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☆ Opinion: Amid no-shows from other world leaders, Biden grasps his G20 moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The president’s speech was also a reminder that time is not on the side of the civilized world. “We all need to do more,” Biden said of the SDGs due to be met by 2030 but which are seriously off track. We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Biden said. As the president was speaking, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could be seen listening intently and applauded at the pledge of support. Leveraging the absence of other world leaders to his advantage seems to be working for Biden.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Joe Biden, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, Biden’s, ’ —, Donald Trump, Biden, ” Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelenskiy applauds, John Kerry, Antony Blinken, Kevin Lamarque, Dimitry Polyanskiy, ”, CNN’s Wolf, Zelensky, Trump, he’s, Russia –, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, General Antonio Guterres, Europe – Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, CNN . New, CNN . New York CNN, United Nations General, Assembly, Sustainable, Ukrainian, US, United States, UN, CBS News, UN Security Council, British, White, Central, Uzbekistan –, Kremlin, Biden Locations: Odesa, Europe, CNN . New York, Russia, Ukraine, United States, New York, Moscow, Crimea, France, China, India, Soviet, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, “

Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down but I won’t,” Biden told supporters at a Broadway fundraiser. Biden has sought a package of $13.1 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 billion for humanitarian support. Officials played down Biden’s absence at the climate summit, saying the issue will be interspersed through the president’s remarks and events throughout the week. Senior administration officials said the two leaders will discuss issues including Iran but declined to elaborate further. Biden is scheduled to host talks Thursday at the White House with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Persons: Joe Biden, —, he’s, Donald Trump, Biden, Vladimir Putin’s, Trump, Putin, MAGA, ” Biden, “, “ He’s, underscoring, António Guterres, Xi, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, John Kerry, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Benjamin Netanyahu, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ___ Kim Organizations: General, Donald Trump . White, Democratic, —, NATO, Kyiv, Trump, Ukraine, Central Asian, White House, . Security, White Locations: U.S, Ukraine, United States, New York, Central, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, France, Russia, China, Biden’s, Iran, Washington

Sept 19 (Reuters) - Bitcoin isn't the only asset experiencing a late summer slump. It has shrunk by almost a tenth this year, standing at $124.4 billion as of Sept. 14. A jump in the dollar index on interest rate hikes last year was accompanied by a big rise in stablecoin volumes, he added. Yet all is not equal: Dollar-pegged Tether, the biggest stablecoin, is bucking the losing trend. Reporting by Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Michelle Price and Pravin CharOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Butterfill, CoinGecko, Paolo Ardoino, Paxos, USDC, TerraUSD, Dante Disparte, it's, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price Organizations: U.S ., New York Department of Financial Services, U.S, Silicon, Bank —, Thomson, Reuters Locations: South America, Central Asia, U.S, Washington

☆ At UN, Biden will ask world to stick with Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. President Joe Biden steps from Air Force One upon his arrival in New York, U.S. September 17, 2023. Biden, a Democrat, has made rallying U.S. allies to support Ukraine a leading component of U.S. foreign policy, arguing the world must send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will not be able to outlast the West. But Biden has faced criticism from some Republicans who want the United States to spend less money there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to visit Biden at the White House on Thursday and meet with some congressional leaders as well. After his speech, Biden will sit down with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss world hotspots.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Jake Sullivan, General Antonio Guterres, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Lula, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Sullivan, Steve Holland, Jeff Mason, Heather Timmons, Grant McCool Organizations: Air Force One, REUTERS, General, Russian, Central, Democrat, NATO, Republican, UN, U.S, Reuters, White, House, Wednesday, Israeli, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Ukraine, Israel, Brazil, Russian, United States, Washington, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran

“Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence,” Mr. Biden said as President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine watched from the audience. I respectfully suggest the answer is no.”“We have to stand up to this naked aggression today to deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Mr. Biden continued. “Ask Prigozhin if one bets on Putin’s promises.”Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Zelensky received strong applause from some of the delegations in the hall, but many others did not clap. On Tuesday evening, Mr. Biden and Jill Biden were to host a reception for other world leaders at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “This is clearly a genocide,” Mr. Zelensky said.

