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☆ Britain rejoins EU's Horizon science programme in further boost for ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a visit to Kent Scientific Services in West Malling, Kent, Britain, May 30, 2023. The agreement, which excludes the EU's Euratom nuclear research scheme, signals a further improvement in bilateral relations seven months after a row over trade was resolved. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said in a statement he had secured "improved financial terms of association" with the Horizon project. "This is the right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers," Sunak said. Sunak's office said Britain would also associate with the European earth observation programme Copernicus, but not with the EU's Euratom programme, instead choosing to pursue a domestic fusion energy strategy.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Daniel Leal, Sunak, Copernicus, Rishi Sunak's, Ursula von der Leyen, Alistair Smout, Kylie MacLellan, Elizabeth Piper, John Stonestreet Organizations: Britain's, Kent Scientific Services, REUTERS Acquire, EU, LONDON, Union's, Horizon, Twitter, Northern Ireland, Thomson Locations: West Malling, Kent, Britain, Horizon Europe, Europe, EU

☆ Europe has dodged Putin’s gas bullet. But it’s still thirsty for cheap energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

For Europe, energy security has always been a trade-off: Cheap, imported energy comes with the risk of dependency on the countries from which it originates. Europe had an especially mild winter while governments and citizens made a concerted effort to use less gas. Despite these efforts, officials and analysts are fearful that however impressive these advancements have been, Europe’s energy is far from secure in the long term. And when it comes to energy security, dependency ultimately brings us back to that classic trade-off: economics versus risk. China is not the only threat when it comes to energy security in Europe.

Persons: guzzled, Vladimir Putin, –, Sean Gallup, Koen van Weel, ”, Milan Elkerbout, Kevin Frayer, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der, Adam Bell, it’s, Ursula von der, Yves Herman, Velina Tchakarova, ” Tchakarova Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, European Union, EU, Getty, Center for European Policy Studies, China . Workers, China Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Moscow, European, Lubmin, Germany, Port, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Qatar, Nigeria, China, Huainan, Anhui province, Brussels, Beijing, Belgium, Taiwan, cyberattacks . China, Saudi Arabia, Khazakstan, Libya

LONDON (AP) — Britain is rejoining the European Union’s $100 billion science-sharing program Horizon Europe, the two sides announced Thursday, more than two years after the country's membership became a casualty of Brexit. British scientists expressed relief at the decision, the latest sign of thawing relations between the EU and its former member nation. Britain is also rejoining Copernicus, the EU space program’s Earth observation component. Relations between Britain and the bloc were severely tested during the long divorce negotiations that followed Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU. British scientists, who feared Brexit would hurt international research collaboration, breathed sighs of relief at the Horizon deal.

Persons: Copernicus, ”, Ursula von der Leyen, Rishi Sunak, “, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Paul Nurse, Francis Crick, didn’t, Peter Kyle Organizations: EU, Horizon, Northern, Republic of Ireland, Labour Party, Labour Locations: Britain, EU, Northern Ireland, Republic of, Europe

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Climate change is “relentlessly eating away” at Africa’s economic progress and it’s time to have a global conversation about a carbon tax on polluters, Kenya’s president declared Tuesday as the first Africa Climate Summit got underway. He and other leaders urged reforms to the global financial structures that have left African nations paying about five times more to borrow money than others, worsening the debt crisis for many. Africa has more than 30 of the world’s most indebted countries, Kenya’s Cabinet secretary for the environment, Soipan Tuya, said. Africa’s GDP should be revalued for its assets, which include the world's second-largest rainforest and biodiversity, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said. “It is an African story, and I daresay it’s a global story, too.”___Follow AP’s coverage of the climate at https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment and of Africa at https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Persons: William Ruto, Tuya, John Kerry, Kerry, Joe Biden, ” Ruto, ”, Ruto, “ It’s, Sahle, Zewde, Akinwumi Adesina, Adesina, Martha Lusweti, Antonio Guterres, Ursula Von der Leyen, lullabies, Sierra, Julius Maada Organizations: Africa Climate Summit, European Union, Kenyan, United, United Arab Emirates, Development Bank, ”, International Monetary Fund Locations: NAIROBI, Kenya, Africa, China, United States, U.S, United Arab, United Nations, Europe, U.N, Africa's, Nigeria's Niger Delta, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Congo, africa

☆ G20 New Delhi summit 2023: Which countries and leaders will attend?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside Le Meridien hotel during a rehearsal ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2023. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAKSunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain's prime minister. GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZScholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSARamaphosa has expressed full support for India's G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

