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☆ Can the UK afford to host Ukraine’s Eurovision? It can’t afford not to
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

watch nowThe U.K. will host the 67th Eurovision Song Contest on May 13. What is the Eurovision Song Contest? The U.K. is hosting the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, as the war remains ongoing in Ukraine, 2022's winners. For one, the competition can be a great advert for the host city — and country — which can endure well after the party is over. Electro-pop duo Tvorchi is representing Ukraine in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

☆ Explainer: Why the EU is restricting grain imports from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Poland, meanwhile, received 2.08 million tonnes of corn, 579,315 tonnes of wheat and 44,114 tonnes of barley in 2022. They have, however, faced increased competition in local markets from Ukrainian grain and oilseeds. Ukrainian grain was shipped to 95 countries that season with major buyers including China, Egypt, Pakistan, Spain and Libya. This is partly because Russian wheat exports have actually risen following a record harvest last summer. A decline in Ukraine's corn exports has also been offset by a jump in shipments from Brazil.

Farmers in Poland and other eastern European countries who held out for higher prices have been hit by a perfect storm. A jump in exports from Brazil and Russia helped to drive global grain prices lower while the EU opened its borders to tariff-free Ukrainian grain imports in a show of solidarity after Russia blocked the country's Black Sea ports. After opening its borders to Ukrainian grain, Poland imported 2.08 million tonnes of maize and 579,315 tonnes of wheat last year, up from just 6,269 tonnes of maize and 3,033 tonnes of wheat in 2021. If the grain corridor due to expire this month were to collapse, Ukrainian farmers would have little option but to send all their grain exports through eastern Europe. European wheat prices hit post-harvest highs in October 2022 of more than 350 euros a tonne but since then prices have dropped to pre-invasion levels of about 235 euros.

☆ Tesla? Caviar? Boots? At These Resorts, Everything’s Included
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Danielle Braff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The all-inclusive resorts are happy to oblige. “Primarily, the difference is in the location, the higher level of accommodations and more personalized guest services — not to mention bragging rights,” said Mr. Fareed, the hospitality consultant. Big-name hotel brands including Marriott and Hyatt are entering the scene with their own ultraluxe all-inclusives. W Hotel (part of Marriott) is planning its all-inclusive Dominican Republic debut in 2025, while Hyatt is opening its new Inclusive Collection portfolio of resorts in Portugal, Mexico and Bulgaria. It follows in the footsteps of the Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu, an upscale all-inclusive estate that opened its doors in 2019 in a wooded park 45 minutes outside Paris.

☆ Poland to call for EU sanctions on imports of Russian farm products
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, May 6 (Reuters) - Poland will demand European Union sanctions on imports of Russian farm products, its ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sados was quoted as saying on Saturday by PAP news agency. "Europe isn't threatened by disruptions in supply chain of farm products now, contrary, we have a problem of surpluses. We are resolving a problem of increased imports of farm products from Ukraine," Sados said, according to PAP. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year, the EU has adopted 10 sanctions packages against Russian individuals and companies. Poland in April proposed a new set of punitive measures against Moscow, including a ban on pipeline oil and diamond imports.

Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Ukraine ran its nuclear reactors on Russian fuel, producing 55% of the country's electricity. Cameco, like Energoatom, can adjust how much uranium it delivers on two years' notice, Kotin said. Contracted uranium prices are typically higher than spot prices, meaning that Cameco may take a discount if Ukraine purchases less uranium due to the war's impact, Carter said. Kotin said Energoatom will buy Cameco's uranium at a price based equally on a fixed price and a market price. BIG POTENTIAL REWARDSWhile Ukraine will rely on Cameco for uranium, it has struck separate deals for further processing.

☆ Ancient DNA extracted from 25,000-year-old pendant reveals intriguing details about its wearer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Traces of ancient DNA contained in old bones have spilled fascinating secrets about the past. The research, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, revealed intriguing details about its ancient wearer and is the first time scientists have successfully isolated ancient human DNA from a Stone Age artifact. Shown here is the ancient DNA extraction lab at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyTypically, researchers would use a small drill to extract bone powder from an artifact or bone. The pierced deer tooth discovered in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia yielded ancient human DNA.

