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☆ New Zealand forecasts much larger budget deficit but improved economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s government on Tuesday predicted a larger budget deficit but better-than-expected economic conditions in the year ahead, as it updated forecasts heading into the October election. The government forecast a budget deficit of NZ$11.4 billion ($6.7 billion) for the year ending June 30, 2024, much larger than a deficit of NZ$7.6 billion estimated in May. The global economy has deteriorated since May, which is having a direct impact on New Zealand's economy while tax revenue is also falling, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in a statement. "Treasury’s latest forecasts show the economy isn’t working for Kiwis," said National Party leader Christopher Luxon. ($1 = 1.6926 New Zealand dollars)Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Sam Holmes and Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Grant Robertson, Robertson, ", Christopher Luxon, Lucy Craymer, Sam Holmes, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Zealanders, Treasury, Kiwis, National Party, Reserve Bank of New, Zealand, Thomson Locations: Wellington , New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New Zealand

☆ In surprise move, Canada pauses talks on trade treaty with India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Canada on Friday unexpectedly said it had paused talks on a proposed trade treaty with India, just three months after the two nations said they aimed to seal an initial agreement this year. Canada and India have been talking off and on since 2010 about a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. India and Canada said in May they aimed to seal an initial agreement this year to increase trade and expand investment while setting out a mechanism to deal with disputes. Last month, a top Indian trade official said New Delhi planned to hold bilateral free trade talks with Canada and other nations on the sidelines of a G20 summit next week. Neither Trudeau's office or the office of Trade Minister Mary Ng were immediately available for comment.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Chris Helgren, we've, Sanjay Kumar Verma, Trudeau, Mary Ng, David Ljunggren, Jonathan Oatis, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Canada's, Seventh Assembly of, Global Environment, REUTERS, Rights, Canadian Press, Ottawa, Trade, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, India, New Delhi, Delhi

The United Nations headquarters building is pictured though a window with the UN logo in the foreground in the Manhattan borough of New York August 15, 2014. Canada said it would put in 200 million Canadian dollars ($147.20 million) and the United Kingdom contributed 10 million pounds ($12.60 million). Campaign group Avaaz said the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund needed $200 million from at least three donors by December to be considered operational. "Surely donors can come up with the paltry $40 million" needed to get the fund up and running. Framework Convention on Climate Change which has provided more than $23 billion to thousands of projects in the past 30 years.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, David Cooper, Avaaz, Oscar Soria, Gloria Dickie, Isla Binnie, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United Nations, UN, New York, REUTERS, Biological Diversity, Nations, Global Environment, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New, Vancouver, Canada, United Kingdom, Kunming, Montreal, London, New York

☆ Instant view: Russia's rouble weakens past 100 per US dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Russian rouble fell past the psychologically key 100 per U.S. dollar threshold for the first time since March last year on Monday. FILE PHOTO: Russian rouble and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration photo taken March 10, 2023. MICHAEL WANG, DEPUTY PORTFOLIO MANAGER, MIRABAUD ASSET MANAGEMENT“The rouble has been underperforming all this year, partly on lower oil revenues but also because of capital flight. “The rouble remains under the selling pressure in the current global environment dominated by concerns about China, which is Russia’s most important trading partner.”“The sharp fall in Russia’s current account surplus leaves the rouble more vulnerable to global sentiment. The CBR (Russian central bank) may have to raise interest rates further to cool down domestic demand and slow down imports to stabilize the rouble.”

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Vladimir Putin’s, MICHAEL WANG, TIMOTHY ASH, Nabiullina, ”, PIOTR MATYS Organizations: REUTERS, CBR Locations: Russian, Russia, POLAND, China, Russia’s

☆ Cocaine cartels encroach on Unification Church’s Paraguayan paradise
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Puerto Casado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +20 min

Many of the runways are on land owned by the Unification Church of South Korea, founded by Rev. The Unification Church is a major power in this unruly region. Byun, the Unification Church lawyer, provided Reuters with an April 2022 document the church sent to Paraguayan anti-narcotics prosecutors, urging an investigation into potential illicit activity. Trouble in paradiseThe alleged drug-running on its land isn’t the only trouble the Unification Church has faced in the Chaco. Byun, the church lawyer, acknowledged the tensions with locals in Puerto Casado but declined to comment on the Myungs or the fire.