Persons: Le, Adnan Abidi, JOE BIDEN Biden, Biden, XI, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, JUSTIN TRUDEAU Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, RISHI SUNAK Sunak, KISHIDA, ANTHONY ALBANESE, YOON SUK, YEOL Yoon, OLAF SCHOLZ Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON, Modi, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Ramaphosa, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ Fernandez, BOLA TINUBU Tinubu, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL The, SHEIKH HASINA, Sheikh Hasina, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, JOKO, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal Court, ICC, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH, Associated Press, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, African Union, NIGERIA'S, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA Brazil, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL The European Union, BANGLADESH, Thomson Locations: Le Meridien, New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, U.S, RUSSIAN, Russia, South Africa, Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Saudi, SHEIKH HASINA Bangladesh, Bangladesh, MELONI Italy

People in Mumbai celebrate the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon on August 23. Chandrayaan-3’s journeyAs Chandrayaan-3 approached the moon, its cameras captured photographs, including one taken on August 20 that India’s space agency shared Tuesday. India’s lunar lander consists of three parts: a lander, rover and propulsion module, which provided the spacecraft all the thrust required to traverse the 384,400-kilometer (238,855-mile) void between the moon and Earth. The lander, called Vikram, completed the precision maneuvers required to make a soft touchdown on the lunar surface after it was ejected from the propulsion module. A view of the moon as viewed by the Chandrayaan-3 lander during Lunar Orbit Insertion on August 5, 2023.

Persons: Vikram, India’s, ”, Somanath, Abhishek Chinnappa, “, Ashish Kumar Verma, Charvi Katare, Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, “ Humble, Ursula von der Leyen, Narendra Modi, Russia’s Luna, Indranil Mukherjee, Modi, Jaishankar, Sergey Lavrov, ” Lavrov, Somnath, Bill Nelson Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Wednesday, Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, Indian Space Research Organisation, of Scientific, Industrial Research, Twitter, European Union, Russia –, Soviet Union, Workers, Getty Images, ” India’s, NASA Locations: New Delhi, India, Sikh, Mumbai, ”, Russia, United States, China, Washington, assertiveness, Ukraine, Delhi, Moscow, South Africa, Johannesburg

☆ EU members’ China cuddling weakens Brussels’ hand
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Security concerns clash with supply-chain needs and national export ambitions, while state-aid spats gum up the works. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will struggle to find a way forward. Von der Leyen on July 31 criticised Beijing for its geopolitical stances, but she needs to keep trade flowing. But Washington’s subsidy-heavy Inflation Reduction Act may also drive the EU closer to China because of its protectionist bent. Von der Leyen’s challenge will be to avoid a trade war or subsidies race while also being mindful of security threats.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, François, Germany’s, Von der, China’s, Francesco Guerrera, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, European, Eurostat, Reuters Graphics, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Volkswagen, BASF, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, China, European Union, Beijing, Europe, “, U.S, Brussels, France, Philippines, Germany, EU

☆ Europe wants China in its corner on Ukraine. But their relations are a tricky balancing act
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —European officials took some small comfort when China attended a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last weekend. The only downside is how it makes others think about China.”It’s no secret that China’s relationship with Europe has become tetchy. Multiple officials explained to CNN that the relationship with China is in a sort of stasis that tries to balance what Europe needs versus what Europe wants. Europe still imports vastly more from China than it exports, a reflection of the level of dependency it has on China. In 2023, European officials know that China represents a major security concern and that becoming overly dependent on China is a risk.

Persons: it’s, Vladimir Putin, “, ”, Wang Yi, Sergey Lavrov, Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, It’s, Russia –, Moscow’s, ” Alicja, €, Ursula von der Leyen, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, Jacques Witt, they’re, Sam Goodman, Goodman, Charles Parton Organizations: CNN, EU, “, Russia, Saudi Press Agency, Reuters, European Council, Foreign Relations, Europe, Investment, Beijing, European Commission, East, Risks Institute, Putin’s, Huawei Locations: China, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Beijing, Russia, Russian, Alaska, Europe, Washington, Brussels, Eurasia, Taiwan, France, Germany, Spain, Guandong, Guangzhou, Reuters Brussels, West, Putin’s Moscow, America

☆ Could the curse of Tutankhamun’s tomb be caused by fungi?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Rumors of a curse have persisted since Howard Carter and others found Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. But because he'd been present at the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb a few months prior, rumors of a curse started to swirl. But dozens of Egyptian laborers contributed physical and skilled labor to excavate Tutankhamun's tomb. As the decades passed, some scientists wondered if there was something deadly lurking in Tutankhamun's tomb: fungi. Egyptian carpenters prepare to reseal Tutankhamun's tomb with Howard Carter circa 1923.

