Reporting and editing by Martin Petty, Ed Osmond and Ananda Teresia)
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Brazil's Marfrig completes the takeover of BRF by merging as MBRF
Brazilian beef processor Marfrig revealed on Thursday that it plans to complete the takeover of BRF, a poultry and pork processor. It also hinted at plans to list shares in the combined entity eventually in the United States. Marfrig has been pursuing a strategy of gaining scale in order to compete with Brazilian meatpacking company JBS. JBS is preparing to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange. All three companies are now listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. Marfrig, BRF and other parties disclosed that the proposed deal involved a share exchange whereby BRF holders would receive 0.8521 Marfrig shares for every BRF share. This move will also involve the creation of a new company called MBRF. It will control National Beef owned by Marfrig, a meat processing firm based in America that will be integrated into the corporate structure. In a joint announcement, the companies stated that they expect 805 million reais (142 million dollars) in annual synergies as a result of the tie-up. 400 to 500 millions reais are expected to be captured during the first year. The proposal will be voted on by shareholders on June 18. BRF executives told analysts that the move was intended to build on the strengths of both companies, giving them greater power to compete on a global scale with giant food producers. Fabio Mariano, CFO of MBRF, said that MBRF may move its fiscal domicile to New York and list shares there at some point. He said that the merging companies should first focus on extracting synergies from the new structure. Marfrig purchased almost a quarter BRF shares in May 2021. It became the company's largest shareholder at that time, but stated it would be a passive investor. Marfrig gradually increased its stake to 50.49%. In the past 12 months, these companies generated combined net sales of 26.75 billion reais (152 billion reais), with 38% from food products that were processed and had a higher price. Both companies' shares rose on Thursday in Sao Paulo, beating out peers from the sector including Minerva & JBS. BRF shares rose 7% at one stage during the session. Marfrig rose by 4.34%, to 20.66 Reais. $1 = 5.6817 Reais (Reporting and editing by Gabriel Araujo, Diane Craft).
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Oil prices to rise by 1% this week on U.S. China trade agreement
The oil prices rose on Friday after a steep drop the previous day. This is expected to lead to a weekly increase of more than 1 percent as the optimism surrounding the U.S. China trade relations outweighed the prospect of Iranian supplies returning to the market. Brent crude futures were up 17 cents or 0.26% to $64.70 per barrel at 0007 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude Futures rose 18 cents or 0.29% to $61.80. Prices fell more than 2% the previous session, after President Donald Trump claimed that the U.S. and Iran were "close" to a nuclear agreement. He also said that Tehran "sort of" accepted its terms. Sources familiar with the negotiations said that there are still some gaps to be filled. The oil prices spiked in the first part of the week, after the U.S., and China, two of the largest oil-consuming economies and consumers, agreed on a 90 day pause to their trade war, during which time both sides would lower their trade duties. Sino-U.S. trade tariffs were hefty, and sparked fears that global growth would be severely affected. The oil market is still subject to the dynamics of supply, which includes the possibility that Iranian supplies could return to the market after any agreement between Washington and Tehran. ANZ Bank said in a client note that "the easing geopolitical risk weighed on the sentiment already burdened with fears of rising supplies from fellow OPEC member" The International Energy Agency announced on Thursday that it expects the global supply to increase by 1.6 millions barrels per day in 2018, up 380,000 bpd compared to its previous forecast. Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ will be unwinding their output cuts.
