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☆ Trump’s NATO comments stir up a political storm as Russia keeps quiet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Sam Meredith | Www.Linkedin.Com In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former U.S. president Donald Trump pictured during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at Winfield House, London on Dec. 3, 2019. She added that the NATO alliance "allows us to prevent war." The defense spending target is not a requirement and many countries have sought to ramp up their military spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NATO's so-called Article 5 mutual defense clause means that an attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all allies. "NATO cannot be an 'a la carte' military alliance ... depending on the humor of the president of the U.S.," Borrell said when asked to respond to Trump's comments, Reuters reported.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, NICHOLAS KAMM, Trump, …, Vladimir, Dmitry Peskov, Trump's, Joe Biden, Biden, Nikki Haley, Haley, Chris Christie, I've, Jake Sullivan, Dursun, Stoltenberg, NATO Ally, Josep Borrell, Borrell Organizations: U.S, NATO, Winfield House, AFP, Getty, Former, Statista, Russia, Reuters, Top, Democratic, Republican, South Carolina Gov, CBS, NBC News, US National Security, North Atlantic Council, Anadolu Locations: London, Former U.S, South Carolina, Russia, U.S, United States, Brussels, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, NATO's

As of last year, a majority of NATO countries did not meet this pledge. But the alliance does not have its own army, and its military operations are staffed and supplied by member countries. Which Countries Meet NATO’s 2% Defense Spending Target? Only 11 of the 31 NATO member countries were expected to meet that target for 2023, according to estimates published last July by the alliance. That means that 20 NATO countries were expected to spend less than 2% of their GDP on defense, based on the 2023 estimates.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, we’re, Russia –, ” Trump, “, ’, ” Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Republican Locations: Russia, Ukraine, South Carolina, U.S, United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Canada

☆ Weight loss drugs are still hard to find — but Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are trying to change that
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Victoria Klesty | ReutersThe insatiable demand for weight loss drugs is trouncing supply, leaving many patients struggling to find the injectable treatments. The dominant weight loss drugmakers, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly , have said supply woes likely won't go away anytime soon, as the popularity of those medicines continues to soar. Some Wall Street analysts project that the weight loss drug market could be worth $100 billion by the end of the decade. But both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly gave updates on positive supply developments to investors over the last week. Other forms of weight loss drugs could helpAlternative forms of weight loss drugs could also help alleviate supply constraints in the future.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Eli Lilly, Cantor Fitzgerald, Louise Chen, Nordisk's Wegovy, Eli Lilly's Zepbound, Goldman Sachs, Jeff Friedman, Novo, Mike Segar, Eli, Catalent, Yves Herman Yves Herman, TD Cowen, Michael Nedelcovych, Anat Ashkenazi, Cantor Fitzgerald's Chen, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly's, George Frey Organizations: Novo Nordisk, CNBC, Nordisk's, University of Florida, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Roche, Food, Nordisk, Company, FDA, Novo Holdings, Wegovy, REUTERS, Reuters, U.S Locations: Oslo, Norway, Novo, U.S, Branchburg , New Jersey, Brussels, Belgium, Catalent, Concord , North Carolina, North, Germany, Indiana, Denmark, France

☆ Spanish Police Scuffle With Farmers, Truck Drivers on Fifth Day of Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

A group representing drivers, Plataforma Nacional, and a newly created farmers' group, Plataforma 6-F, on Saturday came together to jointly demand action from Spanish and European leaders. Members of both groups, waving Spanish flags, wearing yellow vests and shouting 'Viva Espana', gathered in a car park near the Atletico de Madrid stadium and voted in favour of joining forces. That is why we are calling on politicians to take responsibility and do something," said Manuel Hernandez, head of the Plataforma Nacional, representing truck drivers. Since Tuesday, Spanish farmers have joined their counterparts from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium in daily protests that include blocking several highways and ports. Both groups vowed to keep protesting, in Madrid and across the country, until their demands were met.

Persons: Manuel Hernandez, Catarina Demony, Guillermo Martinez, Jessica Jones, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Spanish, European Union, Plataforma Nacional, Saturday, Espana, Atletico de Madrid, Nacional, Socialist Locations: MADRID, Madrid, Spanish, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium

PepsiCo got a bump to fourth quarter profits thanks in part to lower charges and continued price hikes, but higher prices have weakened consumer demand for the company's snacks and drinks. Volume for Frito-Lay North America fell 2% in the final quarter of the year, and beverages North America in North America slid 6%. Volume fell 8% in the Quaker Foods North America unit, as the division dealt with a recall. Pepsi has wrestled with higher prices and how to pass those costs along, raising prices by double-digit percentages for several quarters. Its profits are up, though higher prices have dragged down sales as people trade down to cheaper brands.

