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☆ China concerns bring new unity to once-turbulent US-Japan-Philippines relationship ahead of major White House summit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Both the Philippines and Japan are US defense treaty allies, and the US military retains permanent bases in Japan and has base rights in the Philippines. That threat is manifested in three key areas – Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, analysts say. Here's why 03:27 - Source: CNNJapan and Philippines both have separate territorial disputes with China, in the former’s case the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and in the latter’s areas of the South China Sea. Meanwhile, China claims the shoal, which is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, as its sovereign territory, as it does much of the South China Sea, in defiance of an international arbitration ruling. “Alliance building is the most practical way to deal with China’s moves” in the South China Sea, he said.

Persons: ”, James D.J, Brown, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Xi Jinping, Biden, Micah Jeiel Perez, Marcos, Kishida, ” Marcos, Shinzo Abe, Ricardo Jose, ” Jose, Thomas, CNN Marcos, Shoal, China –, Masaharu Homma, –, Perez, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr’s, Duterte, Thomas Shoal, Veejay Villafranca, Robert Ward, BRP Antonio Luna, you’ve, Donald, Trump, ” Brown, “, Ward Organizations: South Korea CNN, White, Temple University, Japanese, Taiwan –, Communist Party, Taiwan Relations, University of, Nikkei Asia, University of the, “, CNN, East China, Philippine, China Coast Guard, US, US State Department, Gen, “ Alliance, Clark Air Base, Naval, Bloomberg, Getty, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Cooperative, Philippine Navy, BRP, Royal Australian Navy, Self, Defense Forces, JS Akebono, US Navy, USS, Multilateral Maritime Cooperative, Armed Forces, AP Analysts Locations: Seoul, South Korea, United States, Japan, Philippines, China, Tokyo, Philippine, Taiwan, Washington, South, Senkaku, East China, University of the Philippines, CNN Japan, East, South China, Palawan, China – Washington, Beijing, Spain, Spanish, Imperial Japan, New Orleans, Bataan, Subic, Manila, US, Australia, India, Vietnam, Warramunga, IISS

☆ Botswana offers to send 20,000 elephants to Germany, saying it should try looking after them instead of criticizing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It came after Germany suggested there should be limits on importing hunting trophies. AdvertisementBotswana's president Mokgweetsi Masisi said he wants to send 20,000 wild elephants to Germany to challenge the country's stance on hunting. However, Kleinschmidt noted that Botswana's environment minister met with the German environment minister last week for an "open and constructive exchange of views." Related stories"Germany is one of the largest importers of hunting trophies into the EU. As the largest existing land animals, elephants are responsible for around 500 human deaths per year, according to BBC Wildlife Magazine.

Persons: Mokgweetsi Masisi, Masisi, —, Steffi Lemke, Massisi, Svenja, Kleinschmidt, There's, Prince Harry, Meghan, London's Organizations: Service, Guardian, Greens, Bild, EU Wildlife Trade, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Metro, Sky News, Botswana's Government Locations: Germany, Berlin, Botswana, Angola, Mozambique, Dumezweni

☆ Japan Is a Preview of China's Ugly Recession, Stock Market Crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But Japan's economy — the long-unconscious patient — recently started to wiggle its toe. The country's stock market is ripping; the Nikkei recently exceeded the all-time highs it set 34 years ago. Now, Koo says, Chinese academics and policymakers are flocking to Japan to glean some kind of wisdom from the country's experience. Advertisement"This has made Japan attractive for foreign investors, and the stock market has done well," Koo said. Even without a currency war with Beijing, the world is building defenses against another wave of Chinese goods.

Persons: —, Goldman Sachs, there's, Nomura, Richard Koo, Koo, Shinzo Abe, Japan's, What's, it's, we're, haven't, Xi Jinping, doesn't, Xi, we've, Brasília Organizations: Nikkei, Goldman, Bank of Japan, Corporations, International Monetary Fund, Japan, Peterson Institute, European Union, China Locations: East Asia, China, Japan, Real, Tokyo, Beijing, Brussels, Brasília, American, Washington, Brazil, Turkey

☆ A trucking and rail strategy that boomed during pandemic shocks is heating up again
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The shift in the volume of freight being moved from the East Coast to the West Coast was first highlighted in February in the ITS Port Rail Ramp Freight Index. He said the disruptions from the Suez Canal and Panama Canal have contributed to an almost 20% increase into the West Coast ports. "For our ports, transloading containers is always going to happen and we have the capacity to do more." The West Coast container volume rebound will also have a ceiling. "We probably don't get to the historical 10-year levels of West Coast market share versus East Coast share," Chan said.