Persons: Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon, he'd, King, Carter, Carter's, Tutankhamun, George Herbert , 5th Earl of Carnarvon, LiveScience, Lord Carnarvon's, Susie, Carnarvon, Evelyn Herbert, Harry Burton, Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Carnarvon's, Sir Ernest A, Wallis Budge, George Jay Gould, Philip Livingston Poe, Edgar Allen Poe, Richard Bethell, Howard, King Tutankhamun, Apic, Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey, Frank McClanahan Organizations: Service, New York Times, British Museum, Savoy, Harvard University, Hulton, Safety Locations: Wall, Silicon, British, Luxor, Egypt, Cairo, Hampshire, England, London, Aspergillosis

☆ From Washington to Warsaw, a ‘greenlash’ is picking up steam despite extreme heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A pushback against climate policies is not just a U.S. issue. Reprisals over climate policies come at a time of record-breaking extreme heat across the globe, with July poised to be the hottest month in human history. Ruling party leader Jarosław Kaczyński described the bloc's green policies as "madness" and akin to "green communism." "At the moment, it looks like green parties are not doing going fantastically well. "The IRA is called an IRA, it is not called a climate act because there's no way that you could get Democrats and Republicans to agree on something called climate," Tocci said.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, ESG, —, Kevin McCarthy, Drew Angerer, Nathalie Tocci, Tocci, U.N, António, Sadiq Khan's, Jarosław Kaczyński, Emmanuel Macron, Alexander De Croo, Ursula von der, Kenzo Tribouillard, Joe Biden's, Mark Rutte's, …, Jan Willem Erisman, Mateusz Morawiecki, Michal Hetmanski Organizations: Afp, Getty, Republican Gov, House, Biden, U.S, Capitol, Istituto, CNBC, Farmer, Movement, Internazionali, Belgian, Belgium's, IRA, BBB, Farmers, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Leiden University Locations: London, Marble, U.S, Europe, Florida, Washington ,, Italian, Poland, Ostend, European, Netherlands, The Hague, Polish, Warsaw

☆ EU ready to strengthen maritime security cooperation with the Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., claps beside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after signing ceremonies at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila, Philippines, July 31, 2023.Aaron Favila/POOL via REUTERSMANILA, July 31 (Reuters) - The European Union is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, as she stressed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. She was speaking after a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila where the two leaders discussed a range of issues from security and trade to climate change. "We are ready to strengthen the cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security in the region by sharing information, conducting threat assessment and building the capacity of your coast guard," she said in a joint press conference with Marcos. Von der Leyen on Monday reaffirmed the EU's support for a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's expansive claims, saying the ruling is legally binding and provides the basis for resolving disputes peacefully. Von der Leyen also said the European Union will support the Philippines' fight against climate change, which is a priority for Marcos as he pushes to increase renewables in the country's power mix to 35% by 2030.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Ursula von der Leyen, Aaron Favila, Marcos, Von der Leyen, Karen Lema, Neil Jerome Morales, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Philippine, European, REUTERS, European Union, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, REUTERS MANILA, The Philippines, United States, China, South China, European

It has yet to disburse a $131.5 million loan to Niger that was approved on July 5, it added. The interior minister, transport minister, and a deputy had already been detained, it added. The arrests confirm the "repressive and dictatorial" nature of the coup leaders, the party said in a statement, calling on citizens to come together to protect democracy. The arrests were announced a day after Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby arrived in Niger to try to mediate between the coup leaders and the ousted government. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, last week welcomed the coup in Niger, and said his forces were available to restore order.

