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☆ The EU will soon get a new leadership team. Here are the names currently in the mix
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Belgium — European diplomats have already started key negotiations on who will take the main jobs at the European Union following elections next month. Voters across the 27-member EU are heading to the polls between June 6 and 9 to choose the next set of representatives in the European Parliament. The very top EU jobs, which aren't directly elected, then get dished out in the weeks following. Diplomats within the EU are already trying to figure out who will be leading the three big institutions in the coming years: The European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament. "Von der Leyen has a lot of support from European heads of state," one of the three sources told CNBC via telephone.

Persons: aren't, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Christine Lagarde Organizations: European, Voters, EU, Parliament, Diplomats, European Commission, European Council, CNBC, European Central Bank Locations: BRUSSELS, Belgium, policymaking, Brussels

☆ Russia's former president threatened nuclear attacks on Western capital cities if NATO sends any troops to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dmitry Medvedev is at it again, threatening Western leaders with nuclear attacks if they cross a line. Medvedev says no leaders in Washington, Paris, and London won't "be able to hide" if they send troops to Ukraine. AdvertisementFormer Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday threatened nuclear strikes on Western leaders who want to send their troops to Ukraine, doubling down on his increasingly hostile rhetoric toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Related storiesStrategic nuclear weapons are those typically launched via intercontinental ballistic missiles. But such threats have also been categorized as bluffs by Western leaders, who say the Kremlin hopes to scare Ukraine's allies off.

Persons: Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, —, nonstrategic, Vladimir Putin, Putin, isn't, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Sinead Baker, Tony Soprano's, Edward Lucas Organizations: London, Service, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Capitol, Monday, Russia's, Hague, Center for, Russia's Security Locations: Washington, Paris, Ukraine, Russian, France, Baltics, Poland, Kyiv, Russia, Ukraine's, Elysee, Downing Street, Moscow

☆ Israel is retiring its Patriot missile batteries. They could help a struggling Ukraine.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Israel has never been impressed with the US-made Patriot air defense system. AdvertisementIsrael has never been satisfied with its version of the Patriot air defense system that Ukraine views as essential to its survival. AdvertisementA Patriot air defense system test-fired during a training in Chania, Greece, on November 8, 2017. Israel previously refused a US request for its vintage Hawk missiles, long in storage and out of service, for Ukraine. Jordan requested the US deploy a Patriot missile on its soil in October and helped intercept the Iranian barrage on April 13.

Persons: Israel, —, Israel wouldn't, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Israel isn't, Bohl, Anthony Sweeney, US Army Federico Borsari, Borsari, it's, Jordan Organizations: Scud, Patriots, Service, Israel, Patriot, East, US Army, Center for, Patriot PAC, Patriot's PAC, Analysts, United Arab, Israeli PAC Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Iraqi, Russia, North Africa, Chania, Greece, United States, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia

☆ Dollar stands tall as U.S. rate-cut bets recede
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The dollar steadied on Monday, holding its biggest weekly gain since 2022, as escalating conflict in the Middle East and the prospect of stubbornly high U.S. interest rates gave support. The dollar steadied on Monday, holding its biggest weekly gain since 2022, as escalating conflict in the Middle East and the prospect of stubbornly high U.S. interest rates gave support. There was little initial reaction to a weekend attack on Israel by Iran. Canadian and New Zealand inflation figures are due on Tuesday, along with Chinese growth numbers. British inflation data is out on Wednesday and Aussie jobs data on Thursday.

Persons: Jason Wong, Sterling Organizations: New Locations: Asia, Israel, Iran, New Zealand, Israeli, Damascus, Wellington, Zealand

☆ EU Parliament approves major reforms to migration policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The wide-ranging reforms are designed to ease the burden on countries that have historically taken the most asylum-seekers among the EU’s 27 member states. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said: “We have delivered a robust legislative framework on how to deal with migration and asylum in the EU. In theory, the EU will now spread the burden across the 27 member states, either through relocation of people to other member states or through financial and practical assistance in processing refugee claims. In a number of EU countries – notably Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden – anti-immigrant Euroskeptic politicians are in power, either outright or through coalition. “And it will ultimately be up to the member states themselves to decide how these new measures are practically managed.

