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LONDON — It was often said that Queen Elizabeth II was the most photographed person in history, a face instantly recognizable to billions of people across her former empire and beyond. That’s exactly what’s happened with a bronze statue of the late monarch unveiled last week in Northern Ireland. The local government, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, claims it shows the queen in “a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service.”The statue has drawn unfavorable comparisons. via Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough CouncilThe scathing reviews beg to differ. “Looks more like Mrs. Doubtfire than our late queen ffs,” said one commenter, Mark Fee, on Facebook, referring to the character played by Robin Williams in the 1993 movie.

Persons: Queen Elizabeth II, steadfastness, ”, Mark Fee, Robin Williams, Craig Paddy Hogg, Richard Morris, “, hadn’t, Prince Philip Organizations: Facebook, NBC News, corgi Locations: Northern Ireland, Antrim, Newtownabbey, Newtownabbey Borough, British, Jan

☆ Paris mayor plan to keep Olympic rings on Eiffel Tower opposed by designer's family
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Nancy Ing | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

PARIS — There are few sights more iconic than the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic rings. The multicolored logo adorned the Eiffel Tower during the Paris 2024 Games, just as they had hung from London’s Tower Bridge in 2012 and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2000. However, Hidalgo announced in the French media Aug. 31 that the rings would stay on the Eiffel Tower, until at least 2028 and perhaps beyond. After days of mounting criticism, the Eiffel family weighed in. Nevertheless, the Eiffel family say they won’t climb down without a fight.

Persons: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Gustave Eiffel, ” Myriam Larnaudie, “, It's, Paris, ” Hidalgo, Eiffel, Nancy Ing, Alexander Smith Organizations: Bridge, Paris Mayor, Olympic, city's, “, Eiffel, NBC News, London, Rio, International, The Association, IOC, Ouest Locations: Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, France, London

☆ The princess and the shaman: Norway's royal wedding unlike any other
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-31 | by ( Alexander Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and her American fiancé Durek Verrett on their way to the gala dinner for Princess Ingrid Alexandra at the castle in Oslo on June 17, 2022. A Norwegian princess marrying her Hollywood fiancé — it sounds like exactly the sort of fairy tale to charm a world beset by war and political strife. But the wedding on Saturday of Princess Märtha Louise to Durek Verrett, an American spiritual healer and self-professed shaman, is mired in controversy and criticism. The wedding has intensified scrutiny and criticism of the views — and associated businesses — pedaled by the princess and the shaman. And it has added to a growing tone of dissatisfaction with the historically popular Norwegian royals.

Persons: Martha Louise, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Princess Märtha Louise, Durek, Märtha Louise, Norway's, King Harald, Queen Sonja, Prince Haakon, Mette, Marit, Verrett Organizations: Hollywood, UNESCO, Heritage, Netflix Locations: Oslo, Norwegian, American, California, Verrett, Geiranger

☆ The Olympics brought rare unity to France. Now back to the political games.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

PARIS — It’s 1:00 a.m. on the banks of the Canal de Saint-Denis and the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony finished an hour ago. But the political and social turmoil France faced before a ghostly metal horse galloped down the Seine has not gone away. French President Emmanuel Macron at the Paris Olympic Games. The French president could easily have been giving his view on France’s immediate political future when discussing the rain-drenched opening ceremony with NBC News. Optimism aside, analysts believe the country faces years of deadlock that could end with a far-right president in 2027.