Persons: Niger's, Mohamed Bazoum, Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, Issoufou Mahamadou, Mahamat Idriss Deby, Deby, Bazoum, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Abdourahamane Tiani, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Antonio Tajani, Boureima Balima, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Anait Miridzhanian, Bate Felix, Nellie Peyton, Sofia Christensen, Alexander Winning, Bernadette Baum, Andrew Heavens, Nick Macfie Organizations: International Monetary Fund, IMF, CFA, West, African Union, European Union, Islamic, Junta, Nigerien Party for Democracy and, Chadian, ECOWAS, EU, REUTERS, Twitter, French Foreign Ministry, Paris, White, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, West, Central Africa, United States, France, Islamic State, al Qaeda, EU, U.S, Nigerien, Niamey, Mali, Burkina Faso, Russia, Niger's

But she said more needed to be done to prevent migrants trying to make the perilous Mediterranean crossing via unauthorised means. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed Meloni's point about offering legal routes into the 27-nation European Union (EU). Europe has pledged 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in aid to help Tunisia with its battered economy, with 100 million euros speficially earmarked for tackling illegal migration. The EU could work with countries such as Tunisia in expanding their production of renewable energy to the benefit of all, she added. Conference host Italy is struggling to cope with the number of unauthorised migrants arriving in centres such as its far southern island of Lampedusa.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Meloni, Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Mohamed al, POPE, Peter's, Pope Francis, COVID, Antonio Tajani, Ahmed Elumami, Foo Yun Chee, Conor Humphries Organizations: European Union, Presidential, Conference, EU, Thomson Locations: Italian, Rome, Europe, Italy, EU, Tunisia, St, Africa, Lampedusa, Tripoli, Brussels

☆ Tunisia migration deal a model for others, EU's von der Leyen says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, July 23 (Reuters) - The European Union's pact with Tunisia can serve as a model for other countries, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday, as the EU struggles to stem unauthorised flows of migrants across the Mediterranean. The EU and Tunisia last week signed a "strategic partnership" deal that includes cracking down on human traffickers and tightening borders. Europe also pledged 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in aid to help Tunisia with its battered economy and rescue state finances. For partnerships with other countries in the region," von der Leyen told a conference in Rome. New strategic partnerships would incorporate economic development, trade and investment, with mutual advantages in areas such as climate and renewable energy.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Angelo Amante, Foo Yun, Keith Weir Organizations: European, Thomson Locations: Tunisia, EU, Europe, Rome, Egypt, Morocco

☆ Tunisia’s president is accused of racism and dictatorship. He’s now getting a billion euros from Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“Since 2011, the European Union has been supporting Tunisia’s journey of democracy,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after signing the agreement. But these difficulties can be overcome.”Several European lawmakers and human rights organizations have warned that any agreement that doesn’t include human rights assurances would be seen as an endorsement of Saied’s anti-democratic policies. Values lose.”Saied rose to power in 2019 after the death of Tunisia’s first democratically elected president Beji Caid Essebsi. The EU is cooperating with Tunisia on migration despite serious allegations of human rights abuses against migrants on Tunisia’s part. It brokered a similar agreement with Libya in 2017 despite documented human rights violations there.

Persons: Kais Saied, ”, Ursula von der Leyen, Sophie, Veld, ” Camille Le Coz, Tunisia’s, Beji Caid, Saied, von der Leyen, Georgia Meloni, Mark Rutte, Tunisia “, ” Max Gallien, ” Le Coz, ’ Gallien, Gallien Organizations: CNN, European Union, Civil Liberties, Justice, Home Affairs, Migration, Dutch, European Commission, EU, UN Refugee Agency, UN, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, European Council, Commission, Libya Locations: Tunisia, Europe, ‘, Brussels, Italian, Tunis, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Netherlands, France, Germany, EU, Africa, Libya

☆ Tunisia and EU sign pact to stem migration
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Tarek Amara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The deal follow weeks of talks and Europe's pledge of major aid to Tunisia amounting to 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) to help its battered economy, rescue state finances and deal with a migration crisis. All essential measures for bolstering efforts to stop irregular migration," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Twitter. The European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyens said the bloc will allocate 100 million euros to Tunisia to help it combat illegal migration. Thousands of undocumented African migrants have flocked to the city of Sfax in recent months seeking to head for Europe in traffickers' boats, amounting to an unprecedented migration crisis for Tunisia. "We are very pleased, it is a further important step towards creation of a true partnership between Tunisia and the EU, which can address in an integrated fashion the migration crisis," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Miloni said.