☆ Alcaraz relishing Zverev rematch in Madrid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his round of 32 match against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov REUTERS/Isabel InfantesMay 1 (Reuters) - World number two Carlos Alcaraz said he is looking forward to facing Alexander Zverev at the Madrid Open again, nearly a year after defeating the German in the final of last year's edition. Alcaraz eased past Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 7-5 on Sunday to set up a last-16 showdown with Zverev, who demolished Frenchman Hugo Grenier 6-1 6-0. The pair met twice during last year's clay swing, with Alcaraz beating Zverev in Madrid to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title before Zverev got his revenge in the French Open quarter-finals a few weeks later. "I know that Zverev is a really good player, a really aggressive one with good serves. Alcaraz meets world number 16 Zverev on Tuesday.

☆ Bulgarian extreme athlete shuts himself in glass box to help young addicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Stoyan NenovSOPHIA, April 30 (Reuters) - Bulgarian ultra-marathon runner, Krasse Gueorguiev, will live in a glass box for 15 days in a park in Sofia, to raise money to help young people fight addictions. "I want to show when you put someone in the box how psychologically they change." A box with three glass walls has been put on a pedestal in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. "This is not a physical experiment it is psychological experiment," he said. Reporting by Stoyan Nenov; Writing by Ivana Sekularac;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I've stayed in 13 countries for free by house sitting. Here are 3 tips for starting your own house-sitting journey.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In 2017, Marius Schmidt sold all his stuff and left Münster, Germany, to travel the world full time. Schmidt used to stay in Airbnbs, but discovered house sitting in 2020 and now his stays are free. When COVID began to relax in Europe, I thought maybe I'll try house sitting out and see if I can actually do it myself. I've heard from a few other house sitters that sometimes it is really messy or not a very nice house. There's a lot of communication and I also try to leave the house better than it was before.

☆ Ukraine says grain import restrictions are 'unacceptable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Saturday it had sent notes to the Polish Embassy and EU representative office in Kyiv on Friday expressing dissapointment with the situation and saying restrictions on its grain exports via the European trade bloc were "categorically unacceptable". The European Commission said on Friday afternoon it had reached a deal in principle to allow the transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five EU countries that had imposed restrictions. Asked if the announcement had changed the ministry's position, he said: "There must be (unhindered) export for all Ukrainian goods". In imposing restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports, those five countries have cited concerns that grain from Ukraine meant to be exported to other countries have ended up in their local markets, pushing down prices for local farmers. A Polish foreign ministry spokesman said he had not yet seen the note.

☆ Ukraine passes protest notes to Poland, EU over grain import ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

KYIV, April 29 (Reuters) - Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Saturday it passed notes to Polish and European Union representatives in Ukraine on Friday describing the limiting of Ukrainian grain imports into EU countries as "categorically unacceptable". "Such restrictions, whatever the justification for them, do not comply with the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and the principles and norms of the EU Single Market," the ministry said. "There are full legal grounds for the immediate resumption of exports of Ukrainian agricultural goods to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, as well as the continuation of unhindered exports to other EU member states," it continued. Reporting by Max Hunder Editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ E.U. Extends Tariff Waiver for Ukrainian Grain, Despite Some Protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS — European Union ambassadors agreed on Friday to allow Ukraine’s grains into the bloc free of tariffs for another year, while granting more than $100 million in aid for farmers in neighboring E.U. Four of those countries — Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia — had recently enacted unilateral bans on Ukrainian food imports in an effort to contain the problem. “We have a solution which is addressing the concerns both of farmers in neighboring member states and Ukraine,” Valdis Dombrovskis, the E.U. Mr. Dombrovskis said it would include a financial support package of 100 million euros, or about $110 million, for farmers in neighboring member states, from an E.U. “In return, the neighboring member states will be withdrawing their unilateral measures,” he said, referring to the Ukrainian import bans.