Persons: Quaker Oats Organizations: PepsiCo, New, Zacks Investment Research, Wall, Frito, Lay, Pepsi, Quaker Foods, Quaker Foods North America, Global, Carrefour, Quaker, Lipton, PepsiCo Inc Locations: New York, America, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, China, Quaker Foods North, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Purchase , New York

☆ Spanish Farmers Take to Streets for Fourth Day, Plan Madrid Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TORIJA, Spain (Reuters) - Spanish farmers on Friday blocked streets across the country in a fourth day of protests and announced plans to gather in Madrid as they railed against the EU's environmental rules and what they see as excessive taxes and red tape. Since Tuesday, Spanish farmers have joined peers from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium in daily protests that include blocking several highways and ports. The three main farmers' associations - COAG, Asaja and UPA - kicked off their demonstrations on Thursday, though many had started earlier in the week. Plataforma 6, a newly created farmers' group, said it would gather outside all regional government buildings in Spain, including Madrid. The head of business association CEOE Antonio Garamendi expressed solidarity with the farmers' protests but said they had to be conducted "in moderation to avoid harming other sectors".

Persons: Javier Corral, CEOE Antonio Garamendi, Guillermo Martinez, Marco Trujillo, Catarina Demony, David Latona, Andrei Khalip, Charlie Devereux Organizations: UPA, Farmers, El Mundo Locations: Spain, Madrid, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Asaja, Torija, Jerez, Moroccan, Merida, lobbing

MADRID (AP) — Mirroring protests across Europe, thousands of farmers in Spain staged a second day of tractor demonstrations on Wednesday across the country, blocking highways to demand changes in European Union farming policies and measures to combat production cost hikes and severe drought. The protests, involving several thousand people on tractors and in other vehicles, haven't been backed by Spain´s three main farming organizations, which have called for separate protests in the coming days. Speaking in Spain's parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged to help farmers and take their case to Europe. Agriculture Minister Luis Planas Puchades met with farmers’ unions on Friday, but failed to persuade them to halt the protests. There have been other protests in countries such as France, Poland and Greece in recent days.

Persons: Efe, Spain ´, Pedro Sánchez, Luis Planas Puchades, Hadja Lahbib, Maroš Šefčovič, Raf Casert Organizations: MADRID, Agriculture Ministry, Agriculture, European Commission, Foreign Locations: Europe, Spain, Union, Castellon, Jerez, State, Barcelona's, Spain's Catalonia, Madrid, Ukraine, France, Poland, Greece, Belgium, Brussels

☆ Spanish Farmers Blockade Roads for Second Day Against EU Policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish farmers blocked major highways with their tractors for a second day and disrupted access to port terminals as anger spreads in Europe's countryside against high costs, bureaucracy and competition from non-EU countries. "Some countries don't respect the rules, they don't have quality controls," said Juan, who grows lemons in Andalusia, and was on a blockade in front of the access to Malaga port. Fed up by the market situation and encouraged by similar protests in other European countries, Spanish farmers took their tractors out of their barns on Tuesday, two days ahead of protests scheduled by the country's main farmers associations. Over the past few weeks, farmers in European countries including Germany, France and Belgium have held protests that sometimes turned violent. Farmers say demanding rules imposed on them by the EU to protect the environment make them less competitive than peers in other regions, such as Latin America or non-EU Europe.

Persons: Juan, Inti Landauro, Emma Pinedo, Sharon Singleton Organizations: TVE, Farmers, European Commission Locations: MADRID, Europe's, Andalusia, Malaga, Germany, France, Belgium, EU, America, EU Europe

☆ Spanish Farmers Blockade Roads, Joining EU Peers' Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish farmers blocked traffic on some of the country's main highways on Tuesday, joining colleagues in other European countries protesting against high costs, bureaucracy and competition from non-EU nations. In Girona, tractors could be seen gathering ahead of the day of protests, carrying placards with one reading "without farmers there is no food". Like colleagues in France, Belgium, Italy and Portugal, Spanish farmers are complaining about the increasing weight of European bureaucracy, low produce prices and rising costs. They say demanding rules imposed on EU farmers to protect the environment makes them less competitive than peers in other regions, such as Latin America or non-EU Europe. Over the past few days, blockades in France and Belgium have sometimes escalated into violent clashes with the police.