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Third Point reveals stakes in U.S. Steel and Kenvue
Third Point, the hedge fund of billionaire Daniel Loeb, detailed its stakes in U.S. Steel on Thursday. Shareholders hope that someone will buy these companies soon. U.S. Steel is waiting for Nippon Steel to acquire it, Japan's biggest steel producer. The deal has been put on hold after the Biden administration refused and Trump ordered in April a new review of national security. The so-called 13F document, released on Thursday, showed that Third Point held 12,2 million shares in U.S. Steel at the end of the quarter. In a letter, Loeb informed investors that he owned a "meaningful stake in U.S. Steel" and was confident that the merger of the company with its Japanese rival Nippon Steel could be achieved. He hasn't publicly acknowledged his firm's stake in Kenvue. The maker of Band-Aids, Tylenol and other products, is under pressure from other investors to divest or sell the company. Third Point held 8.9 million Kenvue shares on March 31, 2025, according to the filing. The filings are not only backward looking, but also closely monitored for trends in investment. According to its 13F filing, Toms Capital Investment Management has also taken positions in U.S. Steel, and Kenvue, during the first three months. According to the filings, Toms Capital Investment Management owned 4.9 millions shares of U.S. Steel common stock at the end the first quarter. It also held 14.4 million Kenvue shares. Sources familiar with Toms Capital's engagement claim that the firm has encouraged Kenvue, through its financial advisers, to explore strategic options, such as the sale of the company in whole or parts. (Reporting and editing by Svea Herbst Bayliss)
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Peru arrests suspect in Colombia miner murders
The Peruvian interior ministry announced on Thursday the arrest in Colombia of a suspect suspected of killing 13 miners from the district of Pataz in the north. In a posting on X, the ministry stated that the arrest and detention of Miguel Rodriguez (alias "Cuchillo", "Knife" or "Knife") was the result of extensive intelligence work as well as coordination between Interpol and the Peruvian National Police. According to sources in the industry and police, illegal miners allied with criminal organizations kidnapped workers from a gold mining facility in northern Peru and killed them. This was part of a wave violence that raged over the control of the region, forcing the government to set up a military base there. Kevin Diaz's lawyer told the local radio station RPP his client spent "a few" days in Venezuela before returning to Colombia where he was detained. In an interview with local television, Rodriguez denied any involvement in the murders. According to the Peruvian government, illegal mining, mostly for gold, is now generating more revenue than drug trafficking. It generates between $3 and $4 billion per year. (Reporting and writing by Marco Aquino, Natalia Siniawski, Rafael Escalera Montoto and Brendan O'Boyle; editing by Brendan O'Boyle).
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Texas heatwave records record spring temperatures
Forecasters warned residents to limit strenuous outdoor activity and stay hydrated as large swaths in central and south Texas were sweltered by a spring heat wave for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories for 15 Texas counties spanning from the Rio Grande, Texas Hill Country and Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures were rising 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal (8 to 11 degrees Celsius), with readings in the upper 90s and triple digits Fahrenheit. Heat-index values were expected in central Texas, which includes San Antonio and Austin. The heat index in Laredo, on the Rio Grande border, was predicted to be 110 F. Alice's oil fields in the inland area of Corpus Christi would reach 112 F. Houston would feel hotter than usual, with a heat index of 101 F. Forecasters expect that the previous daily record of 96 degrees F, set in 2003 on Thursday, will also be broken. The Weather Service warned that high temperatures and humidity would continue through the weekend, and early next week. On Friday, conditions similar to those of a sauna are expected. Scientists generally agree that climate change is causing episodes of unseasonably warm temperatures to become more frequent, longer and more pronounced. Residents were advised to drink lots of water, wear light clothing, and avoid excessive exercise outdoors in order to prevent heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Forecasters said that the hot Texas weather was part a larger dome of heat above average building across large areas of the U.S., from the central and south Plains eastward to the Atlantic Coast into Florida. Reporting by Steve Gorman, Los Angeles; Editing Sandra Maler
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Oil prices fall on US-Iran progress, global shares rise in turbulent trade
