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Valvoline had last year decided to separate its retail services and global products divisions following a strategic review. Saudi Arabia's state-controlled Aramco on Tuesday announced it is pausing plans to raise its crude production capacity from 12 million barrels per day to 13 million barrels per day. At 7 a.m. London time, Brent crude prices for March delivery were up 0.24% from previous close price at $82.60 per barrel. The Tuesday announcement comes amid mounting concerns over the outlook for oil demand worldwide, given a progressing global transition toward decarbonization that casts a shadow over long-term investment projects in fossil fuels. Global oil demand is projected to have risen by 2.3 million barrels per day in 2023 to 101.7 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency's annual report published in December.

Persons: Valvoline, Brent Organizations: Saudi Ministry of Energy, Aramco, International Energy Locations: Saudi Arabia's, Aramco, London

One focus of the talks was fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that is ravaging America, and in particular ingredients for the drug that are made in China. The U.S. wants China to do more to curb the export of chemicals that it says are processed into fentanyl, largely in Mexico, before the final product is smuggled into the United States. But China refused to discuss cooperation unless the U.S. lifted sanctions on the Public Security Ministry's Institute of Forensic Science. The U.S. quietly agreed to lift the sanctions to get cooperation on fentanyl. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called it “an appropriate step to take” given what China was willing to do on the trafficking of fentanyl precursors.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Wang Xiaohong, ”, Jen Daskal, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Wang Yi, Matthew Miller Organizations: BEIJING, Chinese Public Security, U.S ., U.S, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, ., Biden, Senate, Public Security Ministry's Institute of Forensic Science, The Commerce Department, State Department Locations: U.S, America, China, San Francisco, Taiwan, Mexico, United States, Beijing, China’s Xinjiang, The U.S

☆ French Farmers Block Highways Around Paris as Protest Reach Capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, France (Reuters) - Farmers blocked one of France's main motorways liking Paris with the northern city of Lille, the Benelux and Britain on Friday, causing kilometres of traffic jams, the first major traffic disruption caused by the protest movement in the French capital. The roadblock on the A1 north of Paris lead to traffic jams of around 4 km (2.5 miles) in the morning, according to the transport ministry's online service Bison Fute. French media reported farmers had also set up first roadblocks on traffic axes in the Essonne department south of Paris in the early morning hours, while most protests were expected to start in the early afternoon. The government said it would announce first immediate measures aimed at taming the farmer outrage later on Friday with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal expected to speak in the afternoon. So far, the government has not specified when and where Attal is due to speak or what measures could be announced.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Yves Herman, Tassilo Hummel, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Farmers Locations: PARIS, France, Paris, Lille, Benelux, Britain, Essonne

☆ Chinese people are debating a superstition that says 2024 is the 'Year of the Widow.' Beijing is starting to pay attention.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. They asked Beijing to issue a public notice advising people against allowing superstition to affect their life decisions. The belief involves the lack of a "beginning of spring" day, also known as lichun, at the start of a lunar year. "There surely must be a reason behind thousands of years of folk tradition," another person wrote in defense of the superstition. Advertisement"First you need to find someone to marry," wrote law blogger Chen Yiyu.

Persons: —, Mao Zedong's, haven't, Chen Yiyu Organizations: Service, Business, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, Weibo Locations: China, Beijing, Weibo

☆ China, in Comic Strip, Warns of 'Overseas' Threats to Its Rare Earths
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Liz LeeBEIJING (Reuters) - China's chief intelligence agency posted on social media a comic strip featuring foreign-looking characters secretly extracting rare earths, in a story portraying the country's strategic metals under threat from covetous "overseas organisations". No foreign government or agencies were named in the comic strip, and the ministry did not specify any measures to counter foreign "interest" in China's rare earths. It also banned the export of technology to make rare earth magnets, in addition a ban on technology to extract and separate rare earths. The restrictions have fanned fears that the supply of rare earths might ignite tensions with the West, particularly the United States, which accuses China of using economic coercion to influence other countries. The newspaper said the United States, Japan and the European Union, among others, have for a long time "coveted China's rare earth mineral resources".

