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☆ Ladakh: Herders on the front line of India-China border dispute say they’re losing grazing land – and a way of life
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Aishwarya S Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

For years, Lopzang Dadul herded his yaks, sheep and goats across the vast, vertiginous landscape near India’s contested border with China, following the seasons to find grazing land. All these areas are winter grazing areas of Chushul village. He says 60 of the 113 households in his village used to be nomadic; now only 10 are maintaining the tradition due to those factors and lost grazing lands. New Delhi says two sites remain contested along the Ladakh border after disengagement at other contested zones following the 2020 clash. Reduced patrolling led to an ultimate loss of control over such areas, where China grabs land “inch-by-inch,” the report said.

Persons: Lopzang Dadul, Dadul, ”, Mohd Arhaan Archer, Sushant Singh, Aksai Chin, Manoj Joshi, Singh, Rezeng, Stanzin, Phobrang, Sonam Dorje China, Sonam Wangchuk, Wangchuk, Sonam Dorje, India’s, won’t, “, Phunchok Stanzin, Namgail Phonchok, ” Phonchok, Narendra Modi –, Joshi, ‘, ’, China’s People’s, Modi’s, – Organizations: CNN, “, Getty, Policy Research, Observer Research Foundation, Gurung, Army, ” CNN, India’s Ministry of Defense, Mutual, Equal, China’s Defense Ministry, Protesters, Foreign Ministry, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, ‘, LAC, ”, Observers, ’ New, China’s People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Indian Army, Hindustan Times, Indian, Centre for Policy Research, Yale University Locations: China, Ladakh, India’s, India, Phobrang, AFP, Delhi, Ladakh’s Chushul, Chushul, Ladakh –, Leh, Jammu, Kashmir, Pakistan, New Delhi, Leh’s, Friends, Galwan, ” Beijing, Waseem

☆ As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Cocoa prices are surging so high, the Easter Bunny might want to hoard its chocolate. Poor climate and crop diseases in West Africa – home to 70% of global cocoa production – have tightened supply and caused prices to skyrocket. As prices rise, some chocolatiers are exploring cost-cutting alternatives, like diversifying their products to depend less on cocoa. Yet mining often destroys farms and the possibility of a livelihood in cocoa production, Issaka said. “Given the persistently high cocoa prices, it may be necessary for us to make responsible adjustments to pricing in the future,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Persons: Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, Roberts, ” Roberts, Issaka, Will Kletter, Kletter, “, Peng Xu, Christopher Taylor, Li, Taylor, ”, “ We’re, “ It’s, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, Cadbury, NCA, “ Brands, Industries, International Cocoa Organization, Rabobank, US, ”, Euromonitor Locations: West Africa, North Region, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Silicon, Washington ,, Manhattan

☆ China slams the U.S. for interfering in Arunachal Pradesh border dispute with India
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A tableau of Arunachal Pradesh state during the Republic Day parade along Kartavya Path in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. China slammed the United States for interfering in its border dispute with India, after Washington said it recognized the disputed Arunachal Pradesh as a part of Indian territory. China, which refers to the territory as Zangnan, claims Arunachal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet. India rejects those claims, stating Arunachal Pradesh has always been a part of India. Kugelman pointed out that the U.S. typically refrains from commenting on some Indian border disputes, such as the one with Pakistan over Kashmir.

Persons: Washington, Lin Jian, China's, Narendra Modi, Vedant Patel, Zangnan, Lin, Michael Kugelman, Kugelman Organizations: India's, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, United, LAC, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, CNBC Locations: Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi, India, China, United States, Beijing, Indian, Tibet, U.S, Pakistan, Kashmir, Washington

☆ The Fed can still break markets. Here’s how
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Those gains came even as Federal Reserve officials attempted to reduce investors’ lofty expectations for a plethora of interest rate cuts this year. It is now signaling that interest rates could come this year but not until spring or summer. That means they think the Fed is keeping interest rates too high and could potentially slow down economic growth too much and risk a recession. That makes the NFL and the Super Bowl all the more valuable to advertisers trying to reach a mass market. Li-Lac Chocolates, which calls itself the oldest chocolate shop in Manhattan, told CNN that their raw chocolate prices are up 13% this February compared to a year ago.