Persons: Biden, Mr, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir V, Moscow, ”, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, “, Biden’s, Kevin McCarthy, we’ve, Lloyd J, Austin III, Ukraine’s, Xi Jinping, Jill Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Netanyahu, “ Slava Ukraini Organizations: appeasing Moscow, United Nations General Assembly, Republicans, United Nations, International Criminal Court, . Security, Mr, White, Pentagon, Capitol, Defense, General, appeasing, United, Soviet Union —, Turkmenistan —, Metropolitan Museum of Art, United Nations ’ Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Washington, New York, Russia’s, Germany, China, Beijing, Libya, “, United Nations, Soviet Union, Soviet Union — Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, China’s, Brazil, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Moldova, Georgia, Syria, Belarus, Baltic

☆ Biden to push for Ukraine aid, democracy as China and Russia skip UN General Assembly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden will address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, where he plans to promote democracy and advocate for increased support for Ukraine. Lula has argued the U.S. and other Western nations are prolonging the war with their defense support. This will be the first time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has attended the U.N. summit in person since the war began. A "substantial section" of Biden's speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday will be devoted to the war in Ukraine, Sullivan said. U.S. support for Ukraine

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, Saul Loeb, Biden, it's, Jake Sullivan, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Lula, Benjamin Netanyahu, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sullivan Organizations: Defense, . Homeland, Hurricane, White, Washington , D.C, AFP, Getty, United Nations General Assembly, Ukraine, House, . Security, Global, Israeli, General, United Nations Charter Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Washington ,, France, United Kingdom, China, Russia, United States, Brazil, Ukraine, U.S, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

On a craggy desert plateau in Uzbekistan, a renewable energy company from the United Arab Emirates is putting up more than 100 wind turbines. The Emirates, made wealthy by decades of oil exports, want to be seen as a climate-friendly renewable energy superpower, even as it helps lock developing nations around the world into decades more fossil fuel use. He founded the renewable energy company, Masdar, which has invested billions of dollars in zero-emissions energy technologies like wind and solar power across 40 countries. Simultaneously, he directs Adnoc, the national oil company, a behemoth that makes Masdar look minuscule. Adnoc pumps millions of barrels of oil per day and is aims to spend $150 billion over the next five years, mostly to ramp up its output.

Persons: Sultan al, Jaber, Adnoc Organizations: United Locations: Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, Central, Emirates

☆ To Understand Clean Energy Challenges, We Went to Uzbekistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Max Bearak | More About Max Bearak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the center of it allClean energy investments by Masdar could help Uzbekistan, a vast, landlocked country in Central Asia where the population and its energy needs are growing rapidly, rely less on the fossil fuels that make up nearly all of its energy arsenal today. Its government relies entirely on foreign funding to build up its energy infrastructure, however, and will take what it can get. He said he hoped to get countries to agree on a tripling of global renewable energy capacity at the climate talks. Emirati funding of both renewable and fossil energy is playing out elsewhere, too. In Azerbaijan, a recent Adnoc investment in an offshore oil field overshadowed Masdar’s expansion in renewable energy.

Persons: Jaber Organizations: Oil Change Locations: Uzbekistan, Central Asia, Masdar, Al, Azerbaijan, Germany, Japan

☆ What China slowdown? Three Chinese companies making big money globally
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

More Chinese companies are becoming global players. In all, BYD, state-owned SAIC and other Chinese companies gained 9% of the global electric car market in the second quarter, up from 5% in the second quarter, Counterpoint Research said. That's on top of the companies' share in the domestic Chinese market — the largest globally for autos. For the full year, XCMG has an export sales growth target of 50% growth, UBS stock analyst Phyllis Wang and a team said in a Sept. 4 note. Chinese companies have been trying to "go global" for years, with tacit encouragement from Beijing.