Persons: Roberta Metsola, Joelle Grogan, Grogan, ”, Alberto Neidhardt, Neidhardt Organizations: CNN, European, EU, European Policy, Ukraine Locations: Greece, Italy, Malta, East, North Africa, Dublin, Brussels, “, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, France, Germany, Ukraine, United States

☆ Sanctions are squeezing Russia, turning up its dependence on China and 'rogue' states, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewWestern sanctions are straining Russia's ability to fight in Ukraine, even if its war economy appears resilient and its output seems largely unfazed, a think tank expert said. Related storiesAlready, this order has put off lenders in India, China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates from working with Russia, Blank said. Individual sanctions have also targeted vessels carrying Russian crude above the Western $60-barrel price cap, reducing the Kremlin's ability to trade. With fewer available tankers, freight costs have climbed, and the discount Russia has offered on its oil has eroded. That's caused India to increasingly look elsewhere for crude, despite being the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian oil in 2023.

Persons: —, Stephen Blank, it's, Blank Organizations: Service, Center for, Business, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Treasury Department, CEPA, United, United Arab Emirates, West Locations: Ukraine, North Korea, Iran, India, China, Turkey, United Arab, Russia, Austrian, Moscow, Beijing

☆ Russia's former president is calling for a 'maximum reward' bounty to be put on the heads of any NATO troops sent to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewFormer Russian President Dmitry Medvedev launched a scathing verbal attack against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Thursday, calling for a bounty on any Western troops that may enter Ukraine. The Russian official said any NATO forces in Ukraine would be considered part of the "regular forces" fighting against Moscow. Key to that rhetoric has been Russia amplifying the idea that NATO may escalate tensions by sending troops to Ukraine. Advertisement"We don't have any plans of having any NATO combat troops inside Ukraine," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Wednesday. AdvertisementOn March 8, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said that NATO troops were "already present in Ukraine" but did not say how many were deployed or for what purpose.

Persons: —, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Mikhail Svetlov, Emmanuel Macron —, Jens Stoltenberg, Radek Sikorski, Sikorski, Maria Zakharova, shouldn't, Sinead Baker, Tony Soprano's, Edward Lucas Organizations: Service, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Russia's Security, Business, NATO, Moscow, Hitler's, Kremlin, Nazi, Russian, Hague, Security, Pentagon, Polish, Center for Locations: Ukraine, Western Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet, Nazi Germany, Nazi, Russia, Russian, Kyiv, France

☆ Ukraine's Patriot kills of Russian planes and missiles have turned a US air-defense weapon with a troubled past into a hero
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's use of the US-made Patriot system has been celebrated. A mixed pastThe MIM-104 Patriot missile system is a ground-based, mobile surface-to-air missile battery that can down crewed and uncrewed aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range and tactical ballistic missiles. AdvertisementNone of Ukraine's Patriot missile systems have been confirmed destroyed, though there have been Russian claims, but the system has been involved in confirmed kills of Russian aircraft and missiles. "We were again, very much surprised by what we see now, what the effectiveness of the Patriot system seems to be," he said. The problem with Patriot missiles for Ukraine mirrors its main obstacle in trying to fight Russia: A critical shortage of supplies and ammunition.

Persons: —, Frederik Mertens, Justin Bronk, Mertens, Joe Raedle, Bronk, Timothy Wright, Nathan White, Mick Ryan, Gilles BASSIGNAC, Houthi, Wright, Jeffrey Lewis, Tom Karako, ANDREW CABALLERO, REYNOLDS, Ryan, Karako, it's, BI's Jake Epstein, Rajan Menon, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine Bronk, Jan Kallberg, Ukraine Oleksandr Gusev Organizations: Service, Patriots, Patriot, U.S . Army Security, Hague, Strategic Studies, Royal United Services Institute, Iraq's, US Army, Raytheon, Iraqi, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Australian Army, Getty Images, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Airforce, Getty, Defense, NATO, Emergency Service, Centre for, Kyiv, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Russia, United States, Iraq, Iraqi, Saudi Arabia, Getty Images Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Monterey, Prince, Al, Kyiv, Russian, UAE

☆ Greece's S-300 missiles could bolster Ukraine's air defenses at a critical moment
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewGreece is reconsidering sending Ukraine its Russian-made S-300 air defense missiles, a turnabout that comes after a Russian military struck close to its leader during a visit to Ukraine. The conversation around the Greek S-300 is changing, said George Tzogopoulos, a senior fellow at the Centre International de Formation Européenne. As long as Greek defense needs are satisfied, the policy of swap deals will continue. A Russian missile exploded a mere 500 meters from the convoy he was traveling in with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky. "If radars and spare interceptors are also included in the package, that would be a significant addition to Ukraine's air and missile defense," Borsari said.