Persons: Michael Aldwell, Kuehne + Nagel, Chris Sikora, CH Robinson, Sikora, Tim Robertson, transloading, Paul Brashier, We're, Brashier, Bryan Kempisty, Matt Schrap, Bruce Chan, Chan, CH, Bascome Majors, J.B, Hunt, Schneider, JB Hunt, Jason Seidl, Knight, Swift, Seidl, Larry Organizations: Getty, U.S, Logistics, CNBC, Kuehne, Transportation Intelligence, . Logistics, DHL Global, ITS, Rail, ITS Logistics, Department of Transportation's, PortX Logistics, Harbor Trucking, J.B, Susquehanna International Group, Hub Group, Schneider, Union Pacific, Cowen Group, Universal Logistics Holdings, East, International Longshoremen's Association, Surface Transportation, Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern, Uber, Uber Technologies Locations: West Coast, East Coast, Panama, East, Red, Gulf, transload, transloading, West, Suez, Hunt, CH Robinson, Sea, Mexico, Kansas, Mobile , Alabama, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico

☆ Iran is selling a drone called 'Gaza' that it says can carry 13 bombs and travel 1,200 miles
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Iran debuted its new "Gaza" drone at an international arms fair in Doha earlier this month. The new drone can fly over 1,200 miles at 35,000 feet and carry 13 precision-guided bombs, Iran says. AdvertisementIran is selling a new drone on the international market that it's calling "Gaza." Iran unveiled the drone at an arms expo in Doha earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported. The "Gaza" drone can carry up to 13 bombs and travel more than 1,200 miles at 35,000 feet, according to the report.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Street Journal, UN, Business Locations: Iran, Gaza, Doha

☆ Drones have ushered in a brutal new phase of Syria's civil war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewDrones are increasingly shaping warfare in the Syrian civil war that entered its 14th year in March. Kasim Rammah/Getty ImagesHowever, unlike drones, Syrian Air Force aircraft require significant support from Russia. Advertisement"The Russians might not want to spend any more jet fuel and Soviet-designed bombs on Assad just to help him blow up hospitals and marketplaces in Idlib," Lund said. Advertisement"It seems well within the means of Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant jihadi militia in Idlib, to manufacture and use kamikaze drones," Lund said. Even though many of these opposition drones are often described as crude, low-tech, and DIY, Lund also does not rule out the possibility that Syrian opposition groups have received state backing for some attacks.

Persons: —, Bashar al, Assad, Freddy Khoueiry, RANE, Khoueiry, Aron Lund, Lund, Kasim Rammah, Moscow's, they're, RANE's Organizations: Service, Business, Century International, Syrian Air Force, embroilment, Scientific Studies, Research Center, Ministry of Defense, Hezbollah, Russia Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Damascus, Hayat Tahrir, Idlib, Homs, East, North Africa, Syria, Aleppo, Soviet, Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Hmeimim, Latakia, Tahrir, Turkey

☆ Employee Productivity Is Booming As Workers Get Better at Their Jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Neil Dutta | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

At the simplest level, labor productivity is how much output (widgets, meals, spreadsheet computation) one person can complete in an hour. Employers were running around with fishnets trying to find people, and workers used their leverage. By contrast, the late 1990s were a period of higher productivity growth and underestimated growth, starting the year at 2% but ending closer to 4%. But it's probably too soon to be thinking about these factors as the main driver of recent productivity growth. The investment implications of this are clear: Stronger productivity growth implies a higher speed limit for the economy.

Persons: —, it's, we'll Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of San, Labor, P Global, Manufacturing, Capital, Employers, downturns, Professional Locations: Silicon Valley, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

☆ China is on pace to buy a record amount of Russian oil this month
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's intake of Russian crude is set to reach a record this month, Kpler data cited by Bloomberg shows. The shift is due to tighter enforcement of Western sanctions, that's diminishing the discount on Russian oil. AdvertisementChinese imports of Russian crude are on course to reach record volumes this month, as Beijing takes over diminishing Indian demand. 1.7 million barrels a day are expected to ship into the country, Bloomberg said, citing Kpler data. That same month, Indian imports of Russian crude fell by 420,000 barrels a day.