Persons: Lei Meng, That's, Xiao Feng, BYD, UBS's Meng, XCMG, Phyllis Wang, Mingyang, JPMorgan's Helen Zhu, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Car, UBS Securities, China Equity, SAIC, Research, Hong, Toyota, General Motors, Britannica ., Xuzhou Construction Machinery, Central, UBS, Beijing ., JPMorgan Locations: Hong Kong, Britannica, China, Shenzhen, Xuzhou, West Asia, North Africa, Central America, Europe, Central Asia, North America, Beijing, Beijing . State, Shanghai

☆ Cuba arrests 17 for allegedly helping recruit some of its citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Cuban authorities have arrested 17 people in connection with what they described as a network to recruit Cuban nationals to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Cuba's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the government had detected a network operating from Russia to recruit Cuban citizens living both in Russia and in Cuba to fight in Ukraine. "Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said in a news release. Russian law allows foreign nationals to enlist in its army, after signing a contract with the Defense Ministry. It also noted that there have been online adds seeking recruits for the Russian army in Armenia and Kazakhstan.

Persons: César Rodríguez, José Luis Reyes, Marilin Vinent, Dannys Castillo, Vinent, Sergei Sobyanin Organizations: Cuba's Interior Ministry, Cuba's, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, Russia, Defense Ministry, Moscow, Russian Defense Ministry, British Defense Ministry, Twitter, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Cuba, Russian, Ryazan, Moscow, Cuba Republic, Havana, Central Asia, Armenia, Kazakhstan

☆ China is eroding Russia's influence over old allies as the alliance it leads crumbles over Ukraine, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russian influence is waning despite formal alliances and the old ties of the Soviet Union. It is also home to most members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO): Russian President Vladimir Putin's equivalent of NATO. Russia's influence on them is also being weakened by more countries competing for their attention, Graham said. AdvertisementAdvertisementHe said that "Russia's operation in Ukraine is undermining, eroding its ability to maintain its influence across the former Soviet space." "You're seeing the slow erosion of Russian influence."

Persons: Thomas Graham, Vladimir Putin's, Graham, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Stanislav Zas, Nikol Pashinyan, Alexander Lukashenko, Kassym, Tokayev, Sadyr Japarov, Emomali Rakhmon, Anton Novoderezhkin Organizations: Service, Yale, Collective Security, Organization, NATO, Moscow REUTERS, Russia, Armenian, Kazakh, Kremlin, Sputnik, REUTERS, Central, AFPTV, Getty Locations: Central Asia, Russia, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, China, Turkey, East, Caucasus, Moscow, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Central, Europe, Iran, Russian, Belarusian, Bakhmut, AFP, Azerbaijan, Soviet

He will have at least one advantage: Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be at the meetings. "But the question ... is whether the United States will be able to step up." FAST GROWTH, HIGH DEBTChinese Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the G20 as its leaders cope with sagging growth and a possible property debt crisis. For his part, Xi is also finding new ways to engage the developing world, hosting a gathering of Central Asian leaders and discussing development in May. Xi is also expected to attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco in November, where he may meet with Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Biden, Xi Jinping, Zack Cooper, Li Qiang, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Jake Sullivan, Donald Trump's, Sullivan, White, Khulu Mbatha, Cyril Ramaphosa, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Michael Martina, Carien du, Don Durfee, Grant McCool Organizations: Warehouse Union, Pacific Maritime Association, White, REUTERS, Rights, World Bank, Bank, U.S, Partnership for Global Infrastructure, Investment, American Enterprise Institute, IMF, Global, White House, Trump, Republican, South, Central Asian, United, United Arab Emirates, Economic Cooperation, Biden, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, India, United States, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Washington, China, Russian, East, Central Asia, Saharan Africa, People's Republic, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, Beijing, Moscow, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab, San Francisco, Carien du Plessis, Johannesburg

☆ Russia to recruit foreigners in neighboring countries to beef up its army depleted by 300,000 war casualties, says the UK Defense Ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is outsourcing military recruitment to "avoid unpopular domestic mobilization measures," says UK MoD. The Kremlin wants to fill the growing gaps in army ranks foreigners and migrant workers. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, say US officials. The campaign to exploit migrant workers and enlist men from neighboring countries precedes Russia's upcoming presidential election in 2024. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, of which as many as 120,000 are deaths and up to 180,000 are injuries, US officials said last month.