Persons: —, George Tzogopoulos, Tzogopoulos, Frederico Borsari, Borsari, Ukraine's Odesa, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: Service, Business, Center for, Patriot PAC, Patriot, Russian, Patriots, Greek, Ukrainian, Kyiv Locations: Greece, Ukraine, Russian, Cyprus, Crete, Turkey, Athens, Russia, United States, Germany, Netherlands, Pokrovsk, Mar, Ukrainian

A leading state television channel opened with its host railing against the West and NATO. THE KREMLIN MEDIA DIETThe Kremlin regularly meets with the heads of TV stations to give “special instructions on what can be said on air,” said Ovsyannikova. State television broadcasts dull debates between representatives of Putin's opponents. GRANULES OF TRUTHRussian propaganda is “sophisticated and multifaceted,” said Francis Scarr, a journalist who analyzes Russian television for BBC Monitoring. Even those soothed by the Kremlin’s propaganda also could long for a real choice at the polls.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, whittle, ”, PUTIN’S, Anna Politkovskaya, Evan Gershkovich, “, Marina Ovsyannikova, Sam Greene, Half, Jade McGlynn, —, Francis Scarr, McGlynn, Greene Organizations: West, NATO, NTV, Russia, Center for, Levada, King's College, Putin, State, BBC Monitoring, Kremlin Locations: Ukraine, Russia, State, Victoria, Russian, Crimea, Soviet, Washington, West, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, King's College London, RUSSIAN

☆ Big Tech goes from 'teenager' to 'grown-up' under landmark EU law. Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Justin Tallis | AFP via Getty ImagesAn EU law that seeks to rein in large digital companies has officially kicked in, spelling big changes for primarily U.S. tech giants. CNBC runs through how the law impacts large U.S. tech companies — as well as consumers in the EU. The EU Digital Markets Act primarily impacts U.S. tech giants — the likes of Alphabet , Amazon , Apple , and Meta . The rules have already sparked big changes for tech giants in how they serve customers in the EU. It's likely more adjustments will come, as competitors to Big Tech firms aren't happy with the proposals put in place so far.

Persons: Justin Tallis, Bill Echikson, Echikson, ByteDance, Apple Organizations: Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Getty, Digital Markets, European Commission, Center for, CNBC, Big Tech, EU Digital Markets, Meta, Google, Companies, EU, Spotify Locations: EU, U.S, iPhones

☆ A traditional Russian ally snubbed Moscow's latest fighter jets for competitors from Pakistan and Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Azerbaijan's biggest arms supplier has been Russia but it will likely acquire jets from elsewhere. AdvertisementThe small, oil-rich South Caucasus country of Azerbaijan has big plans to upgrade its modest fleet of fighter jets over the next decade. However, rather than turn to Russia, its traditional arms supplier for decades, Baku will likely acquire modern fighters from Pakistan and Turkey. "Neither Russia nor Western democracies are ideal suppliers, even though Russia has historically sold arms to Azerbaijan," Roblin told Insider. Turkey provided training and arms that enabled Azerbaijan to defeat Armenia's armed forces in the 2020 war over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Persons: —, Frederico Borsari, Borsari, Sebastien Roblin, Roblin, Armenia's, Sukhoi Su, Tatyana Makeyeva Azerbaijan's, China's, Armenian Su Organizations: Service, Thunder, Turkey's TF, Center for, Business, Azerbaijan, Russian, Pakistan Aeronautical, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, REUTERS, Armenia, Azerbaijan's MiG Locations: Russia, Moscow, Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Baku, Pakistan, Turkey, Pakistani, Ukraine, China, Armenia, Ankara, Nagorno, Karabakh, Zhukovsky, Soviet

☆ A breakaway region in Europe is asking Russia for protection. Here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Christian Edwards | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

No country officially recognizes Transnistria, where Russia has kept a steadily dwindling military presence for decades, now standing at around 1,500 troops. Before Wednesday, the congress’ most recent meeting was in 2006, when it passed a referendum calling to join Russia. When Transnistrian politicians unexpectedly announced a new meeting, analysts suggested this could lead to fresh calls for unification with Russia. Russia’s war in Ukraine has had a profound effect on Transnistria’s economy. Minzarari said the dispute had created opportunities for Russian authorities to “fish in troubled waters.”Why is Russia interested in Moldova?