Persons: Sun Myung, Michelle Byun, ” Byun, “, Moon, God, ”, Miguel Ángel Servín, Servín, Rodrigo Alvarez, Elva Cáceres, Marco Alcaraz, Cynthia Tarrago, Tarrago, Raimundo Va, Rodrigo Alvarenga Paredes, Byun, Alvarenga, “ Alvarenga, Rodrigo Álvarez, Álvarez, Pedro Juan Caballero, ‘ Lawless, –, Marcelo Pecci, José Carlos Acevedo, ” Acevedo, Pecci, Acevedo, Mario Abdo Benítez, James Laverty, Hak Ja, ” –, Carlos Casado, Anger, Locals, Lorenzo Myung, Martin Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Dora Irrazábal, Irrazábal, Alberto David Gauto, Gauto, Emilio Camacho, Moon’s, Hyun Jin, Preston, Hak, Hyung Jin, Sean, Massimo Introvigne, Sean Moon, Preston Moon, Puerto Casado, Virgilio Chamorro, Gabriel Stargardter, Daniela Desantis, Feilding, Tomas Bravo, John Emerson, Brian Thevenot Organizations: Unification Church of, Rev, Authorities, Reuters, Unification Church, Holy Spirit Association, South Korea’s Unification, Belgian, Sting, South, International Association of Parliamentarians, Peace, U.S . Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Party, Yorker, U.S, Attorney, FBI, Capital Command, PCC, United Nations Office, Drugs, U.S . Drug, Carlos Casado SA, Salesian, Supreme, FARC, Peace Foundation, Center for Studies, New, Iron Ministries, Preston, Tomas Bravo Graphics Locations: Paraguayan, Unification Church of South Korea, SENAD Paraguay, Chaco, Paraguay, Korea, Bolivian, Peruvian, Atlantic, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Europe, Argentine, Manhattan, “, Antwerp, Europe’s, Servín, Asunción, Seoul, New York City, United States, New Jersey, Tarrago, Va, U.S, Byun, Alvarenga, Chile, Ecuador, Colombian, Bolivia, American, South America, America, Puerto Casado, Gauto, Preston, Turin, Italy, Pennsylvania, Puerto

☆ Why we should build cities that are kind to nature
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Nadia Leigh-Hewitson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For Call to Earth Day 2023, we will focus on the vital link between urban areas and wilderness, and shed light on the impact cities have on distant natural spaces. Here, we explore how our cities can be part of the great tapestry of habitats on Earth. The feral flock is thought to represent around 10% of the remaining population, showing how cities can be safe spaces for wildlife. Letting animals moveThrough the sprawl of cities, animals increasingly encounter challenges in navigating their once-open territories. By blending the urban and natural worlds, these buildings can become a crucial part of the solution to create greener cities for future generations.

Persons: Noemi Cassanelli, ” Organizations: CNN, Park, Getty, International Locations: Varanasi, Hong Kong, Banff, Fukuoka, Japan

☆ With climate change, health care providers should be more mindful of heat-related illness, doctors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Heat stroke is one of the most common and most deadly heat-related illnesses, and it becomes a significant problem during heat waves. Even healthy young people can get heat stroke, particularly if they are working or exercising outside when temperatures are high. Sorensen’s Global Consortium is trying to make it so every health care provider considers weather as a factor in health problems. “It doesn’t have to get as hot in Northern states as compared to Southern states, presumably because of differences in societal, physiological, cultural, health care adaptations,” Dresser said. Harvard is also piloting a program that will send targeted alerts to nurses, doctors and other health care professionals at clinics in areas with dangerously high temperatures.

