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More than a dozen massive oil tankers were stuck near the exit to the Black Sea, the first noticeable disruption to global energy markets after the West imposed a price cap on Russian crude. The bottleneck in the Turkish Straits, a chokepoint in global shipping, stemmed from a dispute between a group of maritime insurers and Turkish authorities. It illustrates the potential snags caused by novel sanctions that came into effect this week, even though the sanctions were designed to keep Russian oil flowing to the global market.

☆ How a 102-Year-Old Maritime Law Affects Today’s Home-Heating Prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Costas Paris | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

As oil and gas prices for households in the Northeast U.S. hit their highest levels in years, state governors asked the federal government for help. The request includes suspending the Jones Act to skirt curbs on delivering natural gas from places like Texas to Massachusetts. Here’s more about the 102-year-old law.

☆ U.S., France agreed to "fix" U.S. subsidies issues, says Macron
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 4 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a state visit earlier this week to "fix" issues arising from U.S. legislation that includes subsidies for American-made products, Macron said in a bid to assuage European concerns. Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is a new $430 billion bill offering massive subsidies for U.S.-made products and aimed at addressing the climate crisis and promoting renewable energy. "What we decided with President Biden is precisely to fix this issue. On Thursday, speaking alongside Macron, Biden said: "There are tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate and or be on their own." Reporting by Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] Firefighters work outside an office building destroyed in shelling in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, Ukraine December 5, 2022. A new Russian missile barrage had been anticipated in Ukraine for days and it took place just as emergency blackouts were due to end, with previous damage repaired. "In many regions, there will have to be emergency blackouts," he said in a late Monday video address. The United States said it would convene a virtual meeting on Thursday with oil and gas executives to discuss how it can support Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Russia says it is waging a "special military operation" in Ukraine to rid it of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities.

Shipping companies have snapped up dozens of secondhand oil tankers this year, paying record prices for ice-class ships that can navigate frozen seas around Russia’s Baltic ports in winter. A driving force behind the purchases, say people familiar with the deals: To get Russian oil to market after the harshest sanctions to date strike Russia’s energy industry next week.

☆ U.S. diplomat says China protests had effect in easing COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Protests in China against the world's toughest COVID-19 restrictions are dying down because they have had an effect, a top U.S. diplomat said on Friday, as Beijing further eased testing and quarantine rules. Anger over the curbs had fueled dozens of protests in more than 20 cities in recent days in a show of civil disobedience unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012. "Protests do matter," she said, adding that she recognized China had used security forces to quash the demonstrations and put protesters in jail. Asked by students at the university event about the threat of conflict between China and Taiwan, Sherman said war was possible. "I think war is potentially possible because Xi Jinping now has absolute control in China," Sherman said.

☆ White House on Trump dinner with white supremacist: No place for these 'vile forces' in U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The White House on Monday joined some Republicans in criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump for dining with white supremacist Nick Fuentes, saying there is no place in America for "vile forces" such as racism, bigotry and anti-Semitism. "There is just no place for these types of vile forces in our society," she told reporters. "President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite and a Holocaust denier a seat at the table, and I think he should apologize," Pence told NewsNation on Monday. The White House had already slammed Trump on Sunday, saying in a statement that "bigotry, hate, and antisemitism have absolutely no place in America - including at Mar-A-Lago." "We should all be condemning this, and we should be very clear - very clear - and say it in really absolute clear terms," she said.

[1/2] Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance speaks during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Friday regulation rather than opposition of the crypto sector is a better option for world governments as digital currencies become more mainstream. Regulation of crypto currencies has come into sharp focus following the collapse of several platforms, culminating in the crash of the FTX currency exchange earlier this month. It's better to regulate the industry instead of trying to fight against it," Zhao said, speaking at a Binance event in Athens. Asked whether he saw countries adding crypto currencies such as Bitcoin to their reserves in the future, Zhao said he expected countries to start, particularly those which did not have their own currency.

☆ Ukraine urges limiting electricity use and readies voluntary Kherson evacuation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] A woman walks past a statue in the central sqaure after Russia's military retreat from Kherson, Ukraine November 21, 2022. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that half of the country's power capacity had been knocked out by Russian rockets. Ukraine narrowly escaped disaster during fighting at the weekend that rocked the plant, Europe's largest, with a barrage of shells. The head of Russia's state-run nuclear energy agency, Rosatom, said it had discussed Sunday's shelling with the IAEA, and said there was a risk of a nuclear accident. Ukraine's nuclear energy firm Energoatom said Russia's military shelled the site, accusing it of nuclear blackmail and actions that were "endangering the whole world".