☆ Deal reached in principle to resume Ukraine grain transit with 5 EU countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBRUSSELS, April 28 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Friday it had reached a deal in principle to allow the transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five European Union countries that had imposed restrictions. European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis tweeted that the EU executive had reached "an agreement in principle" with the five countries "to address concerns of both farmers in neighbouring EU countries and Ukraine". The deal also includes a support package worth 100 million euros ($110.25 million) for local farmers, Dombrovskis said. The five countries became transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be exported through the country's Black Sea ports because of Russia's February 2022 invasion. Bottlenecks then trapped millions of tons of grains in countries bordering Ukraine, forcing local farmers to compete with an influx of cheap Ukrainian imports that they said distorted prices and demand.

☆ Russia digs in as Ukraine prepares to attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

And in the case of Polohy, Russia has constructed two distinct defensive lines, one to the north and one to the south. Musiyenko estimated that Ukraine would have a force of between 100,000-110,000 for an attack, including eight assault brigades with a total of 40,000 troops. Russia has not said how many troops it has in Ukraine, or within its borders ready to deploy. A leaked U.S. intelligence document dated Feb. 28 seen by Reuters said the West had committed 200 tanks to Ukraine. Army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said in December he needed 300 to defeat Russia, along with other vehicles and artillery.

☆ Column: Europe raises green energy climate hurdles with red tape revamp: Maguire
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

EMISSIONS TRADING TWEAKSThe European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is the region's main device for managing emissions by providing financial incentives to cut pollution while penalising high emitters. This is designed to prevent companies moving heavy polluting parts of their supply chain to areas outside of the EU ETS catchment area, and ensure that companies cannot merely outsource the dirtiest parts of the production phase elsewhere. However, this new mechanism runs the risk of eroding the cost competitiveness of hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as steel and chemicals producers. The key now for Europe's lawmakers is to ensure that many of these new hurdles can still be cleared by key industries without undermining the economic competitiveness of the entire region. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Front-line NATO allies worry they could be next after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are getting ready for a fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Sinéad Baker | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

These countries along the military alliance's front line are now scrambling to make sure they're protected should the Russian military ever come knocking. "There is an imminent need of a stronger NATO presence in our region," Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said. For nearly 14 months, the Russian military has been bogged down by its grinding war in Ukraine. More boots on the groundSome leaders in the Baltic countries have said that they ultimately want to host more NATO troops, including permanent brigades, in the years to come. So as the threat landscape continues to shift, the Baltic defense has adapted along with it, Townsend said.

☆ Hungary to allow transit of Ukrainian grain, protect farmers, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, April 20 (Reuters) - Hungary will continue to allow transit of Ukrainian grain, ensuring the departure of such shipments "in a controlled manner," its agriculture minister, Istvan Nagy, told state news agency MTI after talks in Brussels. This followed Poland and Hungary last weekend banning some imports from Ukraine. "It was worthwhile for Hungary to take firm action and protect the interests of Hungarian farmers," Nagy said, referring to the ban, adding the measures forced Brussels to take action. The countries became transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be exported through Ukraine's Black Sea ports because of Russia's invasion in February 2022. Bottlenecks then trapped millions of tons of grains in countries bordering Ukraine, forcing local farmers to compete with an influx of cheap Ukrainian imports which they said distorted prices and demand.

☆ Saudi Arabia's TAWAL to buy European towers from United Group
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, April 20 (Reuters) - TAWAL, a unit of Saudi Telecom Company (stc) (7010.SE), agreed to buy tower infrastructure worth 1.22 billion-euros ($1.34 billion) from United Group in its first foray into Europe's telecoms market, the southeast European firm said on Thursday. TAWAL, a tower infrastructure unit that STC carved out in 2018, will buy the mobile infrastructure unit of United Group in Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia, which has more than 4,800 towers, United Group said in a statement. United Group, backed by private equity firm BC Partners, said it was TAWAL's first investment in Europe's telecoms sector. "Upon completion, TAWAL's operations in the European market will be rebranded as "TAWAL Europe" and will serve as TAWAL's platform for any future expansion in Europe," stc said. ($1 = 0.9119 euros)Reporting by Yousef Saba; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine’s corn and wheat exports are set to plummet. Here’s what that means for the world's food supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Both Ukraine and Russia were among the world's top producers of commodities such as wheat and barley before the war broke out in February 2022. But the conflict saw the price of U.S. wheat and corn futures hit decade highs (with one benchmark wheat contract hitting an all-time high) and sparked volatility in global wheat prices throughout the year. 2023/24 Ukraine grains exports (corn + wheat) might be 27-30mmt, down 15-18mmt from 2021/22," he added. Global food tradeThe war in Ukraine has contributed to rising food prices, with inflation above 5% in more than 80% of low-income countries, according to World Bank figures. Climate change causing extreme weather is already damaging the food system, according to Alexander, a senior lecturer at Edinburgh University's Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems.