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ”, Daniel Voda, “, Maia Sandu, Dumitru Minzarari, ” Minzarari, Minzarari, Gen, Rustam Minnekaev, Lenin, Anton Polyakov, Putin, Vadim Kranoselsky, ” Ben Dubow Organizations: CNN —, European Union, Kremlin, Novosti, Moldova’s, Transnistria’s, Deputies, Russia, Moldovan, Russia’s, Ministry, CNN, EU, Carnegie Endowment, International, Baltic Defense College, Military Region, Institute for, RIA Novosti, Center for Locations: Moldova, Transnistria, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet, Moldovan, Russia, Tiraspol, Odesa, Maj, Kherson, Russian, US, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kyiv, Transnistrian

☆ Russia was ridiculed at the start of the war. Two years on, it has reasons to be confident
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Internal political frictions and the replacement of popular military chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi has also fueled concerns over military strategy going forward. "I think for Ukraine, there's really quite minimal difference between a president who can't deliver lethal aid and a president who won't deliver lethal aid. Russia's President Vladimir Putin listens while then-U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, in 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles while visiting an aviation plant on February 21, 2024, in Kazan, Russia. "The dispute over mobilization is happening at a time when most authorized U.S. military aid is close to exhausted and Congress has yet to pass a new aid package."

Persons: Moscow —, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, there's, James Nixey, that's, Putin, Donald, Trump, Nixey, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Brendan Smialowski, Alexei Navalny, Kurt Volker, he'd, Avdiivka, Volker, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, David Kirichenko, Kirichenko Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Kyiv —, U.S, Russian, AFP, NATO, CNBC, Analysts, Institute for, Russia, Manpower, Kremlin, Center for, Armed Forces of, Bloomberg Locations: Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Avdiivka, Eurasia, Helsinki, Finland, West, U.S, Russian, Kazan, Donetsk, Armed Forces of Ukraine

☆ Europe is nervous about a potential Trump win. China sees an opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

China – which has not condemned Russia’s invasion and claims impartiality in the conflict – has also emerged as a key lifeline for the sanctions-hit Russian economy. In Europe, this has galvanized concerns about China’s own global ambitions and played a role in the European Union’s ongoing push to recalibrate its policy toward China. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reiterated the EU’s “expectation that China refrains from supporting Russia,” in a meeting with Wang Friday. “As long as war in Ukraine continues, EU policies toward China will move into closer alignment with the US. As president, Trump not only voiced skepticism of the system of US alliances in Europe, but leveraged tariffs on European steel and aluminum, sparking retaliatory measures on US goods from Europe.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Wang, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, “, ”, Noah Barkin, Maxym Marusenko, Putin, Xi Jinping, –, Jens Stoltenberg, Josep Borrell, Christoph Heusgen, Dmytro Kuleba, Xi, hasn’t, It’s, Kuleba, Vladimir Putin, Xie Huanchi, Yu Jie, ‘, Liu Dongshu, “ Wang Yi, China …, ” Liu, Emmanuel Macron, GMF Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Munich, Washington, NATO, German Marshall Fund of, Communist Party, Wang Friday, Bloomberg, CNN, China’s, Ministry, ”, Ukrainian, Security, Beijing, Peace, Getty, ’ Observers, US, Chatham House, City University of Hong, “, White Locations: China, Hong Kong, States, Europe, Ukraine, Beijing, Munich, Moscow, Russia, United States, Russian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, West . China, Taiwan, EU, ”, China’s, Asia, Pacific, ” Beijing, Switzerland, Xinhua, London, Spain, France, City University of Hong Kong’s, Washington, York

☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

☆ Ukraine's intelligence chief hints at more attacks on Russian soil, targeting critical infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's intelligence chief hinted that his country would conduct more attacks on Russian soil following a string of unclaimed attacks that took place on Russia's oil and gas infrastructure. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's defense intelligence directorate, told CNN that drone attacks on Russian soil were "quite possible." "And I believe that this plan includes all the major critical infrastructure facilities and military infrastructure facilities of the Russian Federation." Budanov said attacks on Russian soil mean the country's citizens finally "see the real picture," and that helps Ukraine. Ukraine's allies have said that they don't want the weaponry they've given to be used against targets on Russian soil, something Ukraine has agreed to.