☆ U.S. Justice Dept. names war crimes expert as special counsel for Trump probes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Trump called the special counsel appointment a "rigged deal." Biden did not respond to shouted questions from reporters about the special counsel during his only public appearance of the day. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein 1 2 3This marks the second time in five years that the Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to probe Trump's conduct. Smith is the Justice Department's third special counsel to be appointed since 2017 to handle a politically sensitive case. In 2019, Barr appointed John Durham as special counsel to investigate the origins of the FBI's probe into Trump's 2016 campaign.

☆ Greeks march to commemorate 1973 student uprising
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] People march during a rally marking the 48th anniversary of the 1973 student uprising against the military dictatorship that was ruling Greece, in Athens, Greece, November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Thousands of Greeks marched through central Athens on Thursday to mark the anniversary of a violently quashed student uprising in 1973 that helped topple the military junta which then ruled the country. Brief tension broke out between police and protesters before the march reached the heavily guarded parliament on Syntagma square. At the front of the procession, youths held a blood-stained flag that belonged to the students engaged in the 1973 revolt. Earlier, people laid wreaths and carnations at the Athens Polytechnic, site of a bloody clamp-down on Nov. 17 1973 when tanks smashed through the gates to crush the revolt that heralded the end of the junta.

☆ Biden congratulates Republicans on winning House majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, on Wednesday congratulated Republicans on their projected majority in the U.S. House of Representatives following last week's midterm elections, saying he would work with them to deliver for Americans. "The American people want us to get things done for them," he said in a statement issued by the White House. "I will work with anyone – Republican or Democrat – willing to work with me to deliver results for them," he said. Reporting by Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; editing by Eric BeechOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Republicans win U.S. House majority, setting stage for divided government
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks to reporters after McCarthy was nominated by fellow Republicans to be their leader or the Speaker of the House if they take control in the next Congress, following House Republican leadership elections at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2022. REUTERS/Michael A. McCoyWASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Republicans were projected to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting the stage for two years of divided government as President Joe Biden's Democratic Party held control of the Senate. Even though the expected "red wave" of House Republicans never reached shore, conservatives are sticking to their agenda. The 2024 election will immediately influence many of the legislative decisions House Republicans pursue as they flex their muscles with a new-found majority, however narrow. House Republican Leader McCarthy on Tuesday won the support of a majority of his caucus to run for the powerful position to succeed Nancy Pelosi.

☆ Ukraine hails China's opposition to nuclear threats
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Zelenskiy, who had earlier visited Kherson, the biggest prize his troops have recaptured since the invasion began in February, welcomed Monday's remarks. "It is important that the United States and China jointly highlighted that the threats of using nuclear weapons were unacceptable," Zelenskiy said in a late Monday address. Zelenskiy said Ukraine had gathered evidence of at least 400 war crimes committed by Russian troops during their occupation of the area, including killings and abductions. Mass burial sites have been found in other parts previously occupied by Russian troops, including some with civilian bodies showing signs of torture. Russia says it is waging a "special military operation" in Ukraine to rid it of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities.