Persons: Liz Lee BEIJING, Li Baiyang, Liz Lee, Miral Fahmy Organizations: State Security, United, Mining, Times, European Union, Global Times, Nanjing University Locations: China, United States, Beijing, U.S, Japan

☆ North Korea conducts test of underwater nuclear weapons system - KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

North Korea has conducted a test of its underwater nuclear weapons system in a protest against this week's joint military drills by South Korea, the United States and Japan, state media KCNA said on Friday. The test of the "Haeil-5-23" system, a name North Korea has given to its nuclear-capable underwater attack drones, was carried out by the defence ministry's think tank in the waters off its east coast, the report said, without specifying a date. The ministry's unnamed spokesman accused the United States, South Korea and Japan of "getting frantic" with military exercises, warning of "catastrophic consequences." The three countries' navies held their three-day regular drills until Wednesday, alongside the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, as part of efforts to improve their responses to Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats. "Our army's underwater nuke-based countering posture is being further rounded off and its various maritime and underwater responsive actions will continue to deter the hostile military maneuvers of the navies of the U.S. and its allies," the North Korean ministry spokesman said in a statement, according to KCNA.

Persons: KCNA, Carl Vinson Organizations: U.S, Korean Locations: Korea, South Korea, United States, Japan, North Korea

☆ North Korea Says Tests Underwater Nuclear Drone, Criticises US-Led Joint Drills
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea has conducted a test of its underwater nuclear weapons system in a protest against this week's joint military drills by South Korea, the United States and Japan, state media KCNA said on Friday. The test of the "Haeil-5-23" system, a name North Korea has given to its nuclear-capable underwater attack drones, was carried out by the defence ministry's think tank in the waters off its east coast, the report said, without specifying a date. The ministry's unnamed spokesman accused the United States, South Korea and Japan of "getting frantic" with military exercises, warning of "catastrophic consequences." North Korean state television has aired previous atmospheric explosion tests, which have been monitored by U.S. and South Korean authorities, but the reported underwater weapon has not been independently verified. The latest reported underwater test came days after North Korea fired a new intermediate-range, solid-fuel hypersonic missile, which Washington, Seoul and Tokyo condemned as a serious violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Persons: Shin, KCNA, Carl Vinson, Vladimir Putin, Hyonhee ShinEditing, Ed Davies, Michael Perry Organizations: U.S, Korean, North Locations: Shin SEOUL, North Korea, South Korea, United States, Japan, KCNA, North Korean, Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, Russia, Moscow

☆ Russia Calls Ukraine Peace Meetings 'Pointless', Says Plan Can't Succeed
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday that it was increasingly apparent to the world that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's plan to resolve the nearly two-year war had no hope of succeeding and dismissed meetings devoted to it as "pointless and harmful". The fourth in a series of meetings bringing together officials from several dozen countries - but not Russia - was held this week in Davos. "All such meetings ... including the Davos gathering and those to follow it, are pointless and harmful for settling the Ukrainian crisis." Russia is pointedly not invited to the meetings centred on Zelenskiy's peace plan, which calls for withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine, recognition of its 1991 post-Soviet borders and a mechanism to bring Moscow to account. The Swiss government agreed after the latest gathering on Zelenskiy's peace plan to host a global peace summit on Ukraine at Zelenskiy's request.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Andriy Yermak, Dmitry Peskov, Ron Popeski, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, Economic, Kyiv, Staff, Davos Locations: Russia, Davos, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Swiss

☆ China says the U.S. has 'weaponized' chip export controls
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese and U.S. flags flutter near The Bund, before U.S. trade delegation meet their Chinese counterparts for talks in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019. BEIJING — China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday the U.S. is weaponizing export controls and using them as a tool. "The United States has instrumentalized and weaponized export control issues," she said, calling for the Dutch side to "respect the spirit of the contract and support businesses in conducting compliant trade." She was responding to a question about ASML, the Netherlands-based company that makes lithography machines that are key to manufacturing advanced semiconductors. ASML said in a Jan. 1 statement the Dutch government restricted it from exporting some lithography products to China.