Persons: Torsten Slok, Jerome Powell, Raphael Bostic, Olivier Darcy, Sunday’s, CNN’s John Towfighi, ”, Michele Buck Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Big Tech, Federal Reserve, Investors, Nasdaq, Federal, Apollo Global Management, National Association for Business, Atlanta Fed, CNN, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, CBS, Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, NFL, Allegiant, NFC, Fox, AFC, Super Bowl, Companies, Hershey Co Locations: New York, There’s, Las Vegas, West Africa, North America, Manhattan

☆ With a low cocoa supply, this Valentine’s Day chocolate prices are up
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Rising cocoa prices aren’t the only concern for customers this Valentine's Day. Last Thursday, Hershey Co. said it would cut 5% of its workforce after historic cocoa prices and inflation-weary consumers dampened fourth quarter earnings. “And it looks like it’s not necessarily going to subside anytime soon.”The Supreme Valentine’s Day SweetRoughly 92% of Americans say they plan to share chocolate and candy for Valentine’s Day this year, according to the National Confectioners Association. In 2023, Valentine’s Day chocolate and candy sales exceeded $4 billion, the NCA says. Issaka said that while high demand and low supply raise prices, cocoa farmers are getting squeezed.

Persons: ”, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, ” Roberts, Lindsey Nicholson, Marnie Ives, Ives, ” Ives, “ It’s, Karl Schneider, Roberts’s, Issifu, Issaka, ” Issaka, “ I’m, Cote, Will Kletter, Sabi Ibarra Guerrero, Uwe Gneiting, Gneiting, Joke Aerts, Aerts, ” Aerts, Sia Kambou, Price, Tony’s, “, they’ve, CNN’s Eva Rothenberg Organizations: CNN, Hershey Co, National Confectioners Association, NCA, Cocoa, Oxfam America, Getty, Fairtrade, Cote d’Ivoire, “ Locations: West Africa, North America, Manhattan, Queens , New York, Neck, NY, Bloomfield , NJ, Ghana, North Region, Cote d’Ivoire, Silicon, Africa, Accra, Cote, Hermankono, AFP

☆ Here are Wednesday's biggest analyst calls: Meta, Tesla, Nvidia, Apple, Sunrun, Alphabet, Snowflake & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

UBS initiates Fiverr as buy UBS said the Israeli online marketplace company has "significant upside." UBS upgrades Fluor to buy from hold UBS said the construction and engineering stock is underappreciated. Bank of America upgrades Orange to buy from underperform Bank of America double upgraded the European telco company and says it has upside potential. Bank of America reiterates Blackrock as buy Bank of America said the asset management company is well positioned. Mizuho reiterates Nvidia as buy Mizuho added the stock to its top picks list and says it's an AI winner.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Tesla, it's, underappreciate FLR, TD Cowen, Key, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Oppenheimer, Mizuho, Coinbase, Bernstein, PTON Organizations: US, UBS, Americas Corp, Bank of America, underperform Bank of America, Tech, of America, Apple, JPMorgan, Netflix, ARM, " Bank of America, Blackrock, Nvidia, Mizuho, NOVA Locations: Argentina, Argentine, Orange, 3Q23, 4Q23

☆ Trudeau says 'denialism' rising as nation marks holiday for indigenous reconcilation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson lead an Awareness Walk on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan, Canada, September 30, 2023. Trudeau's statement was made on National Truth and Reconciliation Day, which recognizes the legacy of the residential schools, which operated between 1831 and 1996 and removed about 150,000 indigenous children from their families. Some were subjected to abuse, rape and malnutrition at schools in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 called "cultural genocide." "We must never forget the past and the injustices committed against Indigenous Peoples at residential schools, as well as the intergenerational trauma that remains today," Trudeau said in a statement. "Right now, with denialism sadly on the rise, uncovering the whole truth is more important than ever."

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Lac, Tammy Cook, Valerie Zink, Trudeau, denialism, Nivedita Balu, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Canadian, Indigenous Peoples, Thomson Locations: Lac La Ronge , Saskatchewan, Canada, Toronto

☆ Trudeau says 'denialism' rising as nation marks holiday for indigenous reconciliation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson lead an Awareness Walk on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan, Canada, September 30, 2023. Trudeau's statement was made on National Truth and Reconciliation Day, which recognizes the legacy of the residential schools, which operated between 1831 and 1996 and removed about 150,000 indigenous children from their families. Some were subjected to abuse, rape and malnutrition at schools in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 called "cultural genocide." "Right now, with denialism sadly on the rise, uncovering the whole truth is more important than ever." Trudeau had drawn criticism on the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021 for flying to the west coast with his family shortly after his after his own government designated the day as a federal holiday.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Indigenous tribes in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have asked federal officials to deny a utility's request for a loan to help build a natural gas-fired power plant on the shores of Lake Superior, calling the project unthinkable in the face of climate change. Chippewa tribes located across the northern third of the three states sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture officials on Sunday asking them to deny Dairyland Power Cooperative's request for a $350 million public loan. The request is intended to cover the utility's share of the cost of building the Nemadji Trail Energy Center power plant. Dairyland Power Cooperative, Minnesota Power and Basin Electric Cooperative have been working to gain permission to build the $700 million power plant for more than three years. The tribes also noted that the new plant would be situated near a cemetery where about 180 Fond du Lac tribal members are buried in a mass grave.