Persons: OLGA MALTSEVA Organizations: MoD, Kremlin, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Ministry, Getty Images, Ukraine, Central Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Saint Petersburg, AFP, Kazakhstani

☆ Hundreds of Russian soldiers are going AWOL and refusing to fight as morale plummets, UK intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's conviction rate for AWOL soldiers soared to 100 a week, UK officials said. Mediazona, citing data from the websites of military courts as of July 19, reported a dramatic increase in cases of Russian soldiers absent without official leave (AWOL) since March 2023. By June, Russian military courts were handing out 100 sentences per week, the outlet said. "Although some soldiers have refused to fight and attrition rates remain high, Russia highly likely mitigates their loss by committing a mass of poorly trained soldiers to the frontline." In addition to low morale, the respected Institute for the Study of War think tank stated last week that the Russian military is suffering from infighting and shortages.

Persons: Mediazona Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Russian Army, Russian, MoD, Central, New York Times Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moscow

☆ Mongolian woman eager to welcome Pope Francis keeps up tea-spilling tradition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Joseph Campbell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But at the end of her daily morning ritual, the 71-year-old pauses for a brief Christian prayer and crosses herself across the chest. It was important to keep alive Mongolian traditions alongside her Catholic faith, she said. "I also teach my children to preserve this valuable heritage," added Gavaadandov, who wore an orange deel, or traditional silk robe. For years, she often attended church services alone, but gradually her family, including her grandchildren and husband, joined her. The nation of about 3.3 million is strategically significant for the Roman Catholic Church because of its proximity to China, where the Vatican is trying to improve the situation of Catholics.

Persons: Perlimaa Gavaadandov, Joseph Campbell, Gavaadandov, Pope Francis, I’ll, Pope Francis’s, James Mate, Mate, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Roman Catholic Church, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Arvaikheer, Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, China, Asia, Kenya, Mongolian

☆ Exclusive: Smuggler with ties to ISIS helped migrants enter US from Mexico, raising alarm bells across government
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis Evan Perez Priscilla Alvarez Natasha Bertrand | Katie Bo Lillis | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

And they are closely scrutinizing a number of the migrants as possible criminal threats, according to two US officials. The security of the southern border has been a political sticking point between Republicans and the Biden administration. John Moore/Getty Images/FILEAdministration officials have also grappled with limited resources as they face a growing number of migrants at the US southern border. In July, border authorities encountered more than 183,000 migrants at the US southern border, according to US Customs and Border Protection data. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have been forced to wrestle with similar cases of suspected terrorists trying to enter the country at the southern border.

Persons: Adrienne Watson, Joe Biden’s, Biden, ” Watson, John Moore, Christopher Wray, ” Wray Organizations: CNN, FBI, ISIS, National Security, Staff, Department of Homeland Security, Turkish, Biden, DHS, Administration, US Customs, Trump, Migrants Locations: Mexico, United States, Uzbekistan, Central Asia, China, Russia, Asia

☆ Shady export leaks suggest Russian sanctions work
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That may be true, but the cracks mostly demonstrate the sanctions’ impact, and why they can be tightened. EU exporters did ship nearly 17 billion euros’ worth of goods to Kazakhstan in the 18 months starting in January 2022. And if exports had grown at the 17% pace of previous years, some 6 billion euros would remain unexplained. Meanwhile, Russia’s efforts to circumvent a G7 price cap on its oil shipments are another sign of Western sanctions’ overall effectiveness. EU exports to Russia declined by 30% to 75.7 billion euros over the same period.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, European Union, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Western, Union, Eurostat, Thomson Locations: Kazakhstan, Soviet, Moscow, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, China, India, Europe, United States, Central Asia, EU