☆ International Investment Bank to relocate headquarters from Budapest back to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 19 (Reuters) - Russia's International Investment Bank (IIB) will relocate its headquarters from Budapest back to Russia, according to a statement published on the bank's website on Wednesday. The decision was announced a week after the United States imposed sanctions on three top officials of IIB in Budapest: two Russians and a Hungarian. "IIB has exhausted the basis for further operations from its headquarters in Budapest and in the European Union," the IIB statement said. "The Bank has commenced a relocation of its operations and functions of its headquarters from Hungary to Russia." The Hungarian government took no measures against the bank, which moved its operations to Budapest in 2019.

☆ Ukraine's cheap grain exports are causing an awkward rift with its European neighbors and staunch allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The move to ban Ukraine's agricultural imports has angered the European Union given that the bloc has sought to help Kyiv maintain its exports as an economic lifeline for the war-torn country. Slovakia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development told CNBC that despite its temporary ban on Ukrainian imports, the country continued to be open for "solidarity transit," meaning that Ukrainian grain could still pass through its territory to other countries. The ministry added that "we would appreciate the whole-European solution [to] the Ukrainian grain because the topic is relating to the protection of the whole internal European market." It also said it recognized the impact of the "oversupply" of Ukrainian imports on EU farmers, particularly those in bordering nations. Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections, are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline on November 02, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.

☆ Russia's men's basketball team banned from Olympic pre-qualification
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 18 (Reuters) - Russia will remain banned from international basketball with its men's national team not being allowed to participate in this year's Pre-Olympic Qualification Tournaments, FIBA's Executive Committee announced on Tuesday. Russia who were 12th at the previous FIBA Men's World Cup in 2019, last qualified for the Olympics in 2012, winning bronze medal with a line-up that included former NBA player Andrei Kirilenko. "Following the IOC recommendations on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions published on 28 March, the FIBA Executive Committee has decided to not allow the registration of the Russian men's national team," the governing body said in a statement. Bulgaria will replace the Russian team as the next highest ranked European squad. The event will be held from August 12 to 20, with the five winners earning spots in the FIBA Olympic Qualification Tournaments in 2024.

SummarySummary Companies Three EU states have banned Ukrainian grain, food importsRomania looks set to follow suitUkraine also trying to salvage Black Sea grain dealWARSAW, April 18 (Reuters) - Poland agreed on Tuesday to lift a ban on the transit of Ukrainian grain and food products, but Ukraine said a wartime deal allowing it to safely ship grain from Black Sea ports was still under threat. Failure to resume exports into eastern European countries or secure an extension of the Black Sea grain deal would trap large amounts of grain in Ukraine, hitting its exports and causing further economic problems for Kyiv as it battles Russian troops. Large quantities of Ukrainian grain have been trapped by bottlenecks in eastern and central Europe as low global prices and demand mean grain cannot easily be sold on. BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL IN DOUBTUkraine, which relies on grain and food sales for a significant slice of its gross domestic product, also has concerns about the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered between Moscow and Kyiv by Turkey and the United Nations last July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York next week, Russia's U.N. envoy said on Tuesday.

KYIV, April 17 (Reuters) - Kyiv will aim to secure the re-opening of food and grain transit via Poland as "a first step" at talks in Warsaw on Monday, Ukraine's agriculture minister said, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on some imports from Ukraine. Poland's ban on grains, in effect since Saturday evening, also applied to transit through the country. Officials have said it is meant to keep grain transport from entering the Polish market. Deliveries to Hungary accounted for around 6% of Ukraine's farm exports, he said, adding that Ukrainian food transit via Hungary and Slovakia was unaffected. Talks between Ukraine and Poland were due to start in Warsaw around 12:00 p.m. (1000 GMT), Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said on TVP Info.

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