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(Corrects currency conversion in paragraph 2 to $374 million, not billion) By Luciana Magalhaes and Leticia Fucuchima SAO PAULO, Oct 3 (Reuters) – J&F Investimentos SA, the holding company owned by Brazil's billionaire Batista brothers, is in talks to acquire French utility EDF's Rio de Janeiro thermal plant, according to two people familiar with the matter. The deal, which could fetch up to 2 billion reais ($374 million) according to one of the sources, has also drawn interest from other bidders, they added. One of the sources noted that the asset sale, coordinated by Bank of America, is still in its early stages and J&F has not yet made a binding offer. J&F and Bank of America declined to comment. EDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. J&F, which also owns meatpacker JBS, has been expanding its reach in the energy sector through its subsidiary Ambar Energia. The holding company separately made an offer this week to buy Roraima Energia, a power distribution company in the northern Brazilian state owned by the Oliveira Energia group. (Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes and Leticia Fucuchima Editing by Brad Haynes and Chizu Nomiyama )

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The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers have enjoyed plenty of success in recent seasons, but they have not met in the playoffs in 16 years. That all changes Saturday when the Phillies host Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The defending World Series champion Dodgers are coming off a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the NL wild-card series. They received two homers apiece from Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez on Tuesday in a 10-5 victory and then rode a big day from Mookie Betts (4-for-5, three RBIs) to an 8-4 triumph on Wednesday. The Dodgers' starting pitchers made their contributions. Blake Snell yielded two runs in seven innings in the series opener before Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed two unearned runs and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings in Game 2. The combination of offense and pitching — and postseason experience up and down the roster — has Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts believing his team can repeat as champions. "I think we can win it all. I think we're equipped to do that," Roberts said. "We certainly have the pedigree. We certainly have the hunger. We're playing great baseball. And in all honesty, I don't care who we play. I just want to be the last team standing." While the Dodgers are seeking their third World Series title since 2020, the Phillies are looking for their first title since 2008. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and company helped the team reach the World Series in 2022, but Philadelphia lost in six games to the Houston Astros. They were eliminated in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. "Since 2022 when we got knocked out in the World Series, I truly believe there's a little more motivation every year," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "They know we've missed some opportunities. It's tough to get in the playoffs, tough to go all the way, but every year they get a little hungrier to get it done." The NL East champions will give the ball to Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.50 ERA) in the series opener. He did not give up a run over 12 2/3 innings in his past two starts and finished the month of September with a 1.65 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts. "He saved us big time," shortstop Trea Turner said of Sanchez, who has stepped up with Zack Wheeler (shoulder) out for the season. Sanchez's worst start last month came in Los Angeles on Sept. 16, when the Dodgers reached him for four runs over seven innings of a 9-6 win. He also gave up four runs in his first start against Los Angeles this season in a 5 2/3-inning stint on April 6 which turned out as an 8-7 win. He didn't record a decision in either of those games, and in four career starts against Los Angeles, Sanchez is 2-0 with a 4.01 ERA. The NL West champion Dodgers will give the ball to Ohtani (1-1, 2.87), who did not give up a run in 14 2/3 innings in September. In his only career appearance against Philadelphia, the right-hander pitched five no-hit innings opposite Sanchez on Sept. 16 but didn't figure into the decision. "That was probably his best start of the year. He was phenomenal," Thomson said of Ohtani, who will be making his first career postseason appearance on the mound Saturday. The Phillies won four of six meetings with the Dodgers this season and have won 10 of the past 13 matchups between the teams. Philadelphia also has defeated Los Angeles in the past two postseason series between the teams — the 2008 NLCS and the 2009 NLCS — winning each in five games. –Field Level Media

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UNIONS, GROUPS SUE TO BLOCK PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S $100,000 FEE FOR NEW H-1B WORKER VISAS

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(Rewrites with soybeans ending lower, adds closing prices, weekly trends) By Karl Plume CHICAGO, Oct 3 (Reuters) – U.S. soybean futures closed lower on Friday as pressure from a fast-advancing U.S. harvest offset early-session support from hopes that upcoming U.S.-China talks could revive stalled soybean trade. Corn edged lower on the prospect of rising supplies from a likely record-large U.S. crop, while wheat firmed on short covering and technical buying. Despite the losses in soybeans, the market posted its first weekly advance in three weeks, rising nearly 25 cents a bushel from midweek lows after comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that soybeans would be a major topic of discussion when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in four weeks. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday predicted a "pretty big breakthrough" from the Trump-Xi talks while also flagging U.S. government aid for soybean farmers. "We had a little Trump bump," said Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities. "It's seller beware when you've got the administration out here trying to talk more positively about negotiations." The soy market remains anchored by below-normal export sales and expectations for a large U.S. harvest. Importers in China, the top U.S. soy market by far, have not yet bought soybeans from the autumn U.S. harvest. Chicago Board of Trade November soybeans rose as high as $10.28-3/4 a bushel before falling back to close 5-3/4 cents lower at $10.18. The contract gained 0.4% in the week in its first advance in three weeks. December corn futures ended down 2-3/4 cents at $4.19 a bushel. CBOT December wheat was up 1/2 cent at $5.15-1/4 per bushel. The U.S. corn harvest is also advancing quickly, helped by warm and dry weather across the Midwest corn belt. However, government data tracking harvesting progress will not be available due to a U.S. government shutdown. The stalemate in Washington is also likely to delay the release of a critical crop supply and demand report next Thursday. (Additional reporting by Gus Trompiz in Paris and Peter Hobson in Canberra; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair, Leroy Leo, Barbara Lewis and Cynthia Osterman)