Persons: Shu Jueting, ASML Organizations: Bund, BEIJING — China's Ministry of Commerce, CNBC Locations: Shanghai, China, BEIJING, United States, Netherlands

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel intensified its bombardment in and around Gaza's second largest city early Tuesday, as ambulances and private cars came racing into a local hospital carrying people wounded in a bloody new phase of the war in Gaza. At the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, ambulances brought dozens of wounded people in throughout the night. “My children, since 10 p.m., are still under the rubble.”Satellite photos taken Sunday showed tanks and troops massing outside Khan Younis, the latest target of the offensive, which was home to more than 400,000 people before the war. Constant bombardment on the edge of Khan Younis lit up the sky over the town Monday evening. The area that Israel ordered evacuated covers about a fifth of Khan Younis.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, — Israel, Khan Younis, ”, “, Jake Sullivan, Mohammed Aghaalkurdi, ___ Magdy, Jon Gambrell Organizations: U.S, Nasser, United Nations, Israel, Health Ministry, White House, The Associated Press, Aid, PalTel, Communications, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Gaza's, Israel, Khan, United, Gaza City, Egypt, Palestinian, Shijaiya, Cairo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, israel

"With this (decision) Yoon is trying to make sure there is policy continuity in place ahead of election," said Park Sang-hyun, an economist at HI Investment & Securities. "Choi has been long-time finance ministry person and he basically spearheaded major economics policies of the Yoon administration from the very beginning so its a safe choice." Choi has a bachelor's degree from the Seoul National University law school, where Yoon also studied around the same time. Choi's career in government service has been mostly at the finance ministry, overseeing economic policy making, financial market policies, and external business relations. Yoon doesn’t need parliamentary approval to appoint a new finance minister, who also serves as deputy prime minister.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Choi Sang, mok, Choi, Choo, Yoon, Yoon's, Yoon doesn’t, Soo, hyang Choi, Ed Davies Organizations: HI Investment, Securities, Gallup, Bank of, Seoul National University, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Gallup Korea, Daegu

☆ China adds Nio to list of approved vehicle manufactures - website
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese Nio electric car is seen at Nio's first European plant and power swap station in Biatorbagy, Hungary, September 16, 2022. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle maker Nio (9866.HK) has been added to a Chinese industry ministry database permitting companies to produce vehicles in the country, according to the ministry's website. The website gave no details on whether or when a manufacturing licence was granted to Nio, which has since 2018 partnered with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC) to produce electric vehicles on a contract basis. U.S. luxury EV maker Lucid Group (LCID.O) has also been advised of the low likelihood for approval, sources have told Reuters. The last EV maker to receive both permits was Shandong-headquartered EV maker Sinogold in May 2019.

Persons: Bernadett Szabo, Nio, Cui Zhuzhu, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Emelia Sithole Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile, China Securities Journal, Tesla Inc, Reuters, Lucid, Sinogold, China Passenger Car Association, Thomson Locations: Biatorbagy, Hungary, Anhui, JAC's, Shanghai, China, Shandong

☆ A missing Botticelli masterpiece worth $109 million was hanging in an Italian family's home for decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Botticelli masterpiece presumed missing for over 50 years had been hanging in an Italian family's home. Despite the painting being entrusted to the family for safekeeping, authorities had somehow marked it missing. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA Botticelli masterpiece reported missing for over half a century was found hiding in plain sight: hanging in an Italian family's home. The Italian authorities estimate the lesser-known painting, one of Botticelli's last, to be worth $109 million, according to the outlet.