Persons: Red Cliff, Wisconsin —, didn't, Dairyland, Katie Thomson Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Sunday, Energy, Power Cooperative, Cooperative, Minnesota Power, Basin Electric, Bands of Michigan, USDA, Associated Press Locations: MADISON, Wis, Michigan , Minnesota, Wisconsin, Lake Superior, Chippewa, Superior , Wisconsin, Lac, Minnesota

☆ China’s new national map has angered its neighbors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Philippines has become the latest of China’s neighbors to object to its new national map, joining Malaysia and India in releasing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory. The map is the “latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones (and) has no basis under international law,” the Philippines Foreign Affairs department said in a statement. India was the first to complain on Tuesday when it lodged a “strong protest” about the inclusion of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai-Chin plateau in Chinese territory. “In this climate, while both sides may publicly express their interest in easing tensions, I do not see this happening. This map issue is very serious … the prime minister should speak about it,” he added.

Persons: “, Arindam Bagchi, China’s, Wang Wenbin, ”, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Xi, Modi, Akhil Ramesh, Aksai Chin, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Organizations: CNN, Beijing, South China, Philippines Foreign Affairs, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry, Indian, Pacific Forum, Modi, Huawei Locations: Philippines, Malaysia, India, China, Beijing, South, Manila, Arunachal Pradesh, Chin, Asia, South Africa, New Delhi, Honolulu, ”, Galwan, Tawang, LAC, Ladakh, United States, Japan, US, Australia, Jammu, Kashmir, Pakistan

☆ Plastic levels in Swiss-French lake as high as world's oceans
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FOUNEX, Switzerland Aug 25 (Reuters) - Lake Geneva, nestled at the foot of the Alps, has long been considered as a near-pristine body of water, but new research has found that its plastic pollution levels are as high as those in the oceans. Oceaneye, a Geneva-based non-profit that has for more than a decade been scouring the seas to collect plastic fragments, has turned its attention closer to home to landlocked Switzerland. [1/5]A boat of NGO Oceaneye collects plastic fragments in the water of Lake Leman in Founex near Geneva, Switzerland August 21, 2023. Microplastics derive from the breakdown of various consumer and industrial plastic waste over time and their concentrations are accumulating in the world's oceans. "When we began working on this 12 years ago and talked about plastic fragments in water, people took us for wackos and now it is a recognised problem."

Persons: Pascal Hagmann, Denis Balibouse, Hagmann, Cecile Mantovani, Emma Farge, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, Lake Geneva, Geneva, Lac Leman, Lake Leman, Founex, Leman, Europe, France, Switzerland's, Evian

Marco Longari/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg and highlighted concerns India has about border issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India's foreign secretary said. Modi and Xi agreed "to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said. On the sidelines of the BRICS summit Modi highlighted to Xi "India's concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC", Kwatra said. This is the first time that Modi has brought up the issue directly with Xi, repeating India's stand that has been shared with China through other ministers multiple times. "The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region," Xi said.

Persons: India Narendra Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa, China Xi Jinping, Marco Longari, Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, Modi, Xi, Vinay Kwatra, Kwatra, Bhargav Acharya, Tannur Anders, Michael Martina, Krishn Kaushik, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Indian, LAC, Xinhua, Shanghai Cooperation, Thomson Locations: India, China, Sandton, Johannesburg, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Indonesia

CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to “intensity efforts” to deescalate tensions at their contested border, in a rare face-to-face meeting since a deadly clash strained relations more than three years ago. Face-to-face meetings between the leaders of India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are rare. They had a brief conversation weeks later on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ meeting in Bali, Indonesia. India’s decision to host this year’s SCO virtually meant that Modi and Xi did not have an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting. Xi is also expected to attend the G20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi next month.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, ”, Modi, Xi, Vinay Kwatra, ” Kwatra, “, assertiveness Organizations: CNN, Indian, LAC, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India’s, External Affairs, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Huawei Locations: Johannesburg, India, China, New Delhi, Beijing, Western, Uzbekistan, Bali , Indonesia, Aksai Chin, Ladakh, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, United States, Japan, US, Australia, Jammu, Kashmir, Pakistan