☆ Russia more than doubled salaries of some soldiers but is still struggling to recruit people to fight in Ukraine, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia, which has struggled to recruit soldiers, likely still won't get as many as it wants, the MoD said. Russia has done one major mobilization of fighters since the invasion began, declaring a "partial mobilization" of 300,000 reservists in September. It said in May that Russia likely wants to delay the announcement of any obvious mandatory mobilization "to minimize domestic dissent." And it said Russia was focusing on recruiting Central Asian migrant workers that are in Russia to go and fight in Ukraine. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia also tried to recruit from neighboring country Kazakhstan, offering a sign-on bonus of 495,000 rubles, which is around $5,200.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: UK's Ministry of Defence, MoD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Russian Armed Forces, Russian, Central Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kazakhstan

☆ Russians aren't the only victims of the ruble's implosion — the weak currency is also hitting migrant Central Asians who repatriate the cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The weak Russian ruble is hurting Central Asian workers in Russia too, per Radio Free Europe. At least 6 million Central Asians work as migrant laborers in Russia. At least 6 million Central Asians work as migrant laborers in Russia. One dollar buys around 95 rubles now, as compared to the 74 rubles it could buy at the start of 2023. The situation is so serious that about half of migrant laborers are considering leaving Russia due to the weak currency, the Vedomosti business daily reported last Tuesday, citing a survey among the Uzbek diaspora in Russia.

Persons: Serik Belgibay Organizations: Central, Radio Free Europe, Service, Russia, Radio Free, Facebook, Kazakh Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstani, Kazakh, Kazakhstan

Oleg Panteleev, head of the AviaPort aviation think-tank in Moscow, said Russian airlines have "solved the problem" of operating under Western sanctions. When those firms stopped providing services – Lufthansa Technik said it suspended sales to Russia from Feb. 28, 2022 – Russian airlines turned to a pool of far smaller suppliers. Ivan Melnicov, chief executive of Air Rock and another aircraft parts distributor in Moldova called Aerostage Services, denied selling products to Russia. Most of the shipments listed in Russian customs records as having been made by Air Rock and Aerostage took circuitous routes, transiting through the UAE or Kyrgyzstan. He said Skyparts had procured one of the Northrop Grumman parts from a U.S. supplier but denied ever sending it to Russia.

Persons: Paul Hanna, Northrop, Oleg Panteleev, Kirill Skuratov, Northrop Grumman, Ivan Melnicov, Melnicov, Aerostage, Kafolati Komil, Mahmadbashir Yakubov, Kafolati, Skyparts FZCO, Lisa Barrington, Saeed Abdulloev, Skyparts, Karine Bukrey, Ramses Turizm, Bukrey's, Ramazan, Bukrey, Akpinar, Nordwind, Valery Pashaev, Pashaev, Maurice Tamman, David Clarke, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Ural Airlines Airbus, Palma de Mallorca, REUTERS, Rights, U.S ., Northrop Grumman, Central Asia, Airbus, Boeing, Ural Airlines, Northrop, United Arab Emirates, Western, Reuters, of Commerce, European Union, Russian, S7 Airlines, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Aeroflot, Lufthansa Technik, Engineering, Rock Solutions, Air Rock, Aerostage Services, Airlines, UAE, Istikloliyat, Skyparts, Nordwind Airlines, Thomson Locations: Palma de, Spain, Russian, Yekaterinburg, U.S, Moscow, Russia, Central, Ukraine, Tajikistan, UAE, Turkey, China, Kyrgyzstan, Swiss, Germany, Moldova, Air, Moldovan, Saudi Arabia, Komilchon, Ural, Dubai, United Arab, Turkish, Antalya, Nusret, Technic, New York