Persons: Dujo, Inti Landauro, Sharon Singleton Organizations: EU, European Union, TVE Locations: MADRID, Spain, Seville, Granada, Girona, France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, America, EU Europe

☆ Novo Nordisk parent to buy Catalent for $16.5 billion to expand Wegovy supply
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Novo Nordisk will then buy three of Catalent's manufacturing sites from Novo Holdings for $11 billion. Novo Holdings owns almost 77% of the voting shares in Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk and Novo Holdings said they expect the acquisition of the plants and the broader deal to buy Catalent to close at the end of 2024. Novo Nordisk added that it expects its purchase to gradually help increase its filling capacity beginning in 2026. Under the terms of the deal, Novo Holdings will buy Catalent for $63.50 a share in cash, a premium of 16.5% to Catalent's closing price on Friday.

Persons: Catalent, Eli Lilly Organizations: Nordisk, Novo Holdings, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, Novo, Elliott Investment Management, U.S ., Reuters, CNBC PRO Locations: Novo, Italy, Belgium, Bloomington , Indiana, Denmark, France, U.S, Brussels

At least 112 people have been killed by wildfires in central Chile, leading its president to declare two days of national mourning. Scientists say climate change makes the heat waves and drought now hitting South America more likely — and both contribute to wildfires by drying out the plants that feed the blazes. “Climate change has made droughts more common,” said Mitchard. Climate change makes stronger El Niños more likely, said Mitchard, and droughts caused by it are likelier to be more intense. And the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that globally, extreme heat waves happen five times more often because of human-caused global warming.

Persons: Edward Mitchard, ”, We’ve, Mitchard, — Organizations: South America, University of Edinburgh School of Geosciences, it's, World Resources Institute, Associated Press Locations: Chile, Colombia, CHILE, Santiago, Scotland, South America, Belgium, AP.org

☆ Wyndham Clark shoots course record 60 as he takes the lead at Pebble Beach Pro-Am
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —American golfer Wyndham Clark shot a course-record 60 as he moved into the lead at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am after three rounds. Clark’s historic round at the famous links course in California included two eagles and nine birdies, giving him a one-shot lead ahead of Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg. It would have been the 13th sub-60 round in the history of the PGA Tour. “Then obviously making all of those putts out of the ordinary was also pretty awesome.”Clark shot the lowest round of his career at Pebble Beach. Åberg dropped off the top of the leaderboard but is only one shot behind Clark going into the final day after a third-round 67.

Persons: Wyndham Clark, Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, putts, ” Clark, Tracy Wilcox, Clark, Tom Kite, David Duval, Patrick Cantlay, Matthias Schwab, Hurly Long, “, Åberg, France’s Matthieu Pavon, USA’s Mark Hubbard, Belgium’s Thomas Detry Organizations: CNN, PGA, PGA Tour, week’s Farmers Insurance Locations: California, Pebble Beach

☆ Farmers’ protests have erupted across Europe. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Chris Liakos | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

This week, the farmers’ protests struck at the heart of the European Union, when they rolled into Brussels on Thursday as leaders held a major summit on Ukraine. The EU has waived quotas and duties on Ukrainian imports in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “In Germany, it was really focused on diesel, so starting to tax diesel for tractors. France this week announced a series of measures for farmers in light of the protests. This has already been seen in Germany, when the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) involved itself in the protests and expressed solidarity with the farmers.

Persons: ”, Sebastien Bozon, Kay Nietfeld, Hugo Auge, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s, Dimitar Dilkoff, Emmanuel Mathé, “, we’re, Anger, Renaud Foucart, Sakis Mitrolidis, Stefano Guidi, Gabriel Attal, Attal, Ursula von Der Leyen, Rob Engelaar Organizations: CNN — Farmers, CNN, European Union, Toulouse, BFMTV, Getty Images Farmers, AP, Farmers, Getty, ” Farmers, EU, Lancaster University, Deal, Green, European Commission, French, Farmer, Citizen Locations: Europe, Paris, France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Eastern Europe, EU, Brussels, Ukraine, Zandvliet, Meer, Lyon, Vesoul, AFP, Berlin, Thessaloniki, Spanish, Hamburg, Cologne, Bremen, Nuremberg, Munich, Eastern, Bulgaria, Yvelines, French, Noisy, Seine et Marne, England, Novara, Belgium, Arendonk, Dutch

☆ More than 800 Western officials pen scathing criticism of Gaza policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —More than 800 officials from the United States and Europe have signed a scathing criticism of Western policy towards Israel and Gaza, accusing their governments of possible complicity in war crimes. Among them are around 80 United States officials and diplomats, a source told CNN. The official added that the ICJ’s decision to hear a genocide case lodged against Israel was validation for the authors’ concerns. Despite the letter not listing its authors, the US official told CNN many colleagues feared losing their jobs, and that the lower number of US signatories reflected stronger protections for official dissents in Europe. CNN has asked the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and the Dutch Foreign Ministry for a response to the statement.