Oil fell over 2% Thursday, as a possible U.S. Iran nuclear deal increased the possibility of an increase in global crude supply. Wall Street indexes traded mixedly during choppy trading. European shares ended higher after reversing losses. Corporate earnings were in the spotlight and gold prices rose over 1%. Data on Thursday showed that U.S. producer price fell unexpectedly and retail sales were mixed. Emerging market stocks declined, but global equities increased by 0.3%. In his opening remarks to a two-day event, Jerome Powell, the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, said that they felt it necessary to reconsider their current monetary policy in terms of both inflation and jobs. The prospects of a breakthrough in peace were shattered when Russian President Vladimir Putin turned down a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Brent futures fell over 2% after U.S. president Donald Trump said that he was close to reaching a deal with Iran and that Tehran "sort of" accepted the terms. Ali Shamkhani is an advisor to Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said in an interview with NBC that Iran would pledge to never make nuclear weapons, and to get rid of their stockpiles containing highly-enriched uranium. BNP Paribas' economist Paul Hollingsworth noted that the oil price drop exacerbated deflationary forces already at play in Europe, where U.S. trade concerns are still lingering. Hollingsworth stated that "everyone finds it difficult to navigate through the volatility of the announcements." The STOXX 600 index in Europe rose by 0.6% to recover from the earlier losses led by the energy industry. The majority of major regional indexes rose. The number of unemployed people in April was stable. Wall Street saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average rise 271.69 points or 0.65% to 42,322.75, S&P 500 gain 24.35 points or 0.41% to 5,916.93, and Nasdaq Composite fall 34.49 points or 0.18% to 19,112.3. Walmart reported solid sales in the first quarter, but was the latest retailer to warn of the high cost of Trump's tariffs. It also did not give a profit forecast for the second quarter due to uncertainty. Powell, the Fed's Powell, said that "we may be entering a phase of more frequent and possibly more persistent supply shocks". Britain's economy grew by a quicker-than-expected 0.2% in March, data showed. The industrial production of the 20-nation Eurozone also grew much more than expected, although first-quarter GDP growth was disappointing. The yield on benchmark German Bunds of 10 years fell by 1.2 basis points, to 2.614%. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes dropped 9.1 basis points, to 4.437% as investors worry about Trump's presidency. Budget package The U.S. government's debt would increase by trillions of dollars. DATA DELUGE The investors were greeted by a plethora good news this week. From a truce in the U.S.-China Trade War to a raft headline-grabbing deals from the Middle East, during Trump's Gulf Tour. By Thursday, most of the optimism was gone. MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside Japan fell 0.15%. Tony Sycamore is a market analyst for IG. He said, "We had a big party and everyone was hungover. Now we are just recovering and waiting for the following big party." The dollar struggled to maintain its gains from the beginning of the week. Its index was down by 0.2% against major currencies. The euro is gaining ground. The Korean won was particularly volatile for the second consecutive day after the news broke that South Korea's deputy minister of finance, Choi Jiyoung, met Robert Kaproth on May 5 to discuss the dollar/won exchange rate. Gold futures in the United States settled at $3,226.6, up 1.2%.
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Democratic lawmakers challenge U.S. finance chiefs for leaving climate pacts
Democratic lawmakers harshly criticised the chief executives at BlackRock, JPMorgan, and other top financial companies for leaving global coalitions dedicated to combating climate changes. They urged them to maintain their previous commitments, and policy targets to reduce greenhouse gas emission. A letter sent to executives by members of Congress revealed that, in the face of escalating extreme weather and financial risks, the bosses "actively" decided to relinquish leadership over climate change. The letter sent on Thursday also requests records of any communications between the executives and the Trump administration about plans to reduce their environmental and social work. It said: "We are disappointed in your organization for ignoring science and what is good for business and instead giving into political pressure to gain short-term political advantage." The letter was sent to the chief executives of Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, as well as Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs. It also went out to the heads of State Street, Franklin Templeton, State Street, Invesco, and Pimco (part of Allianz), which is part of the insurer Allianz. Pimco has declined to comment, as have Wells Fargo Bank of America Goldman Sachs Citi State Street JPMorgan. Franklin Templeton wasn't immediately available, while other companies and banks didn't immediately respond to a comment request. The institutions left the Net Zero Banking Alliance or the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, or