Persons: Budanov, Insider's Alia Shoaib, Jan Kallberg Organizations: CNN, Russian Federation, Sky News, Centre for, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ Dollar holds firm before Fed rates decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On the day, the dollar index was up 0.1% to 103.51, just below Monday's 103.82 which matched last week's seven-week high. The Federal Reserve meanwhile is expected to hold U.S. interest rates steady on Wednesday but flag cuts are coming by dropping language indicating it is weighing further hikes. Interest rate futures price a roughly 43% chance of a Fed rate cut in March, down from 73% at the start of the year. A slowdown in Germany would foreshadow the same in Eurozone numbers due on Thursday and reinforce market expectations that European policymakers could start rate cuts earlier than the ECB has signalled. Expectations of interest rate cuts in China have driven a strong rally in the bond market this month while the yuan has been squeezed by flight from China's crumbling equity markets.

Persons: Jerome, Powell, Dane Cekov Organizations: Bank of Japan, Federal Reserve, Federal, U.S, French EU, ECB, Bank of Locations: U.S, Germany, China

"It is hard to understand how the ECB ended up buying the bonds of property companies, while at the same time warning of the risks of property price inflation," former ECB chief economist Otmar Issing told Reuters. But data this week shows the central bank still owned the two bonds issued by SBB as of Nov. 24. While Sweden is not in the euro zone, SBB issued the debt bought by the ECB in neighbouring Finland, which is. Alongside the SBB bonds, the ECB also hoovered up the debt of other property companies which have since hit problems, including Sweden's Heimstaden. The ECB also gobbled up many German real estate bonds, including 39 issued by Vonovia, which has been selling property to cut debt.

Persons: Otmar Issing, Daniel Gros, Gros, Sweden's, Heimstaden, it's, Alexander Smith Organizations: SBB, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Research, Institute, European, Bocconi University, Fitch, Vonovia, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Europe, Germany, Sweden, Milan, Swedish, Finland

☆ European mobile data traffic to triple by 2028 -GSMA
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The GSMA, which brings together more than 1,000 mobile phone operators and businesses, said 5G subscribers were interested in adding high-bandwidth services and content to their mobile contracts, as demand for high-quality gaming, extended reality, and video content grows. Mobile data traffic per smartphone will increase in Western Europe to 56 gigabytes (GB) per month in 2028, compared with 20 GB last year. In Central and Eastern Europe, it will rise to 37 GB per month from 14 GB in 2022, the lobby group said in its annual mobile economy report. More than 460 million Europeans, or 85% of the population, were connected to mobile internet in 2022, according to the GSMA. ($1 = 0.9168 euros)Reporting Diana Mandiá, editing by Milla Nissi and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, GSMA, We're, Daniel Pataki, Diana Mandiá, Milla Nissi, Emelia Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, Qatar, REUTERS, Telecom Italia, Big Tech, Netflix, Microsoft, European Commission, Reuters, Thomson Locations: France, Argentina, Paris, Mobile, Western Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Orange, Europe

☆ Euro finds footing on hawkish policy remarks, lower energy prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. The Australian dollar fell 0.5% overnight and was last at $0.6405, just above its 50-day moving average. It seems set for its largest weekly fall since June, as the central bank appeared to raise the bar for further hikes after lifting rates on Tuesday. In Asia, China's yuan touched a two-month high in overnight offshore trade. China's consumer prices fell in October, data showed on Thursday, stoking expectations for lower interest rates.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gabriel Makhlouf, Joachim Nagel, Jane Foley, Mario Draghi, Brent, Ping, Michael Wan, Jerome Powell, Tom Westbrook, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, Central Bank's, Bank of Japan, Rabobank, Treasury, New Zealand, Canadian, Italian, ECB, Financial, Reuters, Ping An Insurance Group, HK, MUFG, Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Ireland's, U.S, Asia, Europe, Singapore, East, Gaza City

☆ A 'festering' powder keg in Europe is lurking in the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"Consequently, the Serbia-Kosovo discord, while festering, finds itself languishing in the shadow of these more immediate and globally resonant challenges." It highlights a major challenge for policymakers: providing ongoing conflicts with near-constant attention, while still monitoring other strategically significant risks. "The fact remains that the Balkan region is a powder keg, where even minor incidents can swiftly spiral into broader conflicts. History has underscored the adage that what happens in the Balkans, doesn't stay in the Balkans," the CEPA's Hartwell said. "The U.S., EU and U.K. do not have the diplomatic and military bandwidth to respond to several conflicts of strategic interest.