Persons: Denis, Sara Zinger, Mary Mathurin, France's Leon Marchand, Dar Yasin, Emmanuel Macron, Pascal Le Segretain, Macron, Macron’s, Rainbow Murray, they’ve, Murray, Le Pen, Lady Gaga —, Le, Maxime Jourdan, Marine Le Pen, Charles Platiau, who’s, it’s, Rene Nijhuis, Paris Mayor Anne, Marie Hidalgo, France’s Le, Alain Jocard, Hector Gore Organizations: PARIS, Stade de France, Marine, Paris Olympic, NBC, Queen Mary University of London, Rally, Olympics, Olympic, BSR Agency, Getty, Eiffel, Concorde, triathletes, Paris Mayor, France’s Le Figaro, Metro, Paris Games, French, Square, Games Locations: Saint, Parisian, hipsters, France, Paris, Europe, Seine, Montmartre, AFP

☆ Jordan Chiles’ case is unusual. Most returned Olympic medals are for cheating.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

PARIS — Jordan Chiles is a rarity in Olympic history: an athlete forced to return their medal for reasons other than a doping violation. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said that the appeal shouldn’t have been allowed, meaning she will have to return her third-place prize. In 2017, the Russian Olympic Committee said that none of the 18 athletes stripped of their medals because of doping violations had returned the physical awards. After Chiles’ bronze bumped Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu off the podium, the country’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said he’d refuse to attend the closing ceremony in protest. “Given these circumstances, we are committed to pursuing an appeal to help Jordan Chiles receive the recognition she deserves,” the U.S. committee said.

Persons: PARIS — Jordan Chiles, Usain Bolt, —, Nesta, “ I’m, ”, Alexander Zhukov, Karen Chen, Russia’s Kamila Valieva, Chiles, Ana Bărbosu, Marcel Ciolacu, he’d, Jack Eagan, Eagan, Frank Floyd, Ara, Ibragim Samadov, Abrahamian, Dong Fangxiao, Dong, Jordan, Jordan Chiles, “ Organizations: Team, International Olympic Committee, IOC, NBC News, Russian Olympic Committee, country’s, St, Louis Olympics, Amateur Athletic Union, Olympic, Beijing, Associated Press, “ Unified, Olympics, Sydney, U.S, Paralympic, International Gymnastics Federation Locations: American, Romanian, Ara Abrahamian’s, Swedish, Soviet Union, U.S

PARIS — Everywhere you looked at the 2024 Paris Games, Americans dominated. On the final day of the Games, China is leading Team USA in the medal table, with 39 golds to America’s 38. Its two golds here included the 4x100-meter medley, the first time in Olympic history that anyone had beaten the U.S. Though Russia, a longtime dominant force in the sport, was excluded from these Games, China still achieved a score that far outstripped any competitors. China has also been quick to embrace some of the newer Olympic sports including sport climbing, skateboarding, surfing and breaking.

Persons: Snoop, Lady Gaga, ”, Fang Zheng, “, it’s, ” Chen Yiwen, Oli Scarff, Zhanle, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel, Zheng Qinwen, Jacklyn Luu, Deng Yawen, Zheng Haohao, Paris —, Ma Long, Wang Chuqin, Lintao Zhang, Erriyon Knighton, Xu Shixiao, Lindsey Wasson, Mao Zedong, Richard Nixon, Deng Xiaoping, Li Fabin, Miguel Medina, Xi Jinping, Li Xiang, ” Li Organizations: Games, . Team USA, USA, China, U.S, Doping Agency, WADA, New York Times, NBC, USA’s, Soviet Union, China’s, Association, Asian Studies, Asia, Helsinki Games, China wouldn’t, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Getty, Global Times Locations: United States, China, Paris, France, AFP, U.S, Spain, Russia, Beijing, India, USA, Soviet, Michigan, Western, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Taipei, ” Beijing

The last two races of the Paris Games were a gold rush for the U.S., with both the women and men dominating the 4x400-meter relays Saturday. A three-time gold medalist after wins in the 200-meter and 4x100-meter relay, Thomas helped widen the gap in the third lap that McLaughlin-Levrone created in the second. In the last lap, it came down to a race between two gold medalists: Benjamin and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. With the victory, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson — who ran earlier in the week for the U.S. but not in the final — is now the youngest Olympic track-and-field gold medalist ever. He is also the youngest male U.S. Olympic gold medalist in any sport since 1952.