☆ Quebec, Canada wildfires made twice as likely through climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The severity of Quebec’s fire season up to the end of July was also made 50% more intense by climate change, according to the report. French firefighters try to extinguish wildfires at Lac Larouche in Quebec, Canada, on June 28, 2023. It is by far the worst wildfire season Canada has ever experienced, and there are still more than two months left to go. They then used climate models to understand the role climate change played. Climate change also made the peak fire weather in Quebec during the same period at least twice as likely and 20% more intense, according to the report.

Persons: Friederike Otto, It’s, ”, Clair Barnes, Emma UIISC7, David Dee Delgado, “, James MacDonald, Kira Hoffman, ” Hoffman, Michael Flannigan, Otto Organizations: CNN, WWA, Grantham Institute, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Canada, Bloomberg, University of British, Research, “, Predictive Services, Emergency Management, Thompson Rivers University Locations: Canada, Quebec, Illinois, Canadian, Western Europe, Bronx, New York City, Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, British Columbia, Cameron, Port Alberni , British Columbia, University of British Columbia

☆ Brazil's Lula: Amazon countries summit to build common policy for first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File PhotoBRASILIA, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday said that next week's summit of Amazon region nations will seek to draw up a common policy for the first time to protect the rainforest. For the first time we are going to have a common policy for the Amazon, for preservation, security, borders," Lula said. The eight countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) will meet Aug. 7-8 in the city of Belem at the mouth of the Amazon river. ACTO was created in 1978 to promote the preservation of the Amazon basin and regulate Amazonian development through cooperation. Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Mark Porter and Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Johanna Geron, Lula, ACTO, Lisandra Paraguassu, Mark Porter, Aurora Ellis Organizations: EU, LAC, European Union, of, Caribbean, REUTERS, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Thomson Locations: Caribbean States, Brussels, Belgium, BRASILIA, Brazil, Amazon, Belem, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

☆ My husband and I quit our jobs and bought a 500-year-old hamlet in the French countryside. Here's how we transformed it into a successful rental business and our dream home.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Gia Mora | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Liz and Dave Murphy left their 9-to-5 jobs and traded their city home for a 17th-century hamlet. My husband, Dave, and I traded our detached house in Manchester for a 17th-century village in the French countryside in pursuit of a better quality of life. We both had 9-to-5 jobs in copywriting and marketing, and life had become a mad rush of food, baths, and bedtime. We split the cost of the hamlet with my mom and her husband, who were joining us. We renovated 2 buildings while running the businessOur family moved into the biggest gîte, while Mom and Terry took the old owner's home.

Persons: Liz, Dave Murphy, Liz Murphy's, Liz Murphy, Dave, COVID, we'd, Tom, Liz Murphy We'd, Helen, Terry, We'd, it's, There's, Liz Murphy Dave, we've, We've Organizations: Service, Charlotte Locations: Wall, Silicon, Lac de Maison, Manchester, France, de Maison, Poitou, Charentes, England

☆ Analysis: GM's 2025 EV output could be crimped by battery bottleneck
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have not changed our targets," GM spokesman Jim Cain said. Those targets include cumulative EV production of 400,000 from early 2022 through mid-2024, a revised goal that CEO Mary Barra reiterated earlier this year. "We believe GM’s targets are hittable despite hurdles to get there," Wedbush auto analyst Dan Ives said. GM has not issued specific North American EV production targets for 2024 and 2025. GM’s North American EV production targets beyond 2025 “will continue to push the limits” of its battery plants, according to AFS, including a recently announced fourth factory with new partner Samsung SDI (006400.KS) that isn’t expected to open until 2026.