Persons: Botticelli, Virgin Mary, —, Sandro Botticelli, Botticelli's, Primavera, Santa Maria la Carità, Massimiliano Croce, Croce Organizations: Service, Carabinieri Command, Cultural Heritage, CNN, Roman Catholic Church, Guardian Locations: Italian, Gragnano, Naples, Santa Maria

The flags of the United States and India are displayed on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - India will formally investigate security concerns aired by the United States in a warning to New Delhi about its links to a foiled plot to murder a Sikh separatist leader, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The Financial Times newspaper on Nov. 22 first reported the thwarted plot against Pannun in the United States. The White House said it was treating the issue with "utmost seriousness" and had raised it with India at the "seniormost levels". The foiled plot and the U.S. concerns were reported two months after Canada said it was looking at credible allegations linking Indian agents to the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist, in a Vancouver suburb.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Gurpatwant Singh, Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi's, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Sanjay Verma, India’s, Verma, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Eisenhower, White, REUTERS, White House, Financial Times, U.S, Indian, Reuters, Defence, CTV, Thomson Locations: United States, India, Washington , U.S, DELHI, New Delhi, China, Delhi, U.S, Canada, Vancouver, . New Delhi, Canadian, Ottawa

☆ Gay activists in Russia fear arrest as top court weighs "extremist" listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's justice ministry asked the Supreme Court this month to recognise what it called "the international LGBT social movement" as extremist and to ban its activities. The ministry said that "various signs and manifestations of extremist orientation, including the incitement of social and religious discord" had been identified in the activities of Russia's LGBT movement, without giving examples. 'EXTREMIST' LISTING CAN FORESHADOW ARRESTSThe justice ministry publishes a list of more than 100 "extremist" groups banned in Russia. "This will all be so underground that, unfortunately, I'm sure there are many people who won't be able to get help," he said. Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Putin, Alexei Sergeyev, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, Sergei Troshin, Sergeev, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: PETERSBURG, LGBT, Reuters, Orthodox Church, Thomson Locations: Russia, St Petersburg

☆ Thailand to lower 2023 growth forecast after weak Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BANGKOK, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Thailand's previous 2023 economic growth forecast of 2.7% will be lowered after a weaker-than-expected third quarter, Deputy Finance Minister Krisada Chinavicharana said on Monday. Southeast Asia's second-largest economy expanded much slower than expected, at 1.5%, in the July-September quarter from a year earlier, the slowest this year, due to declining exports and government spending. For next year, while the ministry is aiming for economic growth of slightly higher than 3%, it will try to push for even more with upcoming government stimulus measures, he told reporters. The finance ministry's current forecasts are for 2.7% economic growth in 2023 and 3.2% growth in 2024. Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichreon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Krisada Chinavicharana, Kitiphong Thaichreon, Orathai Sriring, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Thomson Locations: BANGKOK

☆ Russian central bank to resume domestic FX market interventions from January
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The central bank in August stopped buying foreign currency until the end of the year to avoid aggravating pressure on the rouble, which tumbled past 100 to the dollar in August and September. "From January 2024, the Bank of Russia is resuming operations on the domestic foreign currency market connected to replenishing and using National Wealth Fund (NWF) funds, including taking into account all operations carried out with NWF funds in 2023," the central bank said in a statement. "Therefore, from the start of 2024, the central bank will not buy foreign currency (what it did not buy in August-December), but will increase its sales," Suvorov said. The rouble did not react on Monday, continuing to hover near the more than five-month high it hit last week. The central bank conducts those operations on behalf of the finance ministry, which resumed its interventions in January after a hiatus of several months, shunning what it terms "unfriendly" Western currencies in favour of China's yuan.

Persons: Yevgeny Suvorov, Suvorov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Bank of Russia, Wealth Fund, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Russian

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households. China climate official Su Wei told local media the green transformation of China would "inevitably involve profound changes in people's daily habits and consumption patterns", but he said carbon inclusion schemes would remain voluntary.