Persons: Kais Saied, Giorgia Meloni, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte, Read, Europe's, Ursula von der Leyens, Giorgia Miloni, Meloni, Saied, Tarek Amara, Crispian Balmer, Anthony Deutsch, Hatem Maher, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Dutch, European Union, Twitter, European Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: Italian, Tunisia, EU, Tunis, TUNIS, Europe, Sfax, Rome, Italy, Libya, Amesterdam

☆ China's Wang Yi urges EU to 'clarify' its position on partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 15 (Reuters) - The European Union must further "clarify" its position on its strategic partnership with Beijing, China's top diplomat Wang Yi told European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, as EU leaders called for reduced dependence on China. The launch of an EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership in 2003 had promised to elevate ties beyond trade and investment. In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a hardening of China's position required Europe to "de-risk" both economically and diplomatically. During his meeting with Borrell, Wang called on both sides to guard against the politicisation of economic issues and the use of "de-risking" as another term for "decoupling". There is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and the EU, Wang said.

Persons: Wang Yi, Josep Borrell, Wang, Borrell, Ursula von der Leyen, Ryan Woo, Michael Perry, William Mallard Organizations: European Union, EU, Twitter, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China's, China, EU, Moscow, Ukraine, Jakarta, Europe, Taiwan

London/Hong Kong CNN —The European Union has lifted all import restrictions on food, including fish, produced near the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan just as Tokyo prepares to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean. The bloc’s move follows positive results from tests carried out on the products by the Japanese authorities and EU member states, the European Commission said in a statement Thursday. After the Fukushima plant melted down in 2011 following an earthquake and tsunami, the EU restricted food imports from 10 prefectures in Japan and started requiring pre-export tests on food products for radioactivity. It has since regularly reviewed the measures and progressively eased them “as risks declined,” the European Commission said. On Wednesday, Hong Kong, one of the world’s top buyers of Japan’s fish, said it would ban seafood imports from 10 prefectures in the country if Tokyo pressed ahead with the wastewater release.

Persons: “, Ursula von der Leyen, — Mohammed Tawfeeq Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, European, European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency, ” Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, Tokyo, United States, South Korea, China, Fukushima, Atlanta

[1/5] Migrants wait to be rescued by Italian Coast Guard off the coast of Italy, April 10, 2023. The fact that Meloni, a figurehead of the new right, has not carried through on her pledges underscores how intractable the problem is. NORTH AFRICAIn the run-up to the 2022 election, Meloni said she would impose a naval blockade to prevent boats leaving north Africa. Meloni visited Tunisia twice last month, seeking progress in unblocking loans that she says are needed to avoid a financial crisis that might trigger a tsunami of departures. However, a review of migrant flows through Europe over the past decade suggests Italy might not benefit in the way Meloni hopes.

Persons: Meloni, King Canute, Giorgia Meloni, Mattia Diletti, Matteo Piantedosi, Matteo Villa, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte, ISPI's Villa, COVID, Michelangelo Agrusti, Crispian Balmer, Angelo Amante, Alex Richardson Organizations: Italian Coast Guard, REUTERS, Rome's Sapienza University . Immigration, Ministry, European, Dutch, European Commission, EU, Business, Thomson Locations: Italy, Tunisia, Libya, ROME, Europe, Lampedusa, AFRICA, Africa, North Africa, Tripoli, Brussels, Poland, Hungary, Rome

☆ EU helping UN, Turkey in bid to extend Black Sea grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A Kremlin spokesman later said that Russia had not taken a final decision on whether to exit the grain deal. The European Commission's priority is to ensure that Ukrainian grain can reach the world market and it calls on all parties to extend the Black Sea deal, a European Union spokesperson in Brussels said on Thursday. Russia has threatened to ditch the Black Sea grain deal because several demands to dispatch its own grain and fertilizer abroad have not been met. The last ship traveling under the Black Sea agreement is currently loading its cargo at the Ukrainian port of Odesa ahead of the Monday deadline. Britain has also "worked very closely with the City of London to enable a very complex payment system" for Russian grain, Britain's U.N. ambassador, Barbara Woodward, has said.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, SWIFT, Guterres, Putin, Ursula von der Leyen, Putin's, U.N, Barbara Woodward, Woodward, Michelle Nichols, Foo Yun Chee, Angus MacSwan, Leslie Adler Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, European Commission, United, Black, European Union, Russian Agricultural Bank, Reuters, United Nations, Kremlin, JPMorgan Chase &, reassurances, U.S ., The United Nations, African Export, Import Bank, City, Thomson Locations: United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, EU, U.N, Moscow, Brussels, Russian, Odesa, Africa, Britain, London