Persons: Stringer, Leon Hartwell, Hartwell, Banjska, doesn't, Majda Ruge Organizations: NATO, Kosovo Force, KFOR, Afp, Getty, Center for, CNBC, European Union, Anadolu Agency, European Council, Foreign Relations Locations: Mitrovica, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Balkans, Europe, Serbia, Kosovo, Palestine, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Southern, Eastern Europe, Moscow, Brussels, Washington, Serbs, Kosovan, U.S, EU, Pristina, destabilising Kosovo, Yugoslavia

☆ Green Steel Is Coming. Europe Is Leading the Charge Thanks to New Carbon Taxes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

The need for conversion to low-carbon steel production is greater in Europe, where 57% of steel is produced in coal-fired blast furnaces. Swedish-based startup H2 Green Steel has signed deals to supply low-carbon steel to IKEA, Mercedes-Benz , BMW and Scania. Customers of H2 Green Steel have been willing to support the project based on their own green targets and their end-customers’ willingness to pay a green premium, he said. H2 Green Steel said it would charge a €150 premium, while Swedish steelmaker SSAB expects to charge double that. Research from the Rocky Mountain Institute suggests the IRA will encourage green steel investments that would, by 2030, produce about eight million tons of low-carbon steel, or nearly 10% of U.S. steel demand.

Persons: fabian strauch, ”, Colin Richardson, incentivizing, CBAM, Nicola Davidson, Davidson, Henrik Henriksson, Mikael Sjoberg, ” Henriksson, Gunnar Güthenke, SSAB, Europe ”, Simone Tagliapietra, Paul Lim, ” Lim, Yusuf Khan Organizations: Leadership Group, Industry, Argus Media, Rocky Mountain Institute, U.S ., Business, International Energy Agency, Investments, Steel, IKEA, Mercedes, Benz, BMW, Scania, H2, Bloomberg, Research, Europe, Bruegel, U.S Locations: Europe, U.S, Brussels, London, European, Lakes , Texas, Pacific, China, Asia

☆ Why Exxon and Chevron are doubling down on fossil fuel energy with big acquisitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The largest oil and gas producers in the United States see a long pathway for oil demand," Cahill told CNBC. "There's a major difference between what the big oil companies believe the future of oil is and the governments around the world." "The large companies — nongovernment companies — do not see an end to oil demand any time in the near future. Oil and gas are relatively cheap and easy to move around, particularly in comparison with building new clean energy infrastructure. "By the way, that means the large financial oil companies will be able to weather that environment better than the smaller companies."

Persons: Cahill, Ben Cahill, Goldstein, Larry J, Birol, Fatih Birol, Shon Hiatt, Hiatt, Marianne Kah, Kah, Amy Myers Jaffe, Jaffe Organizations: CNBC, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Petroleum Industry Research Foundation, Energy, Research Foundation, Chevron, Exxon, International Energy Agency, IEA, USC Marshall School of Business ., Columbia University's Center, Global Energy, ConocoPhillips, New York University, Climate Justice, Sustainability, NYU's School, Professional Studies, Exxon Mobil Locations: United States, Africa, Asia, America, U.S, Russia, Venezuela, Iran

☆ The Race to Save Our Secrets From the Computers of the Future
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Zach Montague | More About Zach Montague | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The danger extends not just to future breaches but to past ones: Troves of encrypted data harvested now and in coming years could, after Q-Day, be unlocked. Current and former intelligence officials say that China and potentially other rivals are most likely already working to find and store such troves of data in hopes of decoding them in the future. Today, the most powerful quantum device uses 433 “qubits,” as the quantum equivalent of transistors are called. That figure would probably need to reach into the tens of thousands, perhaps even the millions, before today’s encryption systems would fall. But within the U.S. cybersecurity community, the threat is seen as real and urgent.

Persons: ”, Glenn S Organizations: National Security Agency, Homeland Security Department Locations: China, Russia, United States

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