Persons: It’s, ”, Caitlin Rublee, Dr, Cecilia Sorensen, ” Sorensen, “ We’re, Rublee, “, Sorensen, ’ ” Sorensen, I’m, Caleb Dresser, ” Dresser, Sanjay Gupta, Dresser Organizations: CNN, University of Colorado School of Medicine, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Global, Health Education, Columbia University, Colorado ER, Sorensen’s, Harvard Center for Climate, Health, Global Environment, Get CNN, CNN Health, Harvard Locations: United States, Midwest, Colorado, Southern

WELLINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday the door was open for New Zealand to engage with the AUKUS weapons development and procurement project between the United States, Britain and Australia. The multi-stage AUKUS project announced in March is planned to culminate in the late 2030s and early 2040s with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class - SSN-AUKUS - and include "cutting edge" U.S. technologies. "The door's very much open for New Zealand and other partners to engage as they see appropriate going forward," Blinken told a news conference in Wellington. And so as we further develop AUKUS, as I said, the door is open to engagement." Blinken is New Zealand for just over a day as part of a three-country visit to the Pacific.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Chris Hipkins, Nanaia Mahuta, “, Mahuta, Renju Jose, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: WELLINGTON, British, New, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Zealand, United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Wellington, Pacific, Solomon Islands, Solomon, Sydney

☆ Project Wild Earth: This family of four has just embarked on a 5-year adventure around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Kate Springer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

They instantly connected and maintained a long-distance relationship for a year after his road trip ended before moving to Hong Kong to start a life together. During the project, dubbed “Project Wild Earth,” they will also share stories on their website and social media accounts about inspiring rangers, support organizations, government officials and entrepreneurs they work or come in contact with. Leah, an American, worked as a primary school teacher and helped establish a Sudbury school in Hong Kong that empowers children to direct their own education. The Priors found themselves stuck in Hong Kong, which had some of the strictest pandemic restrictions in the world due to its “zero-Covid” approach. “When these things unfolded in Hong Kong, we had to reconsider everything.

Persons: we’re, Matt, Leah Prior, Leah, Zapp, Graham, Paige, “ Leah, ” Matt, ”, “, AdventureX, Jack, Matt couldn’t, “ Jack, Sai Kung, “ It’s, Dr, Jane Goodall, Tompkins, Allen, –, Reinhard Dirscherl, Charlotte, they’ll Organizations: CNN, The Explorers Club, Sumy Sadurni, Getty, Allen Coral Atlas, Jane, Jane Goodall Institute and, Bank Locations: Charlotte, Laos, London, South Korea, Hong Kong, Europe, Central Asia, China, Southeast Asia, Asia, Pacific, Africa, Americas, American, Sudbury, British, Indonesia, Hong, New Territories, AFP, Patagonia, agroforestry

☆ In pictures: The Wimbledon men's singles final
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

"We are experiencing a major global environmental crisis that shows itself ... in the loss of biodiversity and native wildlife," Chilean Environment Minister Maisa Rojas said during a visit to inaugurate a new unit at the shelter on Wednesday. "It is at risk."

Persons: Maisa Rojas Locations: Chilean

☆ New Zealand prime minister says Pacific region less secure due to China's assertiveness
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AUCKLAND, July 17 (Reuters) - The Pacific region is becoming more contested and less secure as China becomes more assertive, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday, outlining the country’s need to work with like-minded partners while still engaging with Beijing. “Our region is becoming more contested, less predictable, and less secure,” he said. “And that poses challenges for small countries like New Zealand that are reliant on the stability and predictability of international rules for our prosperity and security." “In this increasingly complex global environment, our relationship with China will continue to require careful management,” he said. Wang Xiaolong, China’s ambassador to New Zealand said in a speech that China and New Zealand relations were healthy, stable and thriving.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Hipkins, ”, Wang Xiaolong, Lucy Craymer, Sandra Maler Organizations: AUCKLAND, Zealand, China Business Summit, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Auckland, “, New Zealand, New, Wellington, Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Lincoln

☆ In pictures: Czech Marketa Vondrousova wins Wimbledon title
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Maisa Rojas Locations: Chilean

☆ Floodwater brings Delhi to a standstill
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Maisa Rojas Locations: Chilean

☆ Police fire tear gas at opposition demonstrators in Nairobi
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Maisa Rojas Locations: Chilean