☆ TSX tumbles after hotter-than-expected inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A report by Statistics Canada showed that April annual consumer inflation had surprisingly ticked up, fueled by higher rental and mortgage interest costs. "Underlying core inflation is settling in around 4%, which is clearly still too high for the BoC's comfort." ET (14:14 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) was down 235.32 points, or 1.15%, at 20,304.65. The materials sector (.GSPTTMT) tumbled 1.4% and was the biggest drag on the TSX, tracking weak base- and precious-metal prices. Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Vansh Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Interior Department on Tuesday removed one of the last remaining obstacles to Lithium Americas Corp's (LAC.TO), Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada by finding nearly all of the site contains the metal used to make electric-vehicle batteries. The opinion from the department's solicitor comes amid an acrimonious debate about whether more U.S. mines should be built to produce lithium and other green energy transition metals. Of the dozens of mining claims at the Thacker Pass site held by the company, the government found fewer than 10 did not contain lithium mineralization, an Interior Department official told Reuters. "They're going to be able to start construction and production without these claims being in the plan of operation," the official said of Lithium Americas. "We're in favor of increasing domestic mineral production when it's being done in the right location and in the right way," the official said.

A fresh downpour loosened the earth on a hillside above a village in Vuveyi Lac area, burying the victims as they slept in their houses below, said Alain Kiwewa, Lubero's military administrator. Repeated recent downpours have also raised the water table in the broader region, increasing the likelihood of flooding, said meteorology and hydrology engineer Theodore Lokakao Ilemba. "It's everywhere in the Congo and in Rwanda, it worsens (the impact of) the rainfall and all pre-existing problems like water drainage and land use," he said. Rains also triggered flooding and landslides in neighbouring Rwanda last week, killing 130 people and destroying more than 5,000 homes. Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TORONTO, May 8 (Reuters) - Canada's oil and gas producers shut down some production after Alberta was hit by an unprecedented wildfire season, although rain and cooler weather are expected to bring some relief on Monday. Canada is home to the world's third-largest reserves, and most of these are in northern Alberta's vast oil sands. NuVista Energy (NVA.TO) said on Monday it had temporarily shut in about 40,000 boepd as a precaution. In neighboring British Columbia, several communities remained under evacuation orders after heavy rain last week and flood warnings stayed in place. ($1 = 1.3319 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Denny Thomas; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ More than 24,000 people evacuated in Western Canada as 103 wildfires burn
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Mirna Alsharif | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Over 24,000 residents throughout Western Canada have been ordered to evacuate their homes to escape active wildfires in the province of Alberta. Smith activated the Emergency Management Cabinet Committee in response to the wildfires, which has been meeting daily since Friday. All options are on the table, including declaring a provincial state of emergency, Smith added. Fourteen counties and communities have declared states of local emergency, including Brazeau, Grande Prairie, Parkland and Lac Ste. Anne counties, as well as the Beaver Lake Cree Nation.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft takeover of Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —The UK antitrust regulator has blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, thwarting one of the tech industry’s biggest deals over concerns it will stifle competition in cloud gaming. “The cloud allows UK gamers to avoid buying expensive gaming consoles and PCs and gives them much more flexibility and choice as to how they play. Allowing Microsoft to take such a strong position in the cloud gaming market just as it begins to grow rapidly would risk undermining the innovation that is crucial to the development of these opportunities,” it added. “Alongside Microsoft, we can and will contest this decision, and we’ve already begun the work to appeal to the UK Competition Appeals Tribunal,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. “Cloud gaming needs a free, competitive market to drive innovation and choice.”The UK cloud gaming market is expected to be worth up to £1 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2026, around 9% of the global market, according to the Competition and Markets Authority.

☆ Argentina's lithium pipeline promises 'white gold' boom as Chile tightens control
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Neighboring Chile, the region's top lithium producer, last week unveiled plans for a state-led public-private model, spooking investors. Bolivia has long maintained strict control over its huge though largely untapped resources, while Mexico nationalized its lithium deposits last year. The country has six lithium projects under construction and 15 in the advanced exploration or feasibility stage, Mignacco said. "Argentina's lithium sector has thrived through a decentralized, pro-market strategy," said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at The Wilson Center, adding in contrast Bolivia's lithium sector had "repeatedly stalled as a result of excessive state control." "Chile today produces and exports much more lithium than Argentina," said Natacha Izquierdo, analyst at consultancy ABCEB.

[1/2] The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. Many teem with lithium, calcium and other minerals, and DLE technologies aim to separate out the lithium and leave the rest. LITHIUM METAL FROM BRINEEnergyX has said its technology can make lithium metal directly from brine, a tantalizing prospect for GM that could let the automaker bypass lithium refining, which is widely seen as a key supply chain bottleneck. The EnergyX investment comes after GM in January agreed to pay $650 million to become the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO), which is developing the Thacker Pass clay lithium project in Nevada. "This GM investment will completely change the trajectory of EnergyX," said Teague Egan, the startup company's founder and chief executive.

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