Persons: Sydney McLaughlin, Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Alexis Holmes —, McLaughlin, Thomas, Holmes, Rai Benjamin, Christopher Bailey, Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood, Benjamin, Botswana’s, Tebogo, Quincy Wilson —, Wilson Organizations: Paris Games, Jamaica, Great Britain, American, U.S Locations: Shamier, Netherlands, Great, Tebogo

☆ Flags banned, signs ripped up: Why you can’t mention Taiwan at the Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

At Paris 2024, Taiwan’s red and blue flag is banned, as is the name “Taiwan” and its anthem. Security staff confiscated a "Taiwan" towel from a fan during the men's doubles badminton semi-final last week. Taiwan is a self-governing democracy that competes as “Chinese Taipei,” an attempt to participate in the Olympics without angering mainland China. That included the women’s team table tennis quarterfinal between Chinese Taipei and China that NBC News attended Wednesday. “Taiwan Independence, go to die.”“Motherland will retake Taiwan tomorrow, okay?” said another, referring to China.

Persons: Taiwan’s Lee Yang, Wang Chi, Liang Weikeng, Wang Chang, “ Let’s, Arun Sankar, Taiwan ”, Taiwan’s Chou Tien Chen, India’s Lakshya Sen, ”, Ann Wang, “, Xi Jinping, Aytac Unal, Mark Adams, Mao Zedong’s, China’s Wang Manyu, Chien Tung, chuan, Wang Zhao, Chiang, Yu Tsing Lin, Chen Szu, Lee Yang Organizations: PARIS, Security, Getty, Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olympics, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Games, Olympic, Chinese Communist Party, International Olympic Committee, NBC News, IOC, Anadolu, Nationalist, Mao Zedong’s Communists, Taiwan, Paris Games, Taipei women’s, Weibo, Taipei House Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Tokyo, Paris, China, Taipei, U.S, Republic of China, Formosa, AFP, London, Taiwan Independence

☆ Breaking explodes onto Paris' La Concorde, exciting spectators in its first Olympic showing
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Lithuania's Dominika Banevič, known as Nicka, at La Concorde in Paris on Friday. Lithuania's Dominika Banevič known as Nicka, Japan's Ami Yuasa known as Ami, and China's Liu Qingyi known as 671 at La Concorde in Paris, on Friday. Odd Andersen / AFP - Getty ImagesUsually the Place de la Concorde is a busy traffic intersection. Team USA's Logan Edra, known as Logistx, competes in the breaking round-robin at the Olympics in Paris, on Friday. On Saturday, USA's B-Boys Victor and Jeffro will be among the athletes competing in the men's try of Olympic breaking, wrapping the sport's Paris showing.

Persons: Japan’s Ami, Lithuania's Nicka, Ami, Nicka, Dominika, Odd Andersen, Elsa, Getty, India —, Japan's Ami Yuasa, China's Liu Qingyi, La Madeleine, Malik, —, Sunny, Logistx, USA's Logan Edra, It’s, Ava Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Alison Palaia, Eric Quinlan, ”, Quinlan, “ We’ve, Palaia, “, USA's, Boys Victor, Jeffro, Alexander Smith, Rebecca Cohen Organizations: PARIS, La Concorde, AFP, Getty, Team USA, China's, Team United States, Nicka, Concorde, La, U.S, Los Angeles Games, Olympics, Boys Locations: Japanese, Lithuanian, Paris, Bronx, New York City, Netherlands, India, Carlota, Luxor, France, America, Norwalk, Conn, U.S, ”

☆ Paris Olympics benefit from being first global event to fully emerge from pandemic's shadow
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

PARIS — Lighting the Olympic cauldron symbolically opened these Games — and, as much as possible, might have also taken a torch to some awful pandemic memories. The past two Games were staged in bubbles in and around Beijing and Tokyo as Covid was still a factor. And while some athletes have tested positive for Covid during the Paris Games, they have not upended competition. (NBC News is a division of NBCUniversal, which owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2032.) French fans have been wildly cheering for their athletes and team throughout these Games — so much so, that even Americans have taken notice.