Persons: —, India —, Wang Yi, it's, That's, Sovcomflot, Bloomberg Organizations: Bloomberg, Sokol, Service, Foreign, Group Locations: Beijing, India, China, Moscow, Russia

☆ Surging gas prices just hit a significant milestone
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The recent jump in gas prices is already causing headaches on the inflation front. The last time gas prices were up on a year-over-year basis was late December 2023, according to AAA. Gas prices surge in MichiganAnd the concerns about Russia’s energy facilities is on top of the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. “People have this visceral reaction to higher gas prices and they look to fix blame,” said Kloza. Unless there’s a major hurricane that strikes US Gulf Coast refineries, Kloza does not expect gas prices to hit $4 a gallon this year.

Persons: It’s, ”, Andy Lipow, Tom Kloza, Vladimir Putin, Kloza, “ It’s, we’ve, ” Kloza, Biden Organizations: New, New York CNN, White House, Federal Reserve, Gas, “, Lipow Oil Associates, AAA, Oil Price Information Service, CNN, White, Drivers Locations: New York, Russia, Ukraine, Michigan, Red, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, United States, Kloza

☆ Montana rancher paid $4,200 to clone a dead sheep and launched a farm of super hybrids worth up to $550,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A Montana rancher was charged with illegally selling offspring from a cloned sheep across state lines. There's nothing illegal about selling sheep for exorbitant prices — unless those animals are Marco Polo argali sheep, or in Schubarth's case, hybrids of Marco Polo argali sheep. Marco Polo argali sheep are native to central Asia and are considered threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Shortly thereafter, Schubarth allegedly got his hands on some of those sheep parts and, in 2015, paid a deposit of $4,200 to produce cloned sheep embryos from the dead argali's remains. AdvertisementIn May 2017, a pure argali sheep was born from one of those cloned embryos.

Persons: —, Arthur, Jack, Schubarth, Marco Polo, George Schaller, Joyce Tischler, Lacey, King, Matthew Polak, Dolly, it's, Alison Van Eenennaam, Davis, Van Eenennaam, Gregory Kaebnick, isn't, Rula Rouhana, Reuters It's, Kaebnick, didn't Organizations: Service, Department, Lewis & Clark Law School's Center for Animal Law, European Union, Getty, University of California, and Wildlife Service, The Hastings Center, Reproductive Biotechnology, Reuters Locations: Montana, Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Dubai

“What we are in now is a production war,” a senior NATO official told CNN. “The number one issue that we’re watching right now is the munitions,” the NATO official said. There is also a limit to Russian production capacity, officials say: Russian factories will likely hit a peak sometime in the next year. “If we were talking about this last fall, we would have talked about how they were targeting critical infrastructure,” the NATO official said. “In the short term — say, the next 18 months or so — it may be unsophisticated, but it’s a durable economy,” the NATO official said.

Persons: ”, Abrams, “, — “, Joe Biden, Inna Varenytsia, it’s, Putin’s, Steven Basham, “ It’s, Maxym, Russia’s ‘, Basham Organizations: CNN, Army, NATO, ”, Reuters, Ukraine, European Command, US Army, ” Intelligence, US European Command, Pentagon Locations: Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, that’s, Iran, North Korea, Kreminna, Germany, Pennsylvania , Iowa, Texas, Moscow, Tehran, Bohorodychne, Donetsk, Russian

☆ A California man charged with smuggling greenhouse gases hints at the revival of a decades-long black market
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But there's also a blooming black market in greenhouse gases. HFCs are commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners, but they're also potent greenhouse gases. There's been a thriving black market for climate-altering refrigerant chemicals since the 1990s, at times as lucrative as selling cocaine. KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesThe black market "comes with the territory" of regulation, Doniger said. At the height of the CFC black market, many cars still used those refrigerants for their air conditioners.