☆ EU blesses transatlantic data sharing deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Those data flows had been threatened when a previous EU-US agreement was struck down in 2020 by Europe’s top court over insufficient privacy protections for EU citizens. With the EU’s approval, the new agreement again allows businesses to transfer European data to the United States as if it were another EU member state, without requirements to implement additional privacy safeguards. Monday’s so-called “adequacy decision” by the European Commission paves the way for companies to sign up for the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which entered into force the same day. The order also provided for the creation of a new court-like body that can force US companies to delete EU citizens’ data if an investigation determines that EU citizens’ privacy rights were violated. EU citizens will be able to file individual complaints to the Data Protection Review Court.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, ” von der Leyen, “, Max Schrems Organizations: Washington CNN, Union, Monday, Europe’s, European Commission, EU, Data Locations: United States, EU

☆ Russia says it's snagged the intact parts of a Storm Shadow missile, and can now study the British-made munition that's been devastating its operations in Ukraine from long range
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia said on Thursday that it's obtained intact parts of a downed Storm Shadow missile. "The Storm Shadow missile, shot down by Russian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region, was brought to Moscow for study," Russian state news agency TASS reported. Describing the missile as a "trophy," TASS wrote that Russian authorities had already received the Storm Shadow parts and are inspecting them. Rogozin said Ukraine shelled the area around the downed missile and sent troops to block Russian forces from securing the Storm Shadow parts, per TASS. "The two-day operation to evacuate the captured Storm Shadow has been successfully completed," read a caption for the Telegram post.

Persons: it's, —, Dmitry Rogozin, Rogozin, Storm Shadow, Ukraine —, Ben Wallace, Ursula von der Leyen, Elliot Napier Organizations: Storm Shadow, Service, Russia, Storm, TASS, Telegram, intel, UK Ministry of Defense, Russia's Ministry of Defense, European Commission, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense Locations: Russia, Russian, Zaporizhzhia, Moscow, British, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ EU and Belgium invest $1.6 billion in chip technology firm Imec
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 7 (Reuters) - The European Union and Belgium's regional Flemish government will together invest 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in Belgian chip technology firm Imec, the Flemish government said on Friday. Imec will use the investment to expand its "clean room" test facility with the most advanced equipment and processes, the company said in a statement. Von der Leyen, who was visiting Imec, stressed the EU's stance that it should de-risk its supply chains for chips. While Von der Leyen did not directly address China's planned curbs on exports of strategic metals widely used in the semiconductor industry, she said the EU should reduce its dependency "on too few suppliers from East Asia". ($1 = 0.9195 euros)Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Imec, Jan Jambon, Ursula von der Leyen, Alexander De Croo, Von der Leyen, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Mark Potter Organizations: European Union, Flemish, European, Belgian, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, East Asia

☆ EU leaders to pledge de-risk from China and debate what this means
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) - European Union leaders are set on Friday to commit to reducing the bloc's dependence on China and debate how to strike the balance between "de-risking" and engaging in areas such as climate change. EU leaders will seek on Friday to present a united front, but there are clear differences between countries such as France and Germany, with sizeable business interests in China, and Lithuania, on which Chinese has imposed sanctions. The conclusions, which could still be changed, say the European Union will reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities, including in supply chains, and will de-risk and diversify where necessary. "The European Union does not intend to decouple or to turn inwards," the conclusions say. The 27-nation European Union has since 2019 considered China a partner, competitor and system rival.

Persons: Krisjanis Karins, Ursula von der Leyen, Philip Blenkinsop, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Union, European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, China, Latvian, Brussels, Russia, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, France, Germany, Lithuania, European Union, Europe, EU

☆ EU leaders push to fund Ukraine with proceeds from Russia's frozen assets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | Thomson Reuters | Jan Is The Acting Bureau Chief In Brussels. He Has Been Covering European Union Policy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 29 (Reuters) - European Union leaders will push senior officials on Thursday to find legal ways to funnel proceeds from billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets into projects helping rebuild Ukraine, papers showed. The bloc has said it froze more than 200 billion euros ($218.2 billion) of Russian central bank assets in reaction to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Another 30 billion euros of Russian oligarchs' private assets were also immobilised. The EU also needs to establish where to keep any proceeds from the Russian assets and how to disburse them. Belgium's Euroclear, which settles transactions and safeguards assets, said blocked coupon payments and redemptions boosted its balance sheet by 88 billion euros year-on-year by the end of March to 140 billion euros.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Belgium's, Ursula von der Leyen, Jan Strupczewski, Philip Blenkinsop, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Union, Kremlin, European Council, High Representative, Commission, EU, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Russian, Brussels, Estonian, Russia, EU, United States, Canada, Britain, Japan

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