Persons: we’ve, ”, Covid, Thomas Samson, “, Keylle Fabrino, “ It’s, Selma Attie, ” Mark Lazarus, Katie Ledecky, they’ve, Léon Marchand, ” Ledecky Organizations: PARIS, Paris Games, Getty, Brasil, NBC, Olympic Games, NBC Universal Media Group, Los Angeles, Paris La Défense, U.S Locations: Taiwanese, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Paris, Brazil, France, NBCUniversal, Los Angeles, Inglewood

☆ The crowds are full and raucous at the Paris Olympics. Outside the events? Not so much.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS — For athletes and audiences, these have been the Olympics when raucous crowds have roared once again following years of lockdown restrictions. But outside the din of the stadiums, it’s impossible to ignore that Paris is relatively quiet. “Last year, we were completely full inside and out,” said Bérangère Drogue, 38, who works at bistro L’Elephant Du Nil, in the trendy Marais neighborhood. “It’s like night and day.”Berangere Drogue, a waiter at L'Elephant Du Nil, in Paris on Thursday. “I have never seen Paris like this,” said Jugurta Chabane, 28, his black suit and tie matching his dark vehicle.

Persons: Mona Lisa ”, ”, Bérangère Drogue, … ”, ” Berangere, Du, Rafael Yaghobzadeh, Jugurta Chabane, Leonardo da Organizations: PARIS, Olympic Committee, NBC News . Taxi, NBC News, Olympic, Eiffel, Louvre Museum Locations: Paris, Marais

A DoorDash delivery person is pictured on the day they hold their IPO in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., December 9, 2020. Doordash shares fell 2% to $111.68 after the report, before recovering some of that loss. However this year, those shares were automatically converted into class A shares, Deliveroo's IPO prospectus shows. Online food delivery companies have looked to pivot away from unprofitable markets. New Tab , opens new tabSave Share XFacebookLinkedinEmailLink Purchase Licensing Rights

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Doordash, Deliveroo's, Will Shu, Shu, Deliveroo, Greg Orlowski, Tony Xu, U.S . Doordash, Uber, Amy, Jo Crowley, Abigail Summerville, Anousha Sakoui, Alexander Smith, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Companies, Deliveroo, Chevron, DST Global, Sunday Times, Financial Times, U.S ., Wolt, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Chevron San Francisco, London, Taiwan, Deliveroo, France, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong

The storm also battered New Orleans overnight, with severe thunderstorms and flooding possible again Friday, according to the local branch of the National Weather Service. A home is severely damaged by a fallen tree after heavy winds and rains ripped through the region on May 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Across Houston, photos and videos on social media showed intense flooding and downed trees, as well as toppled electrical towers and power lines. Another video showed baseball fans leaving the stadium amid the bad weather. Strong winds appeared to have blown off roof panels at a Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston, a video posted to X showed.

Persons: Melissa Phillips, Ike, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Logan Riely, Harris, Lina Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Samuel Peña, Whitmire, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Brett Coomer, Jon Shapley Organizations: Hearst Newspapers, Getty, Houston Mayor, National Weather Service, Houston Independent School District, Houston Fire, Texas Gov, Texans, Facebook, Houston Astros, Hyatt Regency Locations: Parkway, West, Cypress, Texas, Houston, Romayor, New Orleans, Houston , Texas, Southeast Texas, Sowden, Houston's Harris County, Fargo Plaza

☆ China's Premier Li to Address Davos as Its Economy Struggles
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Antoni SlodkowskiDAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to address global investors and politicians in Davos on Tuesday, as Beijing grapples with a sluggish post-pandemic recovery and a real estate slump. Li, who leads a large government delegation at this week's World Economic Forum, is the most senior Chinese official to rub shoulders with global business and political elites at the Swiss ski resort of Davos since President Xi Jinping in 2017. He would "promote global cooperation, address various risks, bridge the development divide, and seek peaceful coexistence and win-win outcomes", Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. "China is generating a steady stream of growth momentum and potential for its economy," Xinhua's report added. Li, a career bureaucrat, was revealed as the pick for China's No.2 role last October when Xi unveiled a leadership line-up stacked with loyalists.