Persons: there's, hydrofluorocarbons, they're, Adrees Latif, Michael Hart, Tara McGrath, There's, Hart, Carlo Allegri, David Doniger, HFCs, Avipsa, Victor Molina, KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI, Mahapatra, Doniger Organizations: Service, Department of, Business, Facebook, Department of Justice, Reuters, Natural Resources Defense Council, NASA, Environmental Investigation Agency, Getty, EPA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, DOJ, US Attorney's, Southern, of, New York Times, CFC Locations: San Diego, Mexico, Port of Miami, Montreal, Elk Grove Village , Illinois, AFP, United States, of California, HFCs, Europe

President Joe Biden's State of the Union address as prepared for delivery:Good evening. A former American president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. And it’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the State of our Union is strong and getting stronger. Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere else. I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only American president to visit Israel in wartime.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Franklin Roosevelt, “, Hitler, Roosevelt’s, Lincoln, Putin, Ronald Reagan, thundered, Mr, Gorbachev, we’ve, Insurrectionists, ., Jan, I’ve, Latorya Beasley, Roe, Wade, Harris, Kate Cox, Kate, – that's, won’t, Hope, Shawn Fain, Dawn Simms, Dawn, That’s, Jill, I’m, Keenan Jones –, Sen, Bob Casey’s, It’s, It’d, Edmund Pettus, John Lewis, Betty May Fikes, ”, Banning, Jasmine, Jackie, we’re, Evan, Paul, Israel, –, We’ve, aren’t, They’ve, We’re, King, Bobby Kennedy, you’ve, Let’s Organizations: Madame, Union, Overseas, Republican, NATO, Alliance, National Security, America, That's, Act, Infrastructure Law, UAW, Big Pharma, Medicare, Affordable, White, Initiative, Women’s Health Research, Grants, Child, Big Oil, Social Security, Border Patrol Union, Dreamers, Peace Corps, Ameri Corps, Corps, American, House, NRA, Hamas, United, U.S, ARPA, Star Locations: Joe Biden's State, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, American, Russian, America, Finland, Sweden, United States, Birmingham , Alabama, Alabama, Dallas, Texas, COVID, That's America, Belvidere , Illinois, Belvidere, it’s, Shawn, HBCUs, Minnesota, Ireland, Selma , Alabama, Selma, Uvalde , Texas, Uvalde, Iowa, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Red, China, Taiwan Strait, I’ve, Scranton , Pennsylvania, Claymont , Delaware, United States of America

☆ Dubai’s bar scene is being redefined by artisanal champagnes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

While the city has over 13,000 restaurants, its bar scene has largely been confined to Michelin fine dining, nightclubs, and boozy brunches. Look through the gallery and see the region's other top restaurants, as selected by 50 Best list group. The 50 Best has unveiled its 2024 list of the best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Al Muntaha, which was recognized by Star Wine List as having the best sparkling wine list in the UAE earlier this year, has 166 labels on its champagne list, including around 60 recently added grower champagnes, says Lacroix. Tina HillierAnd the culture around drinking is largely focused on dining or special occasions, with little in between, says Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List.

Persons: Lana —, Nicolas Caupain, ”, boozy, Caupain, Raz Rahav, Tala Bashmi, Em Sherif, Yasmina Hayek, Fawzi Al Mulki, 3Fils, Khufu's, Solemann Haddad, Moonrise, Gregoire Berger, Berger, Himanshu Saini, Pol Roger, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, champagnes, Larmandier Bernier, Ulysse Collin, Samuel Lacroix, Al Muntaha, Lacroix, “, Josette, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Millau, Lana, Tina Hillier, Krister Bengtsson, it’s, Bengtsson, ” Bengtsson, Jean Imbert, — Organizations: CNN, High Society, United Arab, Michelin, Middle, Gulf, Jordanian, Trèsind, Burj, Star Wine, Arabian, BOCA, Michelin Star, Wine, UAE Locations: Dorchester, Dubai, Emirate, Islam, United Arab Emirates, UAE, East, North Africa, Tel Aviv, Tala, Manama's, Bahrain, Beirut, Giza, Cairo, Ossiano, Atlantis, BOBY, Africa, Emirates, Swedish, Dubai’s, Paris, London , New York, French

☆ Man charged with smuggling greenhouse gases from Mexico into US in first-of-a-kind prosecution
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A California man was arrested and charged Monday with allegedly smuggling potent, planet-heating greenhouse gases from Mexico, marking the first such prosecution in the US, according to a statement from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. He is then alleged to have sold them for a profit on sites including Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. These greenhouse gases are short-lived in the atmosphere, but powerful — some are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide in the near-term. “The illegal smuggling of hydrofluorocarbons, a highly potent greenhouse gas, undermines international efforts to combat climate change,” said David M. Uhlmann, the assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. In 2016, nearly 200 nations including the US agreed to the Kigali Amendment to reduce planet-heating pollution from these greenhouse gases.