☆ In wake of disasters, Chile animal shelter offers hope to wildlife
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The shelter, first opened two decades ago, has seen a host of new residents this year following a string of recent wildfires, droughts and heavy rains. Among the animals housed at the Refugio Animal Cascada, which translates to Waterfall Animal Refuge, are foxes, falcons, owls and pumas. "We welcome (the wildlife) in order to rehabilitate them and release them," wildlife shelter director Kendra Ivelic said. Others, however, cannot be released because of the severity of their injuries, she added, such as a hawk who lost an eye. This week, the shelter is opening a new Environmental Education and Exhibition Center, which will house native animals that cannot be released and have been affected by fires or other environmental disasters.

Persons: Kendra, Cascada, Read, Maisa Rojas, Kendra Ivelic, Isabel Woodford, Sandra Maler Organizations: Refugio Animal, puma, Exhibition, Environmental Education Center, Chilean Environment, Environmental Education, Exhibition Center, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Refugio, SANTIAGO, Chile's, Santiago

☆ Opinion | Germany Is Learning a Lesson
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Anna Sauerbrey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

For the first time in the postwar period, Germany is paying proper attention to the rest of the world. This starts with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has made a point of projecting Germany beyond its usual European boundaries. But the new reality, ushered in by the war in Ukraine, is challenging the country to go outside its comfort zone. Why, many asked, was Russia the prime focus of Germany’s indemnification efforts for post-Soviet states? Without access to Russian gas and in a profoundly changed global environment, Germany has begun to look for new partners, allies and markets.

Persons: BERLIN, It’s, Chancellor Olaf Scholz Locations: Germany, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Texas heat is not letting up at night
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Evan Bush | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The heat wave in Texas has offered little reprieve. Heat at night disrupts sleep and prevents the body from recovering and cooling down, making minimum temperatures a critical indicator of a heat wave's severity, experts said. Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said temperatures during this heat wave in the state have threatened records at both ends of the spectrum — including maximums and minimums — in its urban centers. Ebi said the high nighttime temperatures and the prolonged nature of the Texas heat wave are particularly concerning. "A very small percentage of death certificates during a heat wave put down, 'heat' as an underlying cause," Ebi, who studies heat deaths, adding that about half of excess deaths, on average, are from cardiovascular diseases.

Persons: Del, Ben Zaitchik, John Nielsen, Gammon, We've, Kristie, Ebi, Everything's, Nielsen, We're Organizations: National Weather Service, Johns Hopkins University, Nielsen, Center for Health, Global, University of Washington Locations: Texas, Del Rio, San Antonio, Houston, Midland, San Angelo

☆ 3 reasons why even China doesn't want the yuan to replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Chinese yuan is one of the top contenders challenging the USD's dominance as a reserve currency. However, Beijing may not be fully supportive of making the yuan the reserve currency of choice. Here's why even China isn't that keen on de-dollarizing the world economy and making the yuan the top reserve currency. So, the US will need to contend with ever larger amounts of deficit, in order to maintain its pre-eminent reserve currency position. Given the issues standing in Beijing's way, it's unlikely for the yuan to take over the greenback's position as the world's reserve currency of choice, said Green.

☆ Some climate-tech startups want you to believe AI tools can save the planet — but it's not that simple
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

AMP Robotics is just one of more than 44,500 climate tech startups that have emerged since 2010. Last year investors poured $70.1 billion into climate tech, an 89% rise compared with 2021, according to HolonIQ Global Impact Intelligence. While AI tools like Horowitz's waste-sorting robots have been around for years, the advent of generative-AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT has reignited conversations around deploying AI to address societal issues. PersefoniBut researchers warn AI may do more harm than goodResearchers, activists, and climate tech execs agree that AI can't single-handedly cool the planet. AMP RoboticsEven AI climate tech executives see limits to their impactEven climate tech executives believe there are limitations to AI.

