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To secure egg supplies as prices rose to record highs, Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mohamad Sabu visited Namakkal, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where several leading hatcheries are based. India shipped 5 million eggs to Malaysia in December, and will ship 10 million in January and up to 15 million in February, according Kumar. The imports from India have helped Malaysia bring prices down from the record highs seen in late December. Having suffered a shortfall of 157 million eggs in November, the market gap was down to just one million in December, the Malaysian minister said in a statement earlier this week. Meantime, prices in India have shot up to a record 565 rupees ($6.96) per 100 eggs.

☆ How China planted an FBI mole who was discovered only after gutting the CIA's vast spy network
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

At the time, four years after the handover from Britain to China, much of Hong Kong remained a world of neon and noise. "Five years ago, everyone looked down on you if you spoke Mandarin," said a Beijing executive living in Hong Kong. As soon as the Hong Kong Arts Festival ended, the Hong Kong International Film Festival began. In February 2006, Alex Ma, China's mole in the FBI, sent David photos he received from his handlers of five suspected human sources. Born in Hong Kong like Alex, Lee grew up in Hawaii and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

☆ NHL roundup: Caps rally for OT win over Islanders
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Lightning 4, Kraken 1Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves as Tampa Bay put an end to visiting Seattle's franchise-record, eight-game winning streak. Penguins 4, Ducks 3 (OT)Jake Guentzel scored off a two-on-one with Sidney Crosby 33 seconds into overtime to give Pittsburgh a win over visiting Anaheim. Jamie Benn, Joel Kiviranta, Ryan Suter and Tyler Seguin scored goals for Dallas, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Flyers goalie Carter Hart was pulled in the second period as Philadelphia had a three-game win streak snapped. Ottawa is mired in a 1-4-0 rut and has scored six goals in its past four games.

☆ China zero-Covid: Local governments reveal billions spent on fighting the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Last week, local governments across China began to convene for annual legislative sessions laying out their respective policy goals for the year. Economists estimated the entire year’s deficit could hit a record 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) in 2022. Beijing, the nation’s capital, said Sunday that it had spent nearly 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) last year on preventing and controlling Covid. The city didn’t reveal its 2021 Covid spending. During the past three years, the bills amounted to 30.5 billion yuan ($4.6 billion.)

☆ NHL roundup: Kraken use huge 2nd period to down Blackhawks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

[1/4] Jan 14, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) and Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) look for the puck in the Calgary zone during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Flames 6, Stars 5Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson and Chris Tanev collected one goal and one assist apiece as visiting Calgary rode a four-goal second period to a victory over Dallas. Bruins 4, Maple Leafs 3Matt Grzelcyk scored with 1:16 left in the third period to lift host Boston past Atlantic Division rival Toronto. Grzelcyk scored his second goal of the season and first since Oct. 28, firing a bomb from above the left circle with David Krejci screening Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray. Paul Cotter, Keegan Kolesar and William Karlsson scored goals and Logan Thompson made 33 saves for Vegas.

The United States experienced 18 extreme weather events last year that each caused at least $1 billion in damages, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Weather and climate disasters across the country resulted in more than $165 billion in damages in 2022, making it the third-costliest year on record, NOAA officials said. Despite a slow start to last year's hurricane season, three storms resulted in at least $1 billion in damages: Hurricane Fiona, Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. Hurricane Ian, which slammed into southwestern Florida in late September and caused widespread destruction, resulted in nearly $113 billion in damages, the report found. NOAA’s findings offer a glimpse of the major toll that extreme weather events are already having and the country’s vulnerability to climate disasters in the future.

☆ NHL roundup: David Pastrnak's hat trick carries Bruins past Ducks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY SportsJanuary 9 - David Pastrnak registered his 13th career hat trick as part of a four-point performance as the Boston Bruins rolled past the host Anaheim Ducks 7-1 on Sunday night. Trevor Zegras scored the lone goal and John Gibson stopped 35 shots for Anaheim, which had won back-to-back games. Jets 7, Canucks 4Kyle Connor had a hat trick and Winnipeg extended its win streak to five games with a high-scoring victory against visiting Vancouver. Travis Konecny and Nicolas Deslauriers scored one goal each for the Flyers, who had their season-best four-game winning streak snapped. Alex Stalock stopped 44 shots to help Chicago win consecutive games for the first time since October.

☆ North Korea to boost nuclear warhead production 'exponentially,' leader says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to increase the production of nuclear warheads “exponentially” and build a more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported Sunday, signaling deepening animosities with the United States, South Korea and others. KCNA cited Kim as saying North Korea is compelled to boost the production “exponentially” to mass-produce tactical nuclear weapons. It said U.S. commitments to defend South Korea and Japan “remain ironclad.”North Korea test-fired more than 70 missiles last year. South Korea acknowledged it failed to shoot down any of the five North Korean drones it said were found south of the border. But South Korea has vowed to bolster its air defense network and get tough on future provocations by North Korea.