Persons: “, ”, Israel, Mohammed Salem Organizations: CNN, United, Hamas, International Court of Justice, Union, U.S . State Department, European Union, Dutch Foreign Ministry, ” Locations: United States, Europe, Israel, Gaza, Rafah, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, British, Ukraine, Russia, China, Iran

LONDON (AP) — Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek clinched a spot for the United States in the Davis Cup Finals group round by winning the doubles match against Ukraine on Friday for an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five-match qualifying series in Vilnius, Lithuania. Ram and Krajicek beat Illya Beloborodko and Oleksii Krutykh 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Ukraine was supposed to host the United States for these qualifying matches. Then eight teams will make it to the quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain, in November, when a champion will be determined. 1 Novak Djokovic); South Korea at Canada; Germany at Hungary; Switzerland at Netherlands; Portugal at Finland; and Brazil at Sweden.

Persons: — Rajeev Ram, Austin Krajicek, Ram, Krajicek, Illya Beloborodko, Bob Bryan's, Sebastian Korda, Krutykh, Chris Eubanks, Taylor Fritz, Viacheslav, “, ” Ram, Bryan, Novak Djokovic, ___ Organizations: Ukraine, SEB Arena, Italy Locations: United States, Vilnius, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Australia, Spain, Malaga, Slovakia, Serbia, South Korea, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Brazil, Sweden, Belgium, Croatia, Israel, Czech Republic, France, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Peru, Chile

BRUSSELS (AP) — Convoys with hundreds of angry farmers driving heavy-duty tractors advanced toward European Union headquarters, bent on getting their complaints about excessive costs, rules and bureaucracy heard by EU leaders at a summit Thursday. Even if the EU summit was supposed to be laser-focused on providing Ukraine financial aid for its war against invading Russia, the farmers were likely to squeeze their plight onto the informal agenda of the 27 leaders too. Jean-Francois Ricker, a farmer from southern Belgium, braved the winter night close to EU headquarters and said he expected 1,000 to 1,400 vehicles. Farmers coming to Brussels on Thursday have been insisting their protest will be peaceful and security forces have handled the protests lightly so far. I think we are addressing two very important (concerns) of them right now,” European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said.

Persons: Jean, Francois Ricker, Maroš Šefčovič, Sylvain Plazy, Mark Carlson Organizations: —, European Union, EU, Farmers, police, European Commission Locations: BRUSSELS, Belgian, Ukraine, Russia, Belgium, France, Italy, Rungis, Brussels, “

☆ Russia Has No Plans to Deploy Nuclear Arms Beyond Belarus, Says Deputy Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Dmitry Antonov and Guy FaulconbridgeMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will not deploy nuclear weapons abroad except in its ally Belarus but will find ways to counter any deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Britain, the deputy minister in charge of arms control said on Thursday. President Vladimir Putin said last year that Moscow had transferred some tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, blaming what he casts as a hostile and aggressive West for the decision. Asked by reporters if Russia would deploy nuclear weapons beyond Belarus, for example in South America, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: "No, it is not planned." Separately, Ryabkov told Russia Today in an interview that U.S. plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Britain would not deter Moscow. Neither Britain nor the United States have confirmed reports of the planned deployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

Persons: Dmitry Antonov, Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy's, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: Federation of American Scientists, North Atlantic Alliance, NATO, Russia Today Locations: Russia, Belarus, Britain, Moscow, South America, Israel, Gaza, United States, Suffolk, England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Kyiv

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Cantlay has spent about as much time on the phone as the golf course this week as a PGA Tour board member trying to nail down a deal for a $3 billion investment. It didn't seem to affect his day job at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Torrey Pines winner Matthieu Pavon had the best round at Pebble Beach, closing with four birdies over the last five holes for a 65. He became the first amateur in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour two weeks ago. In his pro debut, Dunlap opened with a 76 at Pebble Beach.