Persons: Antoni Slodkowski, Li Qiang, Li, Xi Jinping, Xi, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Zelenskiy, Alexander Smith Organizations: Economic, Xinhua, China's, U.S Locations: Antoni Slodkowski DAVOS, Switzerland, Davos, Beijing, China, Swiss, consultancies, Gaza

Dec 5 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly (LLY.N) on Tuesday said its recently approved obesity treatment Zepbound is now available in U.S. pharmacies and could cost $550 a month for customers whose health insurance does not cover the drug, or half the list price. Wall Street analysts expect sales of Zepbound to reach about $2 billion in 2024, and for sales of Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) rival obesity drug Wegovy to hit around $7.5 billion. An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound in November, Lilly said it would launch after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Lilly's obesity drug has the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, as its previously approved diabetes drug Mounjaro, which has been used off-label for weight loss since its 2022 launch.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Wegovy, danuglipron, Zepbound, Lilly, Mike Segar, Eli Lilly's, Patrick Wingrove, Manas Mishra, Khushi, Arun Koyyur, Alexander Smith, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Wall Street, Novo, Pfizer, Company, REUTERS, CVS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, Thomson Locations: U.S, Branchburg , New Jersey, Indianapolis, New York, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are set to hit a record high this year, exacerbating climate change and fuelling more destructive extreme weather, scientists said. The Global Carbon Budget report, published on Tuesday during the COP28 climate summit, said that overall CO2 emissions, which reached a record high last year, have plateaued in 2023 due to a slight drop from uses of land like deforestation. Countries are expected to emit a total 36.8 billion metric tons of CO2 from fossil fuels in 2023, a 1.1% increase from last year, the report by scientists from more than 90 institutions including the University of Exeter concluded. When land use emissions are included, global CO2 emissions are set to total 40.9 billion tons this year. China produces 31% of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions.

Persons: Yves Herman, India's, Pierre Friedlingstein, Friedlingstein, Kate Abnett, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, University of Exeter, 1.5C, IPCC, Research, Energy, Clean, European, Thomson Locations: Dunkirk, France, India, China, Paris, COP28, Helsinki, U.S, European Union, Europe

DUBAI, Dec 5 (Reuters) - U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry on Tuesday launched an international engagement plan to boost nuclear fusion, saying the emissions-free technology could become a vital tool in the fight against climate change. Kerry said the plan involved 35 nations and would focus on research and development, supply chain issues, and regulation, and safety. "There is potential in fusion to revolutionize our world," Kerry told the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry participates in an event on women's role in building a climate-resilient world, at COP28 World Climate Summit, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 4, 2023. Of the two main types of fusion, one uses lasers to concentrate energy on a gold pellet containing hydrogen.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Amr Alfiky, Valerie Volcovici, Richard Valdmanis, William James, Alexander Smith Organizations: Dubai . Fusion, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, U.S, United Arab, Britain, United States, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, California

In this year's gleaming host city of Dubai, billboards advertise the benefits of wind energy, climate ambition and Exxon Mobil's (XOM.N) carbon capture projects. This is seen by some as a sign of success and by others as a dangerous distraction from the business of combating climate change as over nearly three decades global oil demand, carbon emissions and temperatures have marched steadily upward. "It's a lobby fest where polluters can schmooze with politicians, all under the guise of tackling climate change," Pascoe Sabido, a researcher at the Corporate Europe Observatory, which scrutinizes corporate influence on policy-making, said. Delegates walk at the Dubai's Expo City during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 4, 2023. For daily comprehensive coverage on COP28 in your inbox, sign up for the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter here.