Climate Action 100+. Members of these organizations had committed to either cutting emissions related to their activities or engaging with invested companies on climate issues. Most of the institutions left the groups saying they would still reduce emissions, but they did not mention the political pressures from some Republican politicians who claimed that the companies were unfairly trying to limit funding to the fossil-fuel industry. The burning of coal, oil, and gas is the main cause of global warming. Countries have agreed to reduce these emissions, but the Trump administration has recently pulled out the U.S. The letter also asked the CEOs to confirm that they intend to meet their stated goals for emissions reduction and to describe how they plan to do so. In the letter, they were also asked to explain their reasons for not publishing their progress; to provide details of existing policies and targets to reduce emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement; and to pledge not to weaken these. It asked the banks if they still intended to set targets and policies for so-called "facilitated", greenhouse gas emissions. These include those that are linked to companies that issue bonds, which a bank has underwritten. In the letter, it was also asked if the banks will stick to the same timeline for emission reduction goals. All companies were asked to provide details of their communications with the Trump Administration regarding the reduction in environmental, social, and governance activities, including any directives freezing funds for climate-related federal programs such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
SpaceX receives FAA approval for increased Starship launches in Texas
SpaceX has received approval from the U.S. government to increase its annual rate of Starship launches and booster landings. This will allow Elon Musk’s space company a significant expansion of development for its giant Mars rocket.
After a year-long study, the Federal Aviation Administration concluded that SpaceX's plan to increase the number of Texas Starship launch from five to twenty-five would have no major impact on the environment. Neither would booster landings, or possible rocket explosions above the Gulf of Mexico, and certain international waters.
The FAA said that it had determined that changing SpaceX Starship's license to allow for increased rocket activity would not "significantly impact the quality human environment", as per the National Environmental Policy Act. This is a fundamental environmental protection law which required FAA review.
The regulatory greenlight is a boon to a massive rocket that will play a major role in the U.S. Space Program, particularly under President Donald Trump.
Musk, who spent more than a quarter billion dollars to support Trump's campaign for president, had a significant influence on the space agenda of the Trump administration to align it to his vision of sending people to Mars, which is where Starship was designed.
The FAA's decision comes just days after SpaceX's employees, contractors, and residents near Starbase in Texas voted to incorporate the area into a municipality. This gives SpaceX greater control over the site's sprawling growth, and new powers for its launch operations.
SpaceX has been expanding its Boca Chica campus in Texas since 2017. The expansion is to create prototypes for Starship, the 40-story rocket that has won over supporters with its thunderous launches, explosive testing and innovative landings. They have also upset environmentalists and residents who are concerned about noise and the impact on migratory birds and nature reserves.
The rocket system, which consists of a 171-foot-tall Starship atop the 232-foot-high Super Heavy booster and launches from Earth, has eight integrated test flight since 2023. Each launch demonstrated a variety of milestones or explosive mishaps, embodying SpaceX's risky development playbook.
In a document outlining the FAA decision, it is stated that SpaceX must, in order to increase its launch activity and offset its environmental impact, perform a variety of community services. This includes quarterly beach clean-ups, donations to environmental groups, water testing nearby, and minimizing lighting at launch sites to prevent disruption of nesting sea turtles.
The company has yet to announce when it will test-launch Starship again following two consecutive explosions.
The rocket, which was launched from Texas in a suborbital trajectory, has been able to reach the Indian Ocean during some tests. Starship's two last test flights were cut short by in-flight explosives. This has raised engineering challenges and slowed down the program, at a time when Musk is trying to accelerate it.
One of the test explosions washed debris over the Turks and Caicos Islands. This British territory is where residents reported that the event felt similar to an earthquake.
SpaceX is the most active launcher in the world. It also wants to expand in California where it seeks regulatory approval to double the Falcon 9 launch rate and in Florida where it wants access a third launchpad in the state. (Reporting and editing by Chris Reese; Mark Porter, Rod Nickel and Joey Roulette)
(source: Reuters)