Persons: — Patrick Cantlay, Cantlay, Thomas Detry, Detry, Matthieu Pavon, Rory McIlroy, LIV, McIlroy, “, ” McIlroy, ” Detry, ” Cantlay, LIV Golf, Rickie Fowler, Rory, ”, ” Fowler, Nick Dunlap, Dunlap Organizations: Tour, Torrey Pines, PGA Tour, Hollywood, NFL, Saudi, Strategic Sports Group, SSG, Public Investment Fund, American Express, U.S, Amateur, PGA Locations: Calif, Spyglass, Belgium, Saudi, Pebble

☆ Demand for shipments from China via rail through Russia has 'skyrocketed' since the Red Sea attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

And — while it only represents a very small proportion of containers moved between the Far East and Europe — rail routes via Russia have seen an uptick in interest too. Rail through RussiaFirms have raised concerns about sending goods via rail through Russia, Sciglaite said. A train engine pulls carriages that started their journey in Yiwu, China into Barking rail freight terminal on January 18, 2017 in the U.K. Igor Tambaca, managing director of Rail Bridge Cargo, a Dutch logistics company, said China-Europe rail route bookings were up 37% over the past four weeks. Tambaca said the cost of sending one forty-foot container (FEU) from China to Europe via rail is currently around $7,900.

Persons: Liu Wenhua, Julija, RailGate, Hapag Lloyd, Sciglaite, Dan Kitwood, Igor Tambaca, Tambaca, Maria Magdalena Pavitsich, Pavitsich, Vladimir Putin, Davies Turner Organizations: China News Service, Getty, Air, CNBC, Rail, Cargo, OBB Rail Cargo Group, FEU, Initiative, British Locations: China, Europe, Russia, Manzhouli, Vietnam, Xeneta, East, European, Rotterdam, South Africa's, Ukraine, Yiwu, Barking, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium, France, Red, Dutch, Turkey, Austrian, Asia, Xian, Chengdu, Suez, Africa, Moscow, Central Siberia, Beijing, Wuhan, Duisburg

The terrorist threat from al-Qaida, the Islamic State group and their affiliates remains high in conflict zones in Africa and in Afghanistan – and threat levels have risen in some regions including Europe, U.N. experts said in a new report. The Islamic State group broke away from al-Qaida over a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world. In Iraq, they are carrying out “a low-intensity insurgency with covert terrorist cells” while in Syria attacks have intensified since November, the experts said. In West Africa and the Sahel, the panel said, “violence and threat have escalated again” in conflict zones, raising concerns among U.N. member nations. The experts point to “a deficit in counterterrorism capabilities,” which Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliated groups are continuing to exploit.

Persons: Abu Hafs al, Hashemi, “, ”, Al Organizations: Islamic State, . Security, Central, Islamic Locations: Africa, Afghanistan, Europe, Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian, “, al, Iraq, Syria, Islamic, West Africa, Islamic State, Somali, Shabab, “ al, Mogadishu, Somalia, Israel, Gaza, Al, Islam, Jerusalem, France, Belgium

☆ Russia’s frozen assets are generating billions. The EU is getting ready to send them to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Russian assets frozen in European accounts are generating billions of dollars in interest payments that could be diverted to help repair Ukraine’s war-torn economy — and the European Union just took a step closer to doing that. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries froze nearly half of Moscow’s foreign reserves — some €300 billion ($327 billion). Around €200 billion ($218 billion) sits in the European Union — mostly at Euroclear, a financial institution that keeps assets safe for banks, exchanges and investors. The EU has been at pains to contrast the illegality of Russia’s invasion with its own strict adherence to the rule of law. Lawyers are working on the text of the agreement before returning it to EU member states for final approval.

Persons: Euroclear, —, ” — James Frater Organizations: London CNN, European Union, EU, immobilised Central Bank of Russia, ”, Group, World Bank, European, European Central Bank, CNN Locations: Ukraine, ” Belgium, Euroclear, Russia, EU

Here's why European farmers are taking their anger to the streets:THE HISTORYPolitical Cartoons View All 253 ImagesWorld War II had spread hunger on a bountiful continent. When the war ended, Western European leaders knew that the way to people's hearts was through their stomachs. The vision of EU farming from early on was economy of scale — bigger farms, bigger holdings, setting standard rules across borders. “European farmers have found themselves under increasing pressure from many sides,” European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said. On Wednesday, the European Commission made two key proposals — one to shield EU farmers from cheap Ukrainian imports and one to sidestep an environmental measure.