Persons: Matanya Horowitz, Horowitz, ChatGPT, Carling Spelhaug, Sasha Luccioni, Luccioni, David Rolnick, Banks, James Newsome, Newsome, Rolnick, Bill McKibben, McKibben, Helena Norberg, Hodge, Norberg, OpenAI's ChatGPT Organizations: AMP Robotics, Caltech, Global, Intelligence, Carling, UN, McGill University, Research, Tech, Greenpeace, AMP Locations: Colorado, Africa, South America

☆ Deep in the Amazon, scientists race to find unknown bat viruses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Some scientific studies have found that deforestation causes stress in bats, and stressed bats carry more viruses and shed more germs in their saliva, urine and feces. It spiked following the highway’s construction, making the Amazon in the early 1980s a rallying cry for the global environmental movement. When examining spillover risk, scientists use the number of bat species in a given area as a key variable. When humans encroach on their habitat, and bat species commingle, the viral cocktail intensifies. “Odds of it being documented are very slim,” said Caio Graco Zeppelini, an ecologist and bat researcher at the Federal University of Bahia.

TOKYO, May 17 (Reuters) - Rich nations should boost financial and technical support to poorer countries to help them tackle climate change and achieve similar decarbonisation goals, a senior Japanese environment ministry official said ahead of a G7 summit in Hiroshima. Developed countries promised in 2009 to transfer $100 billion annually between 2020 and 2025 to vulnerable states hit by increasingly severe climate-linked impacts and disasters - but that target was never met. G7 energy and climate ministers discussed how to meet that goal when they met in the Japanese city of Sapporo last month. "All countries should follow the good example of Japan so that we could achieve the $100 billion goal," he said, adding that he hoped that the level would be achieved as soon as possible and maintained through 2025. Developing countries say they need far more support than that from the rich nations, who are responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions, otherwise they cannot afford to cut CO2 emissions.

☆ Global corporate defaults highest since the pandemic in 2020
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a report Tuesday, credit rating agency Moody’s said 33 of the corporations it rates defaulted on their debts in the first quarter, the highest level since the last quarter of 2020 when 47 companies defaulted. Almost half, or 15 companies, defaulted last month — the highest monthly count since December 2020. In a sign of a tougher global environment for corporate borrowers, investors went sour on corporate bonds last year. Moody’s expects that a combination of higher borrowing costs and slowing global growth will push up defaults on speculative-grade corporate debt to 4.6% by the end of this year, up from 2.9% in March. By the end of the first quarter next year, the global default rate on this type of debt will likely rise to 4.9%, Moody’s said.

"China was initially in discussions to be part of the project," the official said, declining to be named as the information was deemed sensitive. China has since banned the sale and consumption for food of wildlife animals. China's public security organs have handled more than 70,000 criminal cases involving wild animals from 2020-2022, confiscating 1.37 million wild animals in the process, state news agency Xinhua has reported. SLOW STARTThe SAFE project surveys only began in October last year, when the project's assessors visited Khao Kheow zoo and a cafe in Thailand. The wet markets targeted are markets where wild animals are sold alongside fresh meat and vegetables.

☆ Brazil central bank holds rates, flags increased inflation expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Marcela Ayres | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The bank's rate-setting committee, known as Copom, maintained its Selic benchmark interest rate at 13.75%. "The Committee emphasizes that it will persist until the disinflationary process consolidates and inflation expectations anchor around its targets, which have shown additional deterioration, especially at longer horizons," they added. The central bank acknowledged the worsening global environment amid banking turmoil, but emphasized recent data on global activity and inflation have remained resilient. Meanwhile, the central bank's inflation expectations have risen to 5.8% for 2023 and 3.6% for 2024. Lula has repeatedly called for lower borrowing costs, describing the current Selic rate "irresponsible" on Tuesday.

"Sterling markets will continue to digest yesterday’s Budget delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as well as the broader global environment. Markets remain ambivalent whether the Bank of England will raise interest rates next week," said Hann-Ju Ho, senior Economist, Commercial Banking at Lloyds Bank. The European Central Bank (ECB), meanwhile, is a little behind the BoE in its quest to fight inflation. Traders attach a 60% chance of the ECB raising rates by 50 bps on Thursday, with a 40% chance of 25 bps. Money markets show investors expect ECB rates to peak around 3% later this year, compared with a peak of 4% just over a week ago.

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