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Oct 3 (Reuters) – Intellia Therapeutics Inc: * INTELLIA THERAPEUTICS REPORTS INDUCEMENT GRANTS UNDER NASDAQ LISTING RULE 5635(C)(4) Source text: Further company coverage:

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* ICE at the center of Trump's hardline immigration agenda * Rights advocates concerned that ICE's actions can flout due process * Tech firms have sought warmer ties with Trump during his second term (Adds details about Google's similar move in paragraphs 2, 8 and 10) By Kanishka Singh and Jaspreet Singh WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Apple said on Thursday that it had removed ICEBlock and other similar ICE-tracking apps from its App Store after it was contacted by President Donald Trump's administration, in a rare instance of apps being taken down due to a U.S. federal government demand. Alphabet's Google also removed similar apps on Thursday for policy violations, but the company said it was not approached by the Justice Department before taking the action. The app alerts users to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their area, which the Justice Department says could increase the risk of assault on U.S. agents. ICE has been a central part of Trump's hardline immigration agenda. Its agents have regularly raided and arrested migrants, and rights advocates say free speech and due process are often being infringed in the government's deportation drive. Apple's action may increase scrutiny of tech firms' growing ties to the Trump administration. Many companies, including the iPhone maker, have sought to avoid clashes with a White House that has not been shy about issuing threats — particularly around tariffs — against specific firms. "Based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store," Apple said in an emailed statement. Fox Business first reported the app's removal by Apple on Thursday. The Justice Department later confirmed that it had contacted Apple to pull the app and that the company complied. Google said its policies prohibit apps with a high risk of abuse. ICEBlock was never available on Google's Play Store. "ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed," U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. Joshua Aaron, the Texas-based creator of ICEBlock, disputed that characterization and criticized Apple's decision. "I am incredibly disappointed by Apple's actions today. Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move," Aaron told Reuters. Now even launching a website would likely be met with takedowns, he said, adding that his legal team will decide on the next steps. Bondi has previously argued that Aaron is "not protected" under the Constitution and that they are looking at prosecuting him, warning him to "watch out." Civilian surveillance of federal immigration agents has grown more assertive since Trump returned to office, with activists saying they aim to protect their communities from aggressive ICE enforcement. In cities such as Washington, residents also rely on encrypted chats to share enforcement updates, though how often apps like ICEBlock actually alerted neighbors remains unclear. Six legal experts have told Reuters that surveillance of ICE is largely protected under the U.S. Constitution — as long as the activists don't interfere with that work. Courts have long held that recording law enforcement activities in public areas is legal. CHINA MAKES THE MOST DEMANDS Since Trump took office, ICE has raided multiple facilities with immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, and has ramped up enforcement with $75 billion in new funding through 2029 for ICE. The agency has also arrested visa holders and permanent U.S. residents targeted by the Trump administration over pro-Palestinian advocacy. Legal experts have told Reuters that surveillance of ICE is largely protected under the U.S. Constitution, as long as they do not try to obstruct law enforcement. Apple removed more than 1,700 apps from its App Store in 2024 in response to government demands, but the vast majority — more than 1,300 — came from China, followed by Russia with 171 and South Korea with 79. Over the last three years, the United States has not appeared as one of the countries where apps were removed due to government demands, according to company application transparency reports. A majority of Apple's iPhones are manufactured in China, making the company particularly sensitive to tariff policies. The White House has floated potential taxes on imports of chips included in devices that would hit the company's substantial imports from China and other countries. Apple removes thousands of apps from its App Store every year, including more than 82,500 in 2024, for other reasons, such as design-related issues, fraud or intellectual property infringement. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Kenrick Cai in San Francisco; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, Anil D'Silva and Alan Barona)

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Oct 3 (Reuters) – Trinseo PLC: * TRINSEO PLC – SUSPENDS QTRLY DIVIDEND, EXPECTS $1.5 MILLION ANNUAL SAVINGS – SEC FILING * TRINSEO: VOTED TO INDEFINITELY SUSPEND QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.01 PER SHARE Source text: Further company coverage:

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* Conservative-majority court starts its term on Monday * Justices to weigh legality of Trump's sweeping tariffs * Trump firing of Fed's Lisa Cook is also before the court * Transgender sports and gay 'conversion therapy' on docket (Adds gun case in paragraphs 5 and 17) By Jan Wolfe and Will Dunham WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court is set to scrutinize presidential powers in major cases during its new term opening on Monday, including the legality of President Donald Trump's tariffs and his move to fire officials from the Federal Reserve and another agency set up by Congress with safeguards against political interference. As is its custom, the court starts its nine-month term on the first Monday of October, with rulings coming by the end of June in the various cases due to be argued. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has moved American law dramatically rightward under John Roberts, who has now served as U.S. chief justice for two decades. The court is set to hear disputes involving culture war issues such as race, gun rights, gay "conversion therapy" and transgender sports participation. Another case concerns election finance restrictions challenged by Trump's Vice President JD Vance. The justices will hear arguments on November 5 over the legality of Trump's sweeping tariffs after a lower court ruled that the Republican president overstepped his authority in imposing most of these duties under a federal law meant for emergencies. The case tests one of Trump's boldest assertions of executive power. The arguments involve challenges to the tariffs by 12 U.S. states and various businesses. The economic stakes are massive, Bradley University professor Taraleigh Davis said. "If Trump loses, existing tariffs could be invalidated immediately, disrupting markets and trade negotiations," Davis added. "If he wins, it confirms presidents can unilaterally reshape the economy through tariffs without congressional approval." The court in January will hear arguments concerning Trump's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in a major legal battle over the first-ever bid by a president to fire a Fed official as he challenges the central bank's independence. In creating the Fed in 1913, Congress passed a law that included provisions to shield the central bank from political interference, requiring governors to be removed by a president only "for cause," though it does not define the term nor establish procedures for removal. The law was never previously tested in court. A judge has ruled that Trump's claims that Cook committed mortgage fraud before taking office, which Cook denies, likely were not sufficient grounds for removal under this law. Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor, has called Trump's claims against her a pretext to fire her for her monetary policy stance. The justices, in scheduling the arguments, did not act on the Justice Department's request to let Trump remove Cook while the case plays out, thus leaving her in the job for now. ANOTHER FIRING The justices in December will hear arguments concerning Trump's firing of Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission. The case gives the conservative justices a chance to overrule the court's 1935 precedent that upheld job protections enacted by Congress to insulate leaders of certain federal agencies from presidential control. The court allowed Trump's removal of Slaughter while her legal challenge plays out. More major cases involving presidential powers could be coming. Trump's administration already has asked the justices to decide the legality of his bid to limit birthright citizenship. Since issuing the final rulings of their last term in June, the justices have remained busy handling the administration's emergency requests to let various Trump actions impeded by lower courts take effect while litigation continues. The court has backed Trump in almost all of these cases. GAY 'CONVERSION THERAPY' The first major case to be argued during the new term comes on Tuesday in a Christian professional counselor's challenge on free speech grounds to a Democratic-backed Colorado law banning "conversion therapy" intended to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity. A lower court rejected the plaintiff's claim that the law censors her communications with clients in violation of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protections against government abridgment of free speech. The court later will hear bids by Idaho and West Virginia to enforce Republican-backed state laws banning transgender athletes from female sports teams at public schools. The court's conservatives get a chance to further expand gun rights in a challenge to a Hawaii law that restricts the carrying of handguns on private property that is open to the public, such as most businesses. On October 15, it hears arguments over a Louisiana electoral map that raised the number of Black-majority U.S. congressional districts in the state. The case gives the conservative majority a chance to gut a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark 1965 law intended to prevent racial discrimination in voting. The Vance case involves a federal campaign finance law provision limiting spending by political parties in coordination with candidates seeking office. Vance and other Republicans challenged it as a First Amendment violation. Lower courts disagreed. "It's certainly going to be a term that not only is legally important, which every term is, but also politically important and culturally salient," University of Virginia law professor Xiao Wang said. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Will Dunham, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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CHICAGO, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures edged higher on Friday on a weaker U.S. dollar and on short-covering and follow-through buying after the market hit contract lows at midweek. * CBOT December soft red winter wheat was 1/2 cent higher at $5.15-1/4 per bushel. For the week, the contract was down 0.9%, its third straight weekly loss. * K.C. December hard red winter wheat last traded down 3-1/4 cents at $4.95-3/4 a bushel. * Minneapolis December spring wheat fell 1 cent to finish at $5.59-3/4 a bushel. * A U.S. government shutdown since Wednesday amid political deadlock over budget funding will likely delay the release of key U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, including weekly crop progress data and a monthly crop supply and demand outlook on Thursday. * The U.S. dollar headed for its worst week since late July. A weaker dollar tends to make U.S. exports cheaper and therefore more competitive on the global market. (Reporting by Karl Plume; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

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