Persons: Michael Hart, Hart, Todd Kim, HFCs, ”, David M, Tara McGrath, ” Hart Organizations: CNN, US, Office, Southern, Southern District of, Facebook, Justice Department’s, Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA’s, UN Environment, AC, Department of Justice Locations: California, Mexico, Southern District, Southern District of California, San Diego, United States, Kigali

Lives Ended in Gaza Since the war started, more than 30,000 people have been killed during Israel’s bombardment and invasion. Hamas ruled Gaza and ran a covert military organization, the identity of its fighters unclear, even to other Gazans. She worked with people who had been wounded and displaced by Israeli attacks on Gaza as well as with first responders. She moved to Egypt after the 2014 Gaza war but returned a few months before the current war. He performed complicated operations on Gaza’s war wounded while running Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah until his retirement.

Persons: Israel, Marah, Farah, Farah Alkhatib, Kinder, Selena al, Lubna Elian, Yousef Abu Moussa, Abdulhadi, Maram, Youmna Shaqalih, Abdulrahman Abuamara, Ghadeer Mohammed Mansour, Salah, Khaled Jadallah, Doaa Jadallah, Mahmoud Alnaouq, Jannat Iyad Abu Zbeada, Rami Abu Reyaleh, Alhelou, “, ”, —, Faida AlKrunz, Saud AlKrunz, tinker, Ahmed Abu Shaeera, Al Aqsa, Youssef Salama, Hedaya Hamad, Salah Abo Harbed, Jeries Sayegh, Inas, “ Sara ”, ” Sayel, Ai Wei Wei’s, Heba Zagout, Ali, Amneh, Belal Abu Samaan, Israel ”, Abu Yousef Al, Abdallah Shehada, Tarazi, Heba Jourany, Osama Al, Haddad, Riyad Alkhatib, ” Mahmoud Elian Organizations: UNICEF, Oxygen, Al, Awda, F.C, Barcelona, Facebook, Islamic, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Red Crescent Society, Free Gaza Circus, Christian, Officially, American International School, Palestine Athletics Federation, Najjar, United Nations, West Bank Locations: Gaza, Israel, Spain, Norway, Italian, Australia, Egypt, Turkey, Bolivia, Argentina, Panama, Mexico, Qatar, Al Aqsa, Jerusalem, “ Palestine, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Old City, Mazaj, Gaza City, Manhattan, Chicago, Mecca, Rafah, Libya, Uganda, Ireland

☆ I Trafficked $5 Million Worth of Cocaine Internationally
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Dylan Brzezinski | Ju Shardlow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Pieter Tritton, a former cocaine smuggler, returns for a second interview with Business Insider about his experience trafficking drugs from South America to the United Kingdom. Tritton says he started selling cocaine in the illegal rave scene in the UK in the 2000s. The National Crime Agency estimates the UK cocaine market is worth $13.8 billion, or £11 billion, a year. In the year ending March 2023, over 92 metric tons of illegal drugs were seized by police and Border Force, the highest volume since 2003 to 2004. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Pieter Tritton, Tritton, Garcia Moreno, El Organizations: Business, Crime Agency, Border Force Locations: South America, United Kingdom, Europe, Ecuador, Quito, Litoral Penitentiary, Guayaquil

☆ U.S. cautions Pacific Island nations about China security ties after Hawaii neighbor Kiribati gets Chinese police
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Jan. 6, 2020 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Kiribati's President Taneti Mamau at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 6, 2020. The United States on Monday cautioned Pacific Islands nations against assistance from Chinese security forces after Reuters reported that Chinese police are working in the remote atoll nation of Kiribati, a neighbor of Hawaii. Kiribati's acting police commissioner Eeri Aritiera told Reuters last week uniformed Chinese officers were working with police in community policing and a crime database program. "We are concerned about the potential implications security agreements and security-related cyber cooperation with the PRC may have for any Pacific Island nation's autonomy," the spokesperson said. The United States countered with a pledge in October to upgrade the wharf on Kanton island, a former U.S. military base, and said it wants to open an embassy in Kiribati.