☆ Reports coming out of Poland 'incredibly concerning' - U.S. State Dept
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Marek Strzelecki | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Reports that Russian missiles have crossed into Poland near the Ukrainian border are "incredibly concerning," State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Tuesday, adding that Washington is working to determine what happened and appropriate next steps. The State Department is talking to a range of partners about the reports and is working with the Polish government, Patel told reporters at a regular news briefing. Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis and Costas Pitas; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden offers Poland full U.S. support in blast investigation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 15 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden offered his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda full U.S. support with the country's probe into a blast that killed two people near the border with Ukraine, the White House said. "President Biden offered full U.S support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation," the White House said after the pair spoke. NATO allies are investigating unconfirmed reports the explosion was caused by stray Russian missiles. Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Chris GallagherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden would veto proposed U.S. Senate resolution to end COVID national emergency -White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 15 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden would veto a proposed U.S. Senate resolution that would terminate a national emergency declared in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House said on Tuesday. Senator Roger Marshall in September called for a vote to end the emergency declaration after Biden told CBS News in an interview that the pandemic was "over." The White House later walked back Biden's comments, saying there had been no change in the administration's COVID-19 policy. Marshall's proposed resolution was put on the Senate calendar in October but has not yet been put to a vote in the Democrat-controlled chamber. Reporting by Eric Beech and Dan Whitcomb; editing by Costas Pitas and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. official says Russian missiles hit Poland, killing two -Associated Press
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. intelligence official said Russian missiles crossed into Poland, killing two people, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation, the AP reported. Firefighters in Poland said on Tuesday two people died in an explosion in Przewodow, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine. read morePolish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called an urgent meeting of a government committee for national security and defense affairs, the government spokesman said on Twitter. Reporting By Paul Grant and Costas Pitas; Editing by Tim AhmannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. to allow some Russian energy-related transactions until next May
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Simon Jessop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The United States will allow some energy-related transactions with several Russian entities including Sberbank (SBER.MM), VTB Bank (VTBR.MM) and Alfa-Bank to continue through May 14, the Treasury Department said on Thursday. Treasury said in a notice on its website that it was extending a general license that was set to expire next month. Russia's central bank is also on the list of entities. The move comes weeks before the Group of Seven's Dec. 5 price cap on Russian oil is set to take effect. Reporting by Costas Pitas and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Eric BeechOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden to nominate Daniel Werfel to head up IRS
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will nominate Daniel Werfel to be the next commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax agency, succeeding Charles Rettig whose term ends on Saturday, the White House said on Thursday. Werfel previously served as acting commissioner of the body in 2013, when the White House said he "provided immediate stability to the IRS, effectively responding to numerous Congressional investigations." The IRS faces a number of challenges including a recent partisan divide over the hiring of new agents. In August, an internal Treasury memo showed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen directed the organization to produce within six months a detailed plan for deploying $80 billion in newly enacted enforcement funding. "After decades of underfunding, the IRS now has the resources it needs to improve services for taxpayers and modernize outdated technology and infrastructure," she said.

☆ Musk tells Twitter staff: Bankruptcy isn’t out of the question- Platformer
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Twitter owner Elon Musk told employees on Thursday that he is not sure how much run rate the company has and that bankruptcy is not out of the question, the Managing Editor of tech newsletter Platformer tweeted. Musk is participating in an all-hands meeting with Twitter employees, a source told Reuters. Twitter did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment from Reuters. Reporting by Costas Pitas in Los Angeles and Katie Paul in Palo Alto, Calif., Editing by Franklin PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Republicans are favored to win a majority in the House of Representatives in Tuesday's elections, with the Senate rated a toss-up by nonpartisan election forecasters. A crackdown on users impersonating Musk prompted Twitter to suspend comedian Kathy Griffin. Musk also moved his personal residence from California to Texas, where there is no state income tax. In April, Musk said on Twitter he believes that for the platform "to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral." Federal authorities are investigating Musk over his conduct in acquiring Twitter, the company said in a court filing last month.

☆ 'Say Hey, Willie Mays!' review: The baseball great gets his due from an HBO documentary that makes one error
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you subscribe to the theory that Willie Mays was the greatest baseball player who ever lived, consider “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” additional ammunition for bar arguments, as well as a whole lot of fun. Those interviewed include Mays’ godson, Barry Bonds, and note that Mays played a pivotal role in bringing him to the Giants in 1993. Setting that aside, “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” is the kind of treat to help tide over baseball fans through the post-season, giving Mays his due while he’s still around to take a bow. It’s a gift for baseball fans who saw him play before he hung up that golden glove nearly 50 years ago, and maybe even more so, for those who didn’t. “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” premieres November 8 at 9 p.m.

☆ Biden says Twitter spews lies across the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROSEMONT, Illinois, Nov 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that Elon Musk had purchased a social media platform in Twitter that spews lies across the world. Biden said at a fundraiser: "And now what are we all worried about: Elon Musk goes out and buys an outfit that sends - that spews lies all across the world... There’s no editors anymore in America. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier that Biden had been clear about the need to reduce hate speech and misinformation. "That belief extends to Twitter, it extends to Facebook and any other social media platforms where users can spread misinformation," she said. Musk has promised to restore free speech while preventing Twitter from descending into a "hellscape."

☆ Ancient Greek artifacts go on display for first time, amid protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A visitor takes a picture of a marble Cycladic female figurine, during the opening of the exhibition ''Homecoming. Cycladic treasures on their return journey'' at the Museum of Cycladic Art, in Athens Greece, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Fifteen ancient Greek artifacts from the private Cycladic art collection of a U.S. billionaire went on display for the first time on Wednesday in Athens, under an agreement which has stirred controversy in Greece. A small group of protesters held a white banner outside the museum during the event on Wednesday reading, "They're stolen." Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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