Persons: Exxon Mobil's, Pascoe Sabido, Alden Meyer, Meyer, Lisa Jacobson, Jacobson, Thaier, We're, –, Daniel Lund, Joko Widodo, COP28, Jake Schmidt, Darren Woods, General Antonio Guterres, Al Gore, Valerie Volcovici, Katy Daigle, Kate Abnett, Sarah McFarlane, Bernadette Christina, Richard Valdmanis, Alexander Smith Organizations: Exxon, Corporate, Observatory, United Nations, Business Council, Sustainable Energy, Global Strategic Communications Council, Change, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Natural Resources Defense, Exxon Mobil, Drillers, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, Berlin, The Hague, COP28, United Arab, Fiji, Indonesia, China, UAE

☆ Global CO2 Emissions From Fossil Fuels to Hit Record High in 2023 -Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Kate AbnettDUBAI (Reuters) - Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are set to hit a record high this year, exacerbating climate change and fuelling more destructive extreme weather, scientists said. The Global Carbon Budget report, published on Tuesday during the COP28 climate summit, said that overall CO2 emissions, which reached a record high last year, have plateaued in 2023 due to a slight drop from uses of land like deforestation. Countries are expected to emit a total 36.8 billion metric tons of CO2 from fossil fuels in 2023, a 1.1% increase from last year, the report by scientists from more than 90 institutions including the University of Exeter concluded. When land use emissions are included, global CO2 emissions are set to total 40.9 billion tons this year. China produces 31% of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions.

Persons: Kate Abnett DUBAI, India's, Pierre Friedlingstein, Friedlingstein, Kate Abnett, Alexander Smith Organizations: Reuters, University of Exeter, 1.5C, IPCC, Research, Energy, Clean, European Locations: India, China, Paris, COP28, Helsinki, U.S, European Union, Europe

☆ EV charging growth plans slowed by EU's power grid problems
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Julia Payne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

These are due to be implemented in 18 months and include addressing EV charging station power shortages. The ease of building an EV charging hub varies considerably country by country. To do so, it will ban sales of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035 and wants to develop a network of EV charging stations. "Sometimes we have to send physical mail," said Peter Badik, co-founder of EV charging firm Greenway Network, which has set up 1,300 EV chargers in Slovakia, Croatia and Poland. "There is a clear need for more standardisation (of requirements for charging hubs)," BP's van Dobschuetz added.

Persons: Repsol, It's Kafka, Lucie Mattera, Mattera, Miguel Stilwell de Andrade, Peter Badik, Stefan van Dobschuetz, Dobschuetz, ChargeUp Europe's Mattera, Julia Payne, Alexander Smith Organizations: European Union, European Commission, EV, Reuters, Industry, Greenway Network, BP Pulse, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Germany, Spain, Europe, EU, Slovakia, Croatia, Poland

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks along the River Thames in view of City of London skyline in London, Britain, July 31, 2023. Finance executives, consultants and headhunters interviewed by Reuters predict subdued deal flows, modest bonuses for most and heavy job cuts in 2024. "2023 will ultimately be one of the lowest corporate finance fee pools in modern history," said Fabrizio Campelli, head of Corporate Bank and Investment Bank at Deutsche Bank. JOB CUTSBanks have already turned to cost cuts to try to weather the downturn, which in a people-intensive business means job losses. And although some bankers expect a tough 2024, others sense an opportunity for European banks from the Basel Endgame.

Persons: Hollie Adams, Fabrizio Campelli, Banks, Ronan O'Kelly, Oliver Wyman, O'Kelly, Dominic Hook, Goldman Sachs, Vis Raghavan, JP Morgan, Morgan McKinley's, Stephane Rambosson, headhunter, Rambosson, Ana Botin, Morgan's Raghavan, there's, Oliver Wyman's O'Kelly, Deutsche's Campelli, Anousha Sakoui, Carolyn Cohn, Jesus Aguado, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, LONDON, Finance, Reuters, Corporate Bank, Investment Bank, Deutsche Bank, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Barclays, Lloyds, Challenger Metro Bank, UBS UBSG.S, Citi, Workers, Global Investment Banking, Employment, European Union, Santander, Global, Basel, Thomson Locations: City, London, Britain, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, West, China, United States, India, Madrid