Persons: David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, China, Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New, Thomson Locations: Pingshan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, SHENZHEN, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Analysis-China Turns to Households in Fight to Slash Carbon Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Other countries have toyed with the idea of personal carbon trading, with pilot schemes set up in Finland and Australia's Norfolk Island. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households.

Persons: David Stanway, David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, Sonali Paul Organizations: Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New Locations: China, Shenzhen, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Fact Check: Washington Post headline about Ukraine and Hamas weapon supply is fake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Washington Post did not publish a report saying that weapons supply from Ukraine to Hamas had tripled, a spokesperson for the news outlet said in response to a fabricated screenshot of the purported article circulating online. The fake article, with the headline, “Ukraine's arms supply to Hamas has tripled in the last month,” is dated November 2, 2023 and attributed to Chris Moltisanti in its byline. However, a Washington Post spokesperson said in an email that the news outlet had not published the story shown in the screenshot and that Chris Moltisanti is not associated with the Post. A search for the purported headline and the byline Chris Moltisanti yielded no results on the news outlet’s website. The Washington Post did not publish a headline saying that Hamas’ supply of weapons from Ukraine had tripled.

Persons: ”, Chris Moltisanti, Christopher Moltisanti, Michael Imperioli, Ali Baraka, Read Organizations: Washington Post, Hamas, Facebook, HBO, Ukrainian Defence, ”, Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, ” Ukraine

☆ Israel's liberal use of large US-made bombs accounts for the high civilian casualty toll in Gaza, military experts say: 'It's beyond anything that I've seen in my career'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Israel's use of US-made bombs is contributing to high Palestinian civilian casualties, experts say. AdvertisementIsrael's use of large, American-made bombs is contributing to the massive death toll in Gaza, passing some of the deadliest conflicts in recent memory. The massive scale of Israel's attacks along with the use of large, US-made bombs in dense, urban areas have contributed to the massive death toll, according to the report. AdvertisementThe Gaza Health Ministry's most recent death toll released on November 10 included 11,078 deaths, according to the Associated Press . Israel's military did not provide a casualty count of its own, but denied targeting civilians, the newspaper said.

Persons: —, it's, Marc Garlasco, Brian Castner, Castner, Israel, Jonathan Conricus Organizations: New York Times, Service, United, The New York Times, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry, Associated Press, PAX, Pentagon, Times, Amnesty International, US Air Force, ISIS, The Times, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Gaza, United States, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Israel, Vietnam, America, Mosul, Raqqa, Thailand, Philippines

☆ Ukraine says Russia committing few troops to Avdiivka battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A local resident walks next to residential buildings heavily damaged by Russian military strikes in the front line town of Avdiivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine November 8, 2023. The head of Avdiivka's military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, said fighting was gripping an industrial district and Ukrainian forces were holding their positions. The Russian defence ministry's latest update mentioned that its troops were attacking villages south of Avdiivka, but gave few details. In the south, Russian forces also made missile strikes on port infrastructure in the Black Sea city of Odesa, regional officials said. Pro-Russian bloggers said Russian forces had been harrying Ukrainian forces near the village of Krynky, near marshes on the eastern bank upriver from the city of Kherson.

Persons: Nuzhnenko, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, Vitaliy Barabash, Avdiivka, Pavlo Norozhny, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Stephen Coates Organizations: Radio Free, Radio Liberty, REUTERS, Reuters, Russia's Defence Ministry, Armed Forces, Dnipro, Thomson Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Donetsk region, Radio Free Europe, Donetsk, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Maryinka, Kyiv, Black, Odesa, Kherson, Dnipro, Krynky, Oleshky

☆ Russia may seek compensation over Nord Stream blasts - RIA
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022. Danish Defence Command/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 21 (Reuters) - Russia is waiting for the outcome of an investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines before making any request for compensation, the RIA state news agency cited a foreign ministry official as saying on Tuesday. The pipelines under the Baltic Sea were damaged in explosions last year, and investigations have yet to establish who was responsible. Russia has blamed the United States, Britain, and Ukraine for the blasts which largely cut it off from the lucrative European market. The United Nations Security Council has refused to carry out its own investigation into the incident, leaving it to the governments of Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