Persons: Ursula, Ursula von der Leyen, —, von der, “ Ursula, ”, Jean, Francois Deflandre, Paolo Pepponi, It’s, it’s, Pepponi, Benoit Laqueue, Nicolas Abbeloos, “, Maroš Šefčovič, Šefčovič, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: HALLE, European, Agriculture, EU, European Commission, South Locations: Belgium, Paris, Brussels, EU, Ukraine, Kyiv, Halle, Lithuania, France, Spain, Italy, Rome, Europe, Sedan, New Zealand, Chile

☆ Farmers in Europe Step up Protests Against Rising Costs, Green Rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Farmers say they are not being paid enough, are choked by taxes and green rules and face unfair competition from abroad. French farmers have already won several concessions, including the government dropping plans to gradually reduce subsidies on agricultural diesel. On Wednesday, European Commissioners proposed limiting agricultural imports from Ukraine and greater flexibility on rules on fallow land in a bid to quell protests. In Italy, farmers have blocked traffic with hundreds of tractors near motorway access points near Milan, in Tuscany and elsewhere in recent days. While a deal looks possible on fallow land, the question of talks on a major trade deal with the Mercosur group is more contentious.

Persons: Marco Trujillo, Philip Blenkinsop PARIS, Adelin Desmecht, Gerald Darmanin, Bruno, Coldiretti, Le Maire, Abdul Saboor, Jean, Stephane Brosse, Gus Trompiz, Dominique Vidalon, Benoit van Overstraeten, Geert de Clercq, Charlotte van, Phil Blenikinsop, Alvise Arminelli, Ingrid Melander, Ros Russell Organizations: EU, South, Farmers, Mercosur, French Finance, European Commission, South American, Charlotte van Campenhout Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Brussels, Belgian, France, Paris, Belgium, Zeebrugge, Ukraine, Mercosur, Italy, Milan, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Amsterdam

☆ China comes just shy of Japan as the world's largest car exporter
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"In the first eleven months of 2023, auto shipments to Russia rose about six times that of 2022 in value terms." While he said it's still unclear exactly why Chinese cars are growing so quickly in Mexico, part of the reason is international automakers. Germany's Volkswagen was among the foreign car companies on track for their worst China market sales in years. Local vs. overseas marketsChinese car makers will likely increase their share of the domestic auto market to 75% by 2030, said Francoise Huang, senior economist at Allianz Trade. That would result in a nearly 40% drop in European car sales in China, she said.

Persons: Sarah Tan, Tan, Jorge Guajardo, Guajardo, it's, they've, BYD, Francoise Huang Organizations: Publishing, Getty, Ministry of Commerce, Moody's, D.C, Dentons Global Advisors, CNBC, Volkswagen, China, Allianz Trade, European Union Locations: LIANYUNGANG, CHINA, Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China, BEIJING, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, Belgium, Washington, U.S, Europe

Israel's military said Wednesday that its forces killed more than 15 Hamas militants in northern Gaza over the past day and targeted militant infrastructure in a school. The latest deaths bring the Palestinian death toll from Israel’s offensive to 26,900, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. Here's the latest:150 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN GAZA IN THE PAST 24 HOURS, HEALTH MINISTRY SAYSRAFAH, Gaza Strip — Gaza’s Health Ministry says 150 people have been killed in the last 24 hours and another 313 were wounded. The nearly four-month war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted another 250. The military said Wednesday that its forces killed more than 15 Hamas militants in northern Gaza over the past day and targeted militant infrastructure in a school.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ‘, Biden, Jordan, — Biden, he’s, —, Khan Younis, “, Joe Biden’s, Jordan that’s, Yemen’s Houthi, U.N, Israel ”, Antonio Guterres, Houthi, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Arleigh Burke, Yahya Saree, ” Saree Organizations: Gaza’s Health Ministry, Gaza, Health Ministry, West Bank, MINISTRY, AS BIDEN, U.S . Navy, UN, GENEVA, UNRWA, Israel, World Health Organization, UNICEF, International Organization for Migration, Food, U.S . State Department, EU AIMS, The European Union, ’, SEA, U.S . military’s, Command Locations: Gaza, Israel, Iran, EU, Jordan, israel, GAZA, RAFAH, Hama, Gaza City, Khan, IRAN, JERUSALEM, Islamic Republic, Tehran, The U.S, Syria, Red, U.S, United States, ”, U.N, BRUSSELS, Yemen, Belgium, Germany, Iranian, British

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