Zhang Yaoyu, PCI's global head of LNG trading, declined to comment on the company's traded volume, but said trading was part of the company's overall strategy. By 2026, Chinese companies are expected to have contracted LNG supplies of more than 100 million tons a year. That could mean a surplus of up to 8 million tons that year, according to consultancy Poten & Partners, or a deficit of 5 million to 6 million tons based on estimates from pricing agency ICIS. Qatar, which will be China's largest supplier for 2026, however, offers traditional LNG contracts that are restricted to a single destination or country. These openings in the market and a more liberalised domestic gas market have also prompted smaller Chinese gas distributors and importers to expand into the trading space.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Toby Copson, Copson, it's, Zhang Yaoyu, Zhang, Jason Feer, Feer, Chen Aizhu, Emily Chow, Marwa Rashad, Yuka Obayashi, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, 2026 Companies, Shell, BP, International Energy Agency, Offshore Oil Corp, China Gas Holdings, HK, Qatar, Trident LNG, Sinochem, PetroChina International, Poten, Partners, Rystad Energy, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, PCI, U.S, Beijing Gas, Zhejiang Energy, JOVO Energy, Thomson Locations: Qatar, US, Europe, Asia SINGAPORE, London, Singapore, U.S, Oman, Canada, Mozambique, Shanghai, China, Japan, Beijing, Central Asia, Russia, Southeast Asia, South Korea, Ukraine, ENN, Tokyo

☆ A BRICS no-show speaks volumes about Putin's shrinking horizons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Putin will be notably absent from a key global forum this week, the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. His no-show speaks volumes about Russia’s isolation – and Putin’s shrinking horizons. Bolstering such support against the background of the war on Ukraine was a key aim of Putin’s recent Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin, of course, bristles at any implication that Putin is ducking out of the BRICS summit because of an ICC warrant. Russia, after all, is waging a war on Ukraine that Putin has justified in starkly imperial terms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, he’ll, Alexander Lukashenko, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi –, Sergey Lavrov, Omar al, Bashir –, Darfur –, Dmitry Peskov, ”, Lavrov, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, South, Indian, International Criminal, ICC, Hague, Russian, UN Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Central Asia, Iran, Minsk, Belarusian, Russia, Johannesburg, Russian, Africa, St . Petersburg, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, Darfur, BRICS, United States

☆ Uzbekistan says contaminated Indian cough syrup was on market due to bribery
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Three of the defendants (an Indian and two Uzbekistan nationals) are executives of Quramax Medical, a company that sold medicines produced by India’s Marion Biotech, in Uzbekistan. Pratar, who spoke in court, denied the charges but admitted to handing over the sum to officials through an intermediary as a "token of appreciation". Officials have not said why 45 deaths had remained unreported since last year. State prosecutors also said on Wednesday that Quramax had imported Marion Biotech medicines at an inflated price via two Singapore-based intermediary companies, which prompted tax evasion charges. Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Singh Raghvendra Pratar, Saidkarim Akilov, Quramax, Mukhammadsharif, Olzhas Auyezov, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Quramax, India's Marion Biotech, Central, India’s Marion Biotech, Marion Biotech, Thomson Locations: Uzbekistan, Tashkent, TASHKENT, India, Singapore

WARSAW, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The Polish government wants to pose questions to voters during a Oct. 15 election that will include whether Poland should take in "thousands of illegal immigrants", a move rivals say aims to swing the vote by misleading voters about opposition policies. The centrist Civic Platform (PO), the main opposition party which is running neck and neck with PiS according to some polls, says the questions are designed to sway voters by distorting the opposition's stance on these sensitive issues. PiS, seeking a third term in power, has put opposition to migration at the centre of its campaign and says the opposition would hurt the economy by selling state assets and endanger security amid Russia's war in Ukraine. "When we propose a question so that we don't sell out Poland's wealth, the opposition gets furious. The PO says it does not have an open-door migrant policy and says none of the questions represent their policies.

Persons: PiS, Mateusz Morawiecki, Malgorzata Kidawa, Blonska, Mariusz Blaszczak, Agnieszka Pikulicka, Edmund Blair Organizations: WARSAW, Law and Justice, European Union, Twitter, Defence, Thomson Locations: Polish, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, East, Africa, Europe

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