Persons: Dmitry Birichevsky, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Danish Defence Command, REUTERS, United Nations, Security, United Nations Security Council, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Baltic, Bornholm, Denmark, Russia, Nord, United States, Britain, Ukraine, Sweden, Germany

☆ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's new cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez takes the oath of office during a ceremony at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain November 17, 2023. Andres Ballesteros/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced his new cabinet, keeping the same number of 22 ministers, 12 women and 10 men, despite reshuffling some of their portfolios. SOCIALIST MINISTERS:NADIA CALVINO - ECONOMYCalvino remains as Sanchez's first deputy prime minister and top economic expert. FELIX BOLANOS - JUSTICEBolanos saw his profile boosted by heightened media exposure while acting as Sanchez's de facto cabinet chief. SIRA REGO - CHILDREN AND YOUTHThe second-in-command and main spokesperson for the United Left, she became an MEP in 2019.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Andres Ballesteros, NADIA CALVINO, Calvino, Sanchez's, TERESA RIBERA, Ribera, MARIA JESUS MONTERO, Sanchez, Montero, FELIX BOLANOS, JUSTICE Bolanos, JOSE MANUEL ALBARES, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, MARGARITA ROBLES, Robles, FERNANDO GRANDE, Miquel Iceta, PILAR ALEGRIA, Alegria, Isabel Rodriguez, ISABEL RODRIGUEZ, Rodriguez, JOSE LUIS ESCRIVA, DIANA MORANT, LUIS PLANAS, Puente, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, JORDI HEREU, Hereu, Hector Gomez, ANGEL VICTOR TORRES, Torres, ELMA SAIZ, Escriva, Redondo, Podemos party's Irene Montero, SUMAR, YOLANDA DIAZ, LABOUR Diaz, Sumar, MONICA GARCIA, Garcia, Isabel Diez Ayuso, ERNEST URTASUN, PABLO BUSTINDUY, Bustinduy, Alberto Garzon, Ione Belarra, SIRA REGO, David Latona, Aislinn Laing, Grant McCool Organizations: Spain's, REUTERS Acquire, Spanish, Monday, European Investment Bank, JUSTICE, High, Culture, Social Security, Universities, Democratic, Socialist, ANA REDONDO, LABOUR, Mas Madrid, Greens, European Free Alliance, Consumer Affairs, United Left, Thomson Locations: Zarzuela, Madrid, Spain, Dubai, France, Morocco, Ukraine, Melilla, Gandia, Valladolid, Barcelona, Canary, Bolanos, Pamplona, Navarre, Mas, Podemos, Gaza, SIRA, Israel

☆ An expired remnant of the Iran nuclear deal may help Russia rearm for another winter of missile attacks on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A UN Security Council resolution passed in the days after the 2015 Iran nuclear deal has expired. That could lead Russia to seek ballistic missiles from Iran as it steps up its attacks on Ukraine. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 was passed in July 2015, days after the US and Iran agreed on the Iran nuclear deal. Russia continues to produce its own missiles and drones, but its constant attacks on Ukraine have strained its supplies. Iran's Zolfaghar Basir, top, and Dezful short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in Tehran in January 2022.

Persons: —, Morteza, Iran's Zolfaghar, Anton Mardasov, Mardasov, Rosoboronexport, Farzin, Moscow hasn't, Nadimi, Paul Iddon Organizations: UN Security, Service, UN, EU, Missile Technology Control, Iran's, Washington, UN Security Council, Moscow, Iranian, Business, Mardasov, Iranian Army, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Washington Institute for Near East Locations: Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, France, Germany, China, Tehran, Shahed, Russian, East, Syria, Israel, Arab, Iranian, Getty Images Russia

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