Foundation models like the one built by Microsoft (MSFT.O)-backed OpenAI are AI systems trained on large sets of data, with the ability to learn from new data to perform various tasks. In a meeting of the countries' economy ministers on Oct. 30 in Rome, France persuaded Italy and Germany to support a proposal, sources told Reuters. Until then, negotiations had gone smoothly, with lawmakers making compromises across several other conflict areas such as regulating high-risk AI, sources said. France-based AI company Mistral and Germany's Aleph Alpha have criticised the tiered approach to regulating foundation models, winning support from their respective countries. Other pending issues in the talks include definition of AI, fundamental rights impact assessment, law enforcement exceptions and national security exceptions, sources told Reuters.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Thierry Breton, Geoffrey Hinton, Alpha, Mistral, Mark Brakel, Supantha Mukherjee, Josephine Mason, Alexander Smith Organizations: Technology, Intelligence, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Foundation, Microsoft, European Commission, Mistral, Lawmakers, Life Institute, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Rights STOCKHOLM, BRUSSELS, LONDON, France, Germany, Italy, Rome, Spain, Belgium, Stockholm

"It is hard to understand how the ECB ended up buying the bonds of property companies, while at the same time warning of the risks of property price inflation," former ECB chief economist Otmar Issing told Reuters. But data this week shows the central bank still owned the two bonds issued by SBB as of Nov. 24. While Sweden is not in the euro zone, SBB issued the debt bought by the ECB in neighbouring Finland, which is. Alongside the SBB bonds, the ECB also hoovered up the debt of other property companies which have since hit problems, including Sweden's Heimstaden. The ECB also gobbled up many German real estate bonds, including 39 issued by Vonovia, which has been selling property to cut debt.

Persons: Otmar Issing, Daniel Gros, Gros, Sweden's, Heimstaden, it's, Alexander Smith Organizations: SBB, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Research, Institute, European, Bocconi University, Fitch, Vonovia, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Europe, Germany, Sweden, Milan, Swedish, Finland

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - M&G Real Estate (MNG.L) forecasts it is "a matter of time" before global property markets face greater volumes of forced selling, with banks increasingly reluctant to refinance troubled or lower quality assets at current interest rates. "We are in a new period of real estate investment that will require a new mindset," he told Reuters before the publication of the firm's Global Real Estate Outlook on Tuesday. Nearly 40% of outstanding British commercial real estate loans are due to mature in 2024 and 2025, where average real estate values have fallen by over 20% since mid-2022, the report said, citing data from Bayes Business School. "Real estate debt is becoming an increasingly attractive investment proposition," Pellicer said. U.S. office-based working is at only 50% of pre-pandemic levels, the report cited real estate services firm JLL (JLL.N) as estimating, while numbers in Europe have recovered to 75%.

Persons: Aly, Jose Pellicer, Pellicer, G, Carolyn Cohn, Sinead Cruise, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, G, Reuters, Bayes Business, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Germany, Sweden, Europe, United States, Asia

☆ Paris metro ticket price to double during 2024 Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Paris metro ticket prices will almost double during the 2024 Olympics, the French capital region's president said on Tuesday, adding that residents with passes would be shielded from the temporary rise and visitors would be charged "a fair price". "During the Olympics and the Paralympics, the Ile de France region will dramatically increase its transport offer. "We're going to create a new pass, the Paris 2024 pass, that will allow visitors to travel through the whole Ile de France region. Last week, Paris mayor hit out at Pecresse, saying the French capital would not be ready in terms of transport. Pecresse said that it was crucial that the Paris region residents be spared.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Valerie Pecresse, Pecresse, Clement Beaune, it's, Julien Pretot, Lucien Libert, Alexander Smith, Pritha Organizations: French, REUTERS, Rights, Paris, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Pecresse

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