Persons: Li Keqiang, Taneti Mamau, Eeri Aritiera Organizations: of, People, Monday, Pacific, Reuters, U.S . State Department, world's, United Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China, United States, Kiribati, Hawaii, Honolulu, People's Republic of China, Washington, Kanton, U.S

☆ US lawmakers are turning up the heat on Temu, Shein, and their use of a shipping loophole that helps keep their prices low
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US lawmakers are ramping up their pressure on e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress. Representatives for Temu, Shein, and AliExpress did not return Business Insider's request for comment. It added that almost 50% of all de minimis shipments to the US come from China. Shipping consultancy ShipMatrix estimates that Temu and Shein each ship more than a million packages to the US daily. Brown and Scott are not the only US lawmakers to advocate for change as Temu and Shein have gained a foothold.

Persons: Joe Biden, Sherrod Brown, Rick Scott, Brown, Scott, AliExpress, spokespeople, Shein, minimis Organizations: Business, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, Customs, Temu, Chinese Communist Party, China . Shipping, Uyghur, Labor Locations: China, minimis, United States, mstone@businessinsider.com

☆ Baltic, Nordic Lawmakers Complain That US Lacks Urgency on Ukraine Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Jonathan LandayWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Nordic and Baltic lawmakers visiting Washington on Thursday expressed alarm at what they called a lack of urgency and a clear strategy by the United States to help Ukraine defeat Moscow's invasion. "Guys, wake up," Zygimantis Pavilionis, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said in comments directed at Democrats and Republicans. All but Sweden are NATO members. Delegation members said they met administration officials and lawmakers, but mainly sought to speak to Republicans resisting fresh aid. "All of our countries around this table have (given) more than 1% of GDP of military aid to Ukraine.

Persons: Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, Vladimir Putin, Pavilionis, Rihards Kols, Joe Biden, Marko Mihkelson, Kols, Jonathan Landay, Don Durfee, David Ljunggren Organizations: Nordic, Baltic, U.S, NATO, Lithuanian, Democrats, Republicans, Ukraine, Kyiv, Estonian Locations: Washington, United States, Ukraine, Moscow's, Russian, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, U.S, Latvian, Europe, The U.S, Russia, Moscow

☆ Ukraine’s railways are still running after two years of war. Here’s how
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Ukraine’s rail network, known as Ukrzaliznytsia or UZ for short, has always been a source of pride and practicality in the eastern European nation, even before the war. ‘Constant threat’Ukraine's rail network, known as Ukrzaliznytsia or UZ for short, has always been a source of pride and practicality in the eastern European nation. UZ says a further $9 billlon is likely required to repair and modernize the existing UZ network, which at 19,700 kilometers is one of the world’s longest. “Our responsibility is to be a stable partner.”Indeed, despite the war, UZ says it has repaired and renewed 289 kilometers of track in 2023, rebuilt 15 bridges, built 528 new freight cars and repaired around 9,000 others. Britain’s Network Rail and Swiss Federal Railways are providing engineering support to help rebuild damaged infrastructure, while the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force (GURTF) was established in 2022 to raise funds to support Ukrainian rail workers and their families.

Persons: UZ, – UZ, ”, Jeff J Mitchell, Yarema Dul, “, ” UZ, it’s, Ukraine’s, Olena Zelenska, Dul, Transport Network Mykola Panov, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Yevhen Liaschenko, ” Liaschenko, GURTF, Andy Bagnall Organizations: CNN, UNICEF, Russia, UZ’s, Transformation Department, Transport Network Mykola, CNN Travel, “, ” Railway, Publishing, Transport Network, Britain’s, Rail, Swiss Federal Railways, Global Ukraine Rail Task Force, Rail Partners Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Lviv, Warsaw, Vienna, Panama7, Odesa, Kharkiv, Russian, Poland, Germany, Soviet Union, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Hungary

☆ Japanese trading giant Itochu to cut ties with Israeli defense firm over Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong/Tokyo CNN —One of Japan’s biggest trading firms, Itochu, has decided to end its partnership with a major Israeli defense company due to the war in Gaza. The sprawling conglomerate, best known outside Japan for its Family Mart chain of convenience stores, said its aviation unit will cut ties with Elbit Systems, which bills itself as Israel’s largest defense contractor, by the end of February. Itochu Aviation, Elbit Systems and Nippon Aircraft Supply signed a cooperation agreement in March 2023, months before war broke out between Israel and Gaza. Itochu, which reported revenues of $104 billion in 2023, has faced small-scale, student-led protests in Tokyo against its partnership with Elbit since January. Its Family Mart chain has also been the target of calls for boycotts in Muslim-majority Malaysia over the agreement.

Persons: ”, Itochu, Israel, Tsuyoshi Hachimura, Hachimura, Bezhalel Machlis, Hanako Montgomery, Heather Chen Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Elbit Systems, International Court of Justice, United Nations, Japan’s Foreign Ministry, CNN, ICJ, Israel, Itochu Aviation, Nippon Aircraft Supply, Elbit, Japan’s Defense Ministry, Self - Defense Force, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Gaza, Japan, Israel, South Africa, Itochu, Malaysia

The officials displayed a table piled high with knockoff sports memorabilia including jerseys, T-shirts, caps, beanies and a sparkling silver replica of the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy. Commercial air operations at nearby Harry Reid Airport are not expected to be affected. Ralph Lepore, an airport administrator with the Clark County Department of Aviation, focused on efforts to stem human trafficking, which he said was neither new nor exclusive to big events. “It’s extremely important.”Burke noted that TSA officers were trained to spot human trafficking and that extra agents will be added to handle record post-game crowds expected to top more than 100,000 passengers a day early next week at Harry Reid airport. She promised that every lane of every airport security checkpoint will be open nonstop for 48 hours after the Super Bowl ends.

Persons: Administration —, Ozzie —, Harry Reid, Vince Lombardi, ”, Cheryl Davies, Christopher Miller, Aaron Ford, Karen Burke, Davies, Ralph Lepore, “, ” Burke Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Super, NFL, Homeland Security, Customs, Border Protection, Transportation, Administration, Harry, Harry Reid International Airport, . Customs, Homeland Security Investigations, Allegiant, Federal Aviation Administration, TSA, Blackhawk, Clark County Department of Aviation Locations: Las Vegas, United States, Nevada, TSA Nevada

☆ Ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle held at sea for more than a month as temperatures rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Australian government has pledged to end the live export of sheep but has yet to give a timetable about when that will happen. A long journeyThe MV Bahijah left the port of Fremantle in Western Australia on January 5 for the Middle East, according to a statement from the Australian government. The photos, shared with CNN, show cattle with tags on their ears, sitting and standing and sheep standing in a ventilated area. An image of sheep aboard the MV Bahijah taken said to have been taken a few days ago after the ship's arrival back in Australia. The RSPCA has requested permission for an independent veterinarian to board the ship to assess the animals.

Persons: Bahijah, “, ”, John Hassell, ” Hassell, he’d, Suzanne Fowler, they’ve, Mark Harvey, Sutton, Fowler, it’s, Alex Stambaugh, Akanksha Sharma, Robert Shackelford Organizations: Australia CNN, of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Animal, Western Australian Farmers Federation, CNN, Royal Society for, Animals, Australian Livestock, ’, RSPCA Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Red, Fremantle, Western Australia, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Africa, Perth, WAFarmers, Australian

☆ How hitman Jorge 'Rivi' Ayala's sex scandal changed the case against Griselda Blanco
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, played by Martín Rodríguez, is one of those people, and he's an important figure in both the series and Blanco's real life. It's not that different from how things played out in real life, though "Griselda" certainly fills in the gaps about Ayala's intentions. In real life, Ayala was arrested and convicted of multiple murders. According to NBC Miami, Ayala pleaded guilty in 1993 to three killings. But Ayala's involvement in a phone sex scandal changed everything after it was revealed that he and three secretaries in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office had been having sexually explicit phone conversations and sharing gifts, per CBS.

Persons: —, Sofia Vergara, Griselda Blanco, Jorge, Rivi, Ayala, Martín Rodríguez, he's, Blanco, It's, Griselda, Johnny Castro, Johnny's, Jesus Castro, Nelson Andreu, Johnny, Jesus, Jorge Ayala, Andreu, Michael Band, Dade Circuit Judge, Jim Lewis Organizations: Service, Netflix, Business, NBC Miami, CBS News, West Miami Police, CBS, Miami - Dade, Attorney's Office, Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, Dade Circuit, Florida Department of Corrections, Suwannee Correctional Institution Locations: Miami, Colombia, United States, Florida, Suwannee, Oak

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