☆ Landslide kills at least 8 people in eastern Congo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 31 (Reuters) - A landslide crushed at least eight people and seriously injured nine others near an artisanal mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, a local official told Reuters on Saturday. Landslides are relatively common in the hilly slopes of eastern Congo where heavy rains can saturate and loosen soil. But they are more likely to occur if soil has been disturbed by mining, tree-felling or construction. In December, intense rains in Congo's capital Kinshasa caused flooding and landslides that killed around 170 people. Reporting by Crispin Kyalangalilwa; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

China has said it only counts deaths of COVID patients caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure as COVID-related. The holiday travel rush is expected to last for 40 days, from Jan. 7 to Feb. 15, the Ministry of Transport said this week. China's official death toll of 5,246 since the pandemic began compares with more than 1 million deaths in the United States. The United States, India, Italy, Japan and Taiwan said they would require COVID tests for travellers from China. Omicron was still the dominant strain in China, Chinese health officials said this week.

☆ Aeroflot boss cals for 'state protectionism' to defend Russian aviation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 28 (Reuters) - The head of Russia's state-controlled airline Aeroflot called on the Russian government to "balance the interests" of Russian and foreign airlines in order to support the domestic aviation sector, in an interview with Russian news site RBC published on Wednesday. In the interview, Aeroflot CEO Sergei Alexandrovsky said it is "important that the state balances the interests of Russian and international carriers. Because it is obvious that foreign carriers now have much more opportunities and advantages in these conditions". Russian airlines stopped flying to most overseas destinations after Western countries imposed unprecedented sanctions, including bans on Russian carriers, after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Alexandrovsky said that competitors, including Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) and Emirates (EMIRA.UL) had benefitted most from the situation, and called for a degree of what he called "state protectionism" to safeguard domestic aviation.

☆ ‘Batman’ Is There When the Celtics Need Him
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Robert O'Connell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

By the seventh game of the Eastern Conference semifinal series last May, nobody could say Grant Williams hadn’t done his share. Despite severe disadvantages in height, weight and renown, the Boston Celtics’ third-year forward had spent much of the series matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. For two weeks, he set his chest against the two-time MVP’s post-ups and planted his feet in the path of his drives. Then the team asked still more of Williams. “We all told him, ‘You have to shoot these shots,’” Boston assistant coach Ben Sullivan said.

☆ NBA roundup: Thunder spoil Damian Lillard's record night
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

No Thunder player other than Gilgeous-Alexander scored more than 13 points, but six other Oklahoma City players scored in double figures. He scored 11 points and nailed three 3-pointers in the first six minutes to help the Cavaliers establish control early. Jarrett Allen added 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Darius Garland contributed 17 points and eight assists. Trae Young led the Hawks with 37 points, and he added 13 assists for his 15th double-double of the season. Anunoby returned from a four-game absence to score 13 points and reserve Chris Boucher had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their sixth straight game.

☆ Drones Strike Ukraine as Kyiv Scrambles to Restore Power and Heating
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Matthew Luxmoore | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Russia launched a fresh wave of drone attacks against Ukraine on Monday as the country struggled to repair energy infrastructure damaged by recent missile attacks that have left millions without power. The Ukrainian Air Force said it had destroyed 30 Iranian-made Shahed 136 drones launched by Russia overnight into Monday from the eastern coast of the Azov Sea. Authorities in Kyiv said 23 of the drones, which detonate upon impact, had been spotted in the skies over the Ukrainian capital in the morning, of which 18 were shot down. No number was given for the total number of drones used in Monday’s attack on Ukraine.

☆ The Year in Pictures 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +57 min

Every year, starting in early fall, photo editors at The New York Times begin sifting through the year’s work in an effort to pick out the most startling, most moving, most memorable pictures. But 2022 undoubtedly belongs to the war in Ukraine, a conflict now settling into a worryingly predictable rhythm. Erin Schaff/The New York Times “When you’re standing on the ground, you can’t visualize the scope of the destruction. Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25. We see the same images over and over, and it’s really hard to make anything different.” Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 26.

☆ Aramco and TotalEnergies to build $11 bln Saudi petrochemicals plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A sign with the logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at a petrol station in Bouguenais near Nantes, France, November 14, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File PhotoPARIS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) will join forces to build a new petrochemicals complex in Saudi Arabia, the French energy group said on Thursday. The project involves investment of about $11 billion, of which $4 billion will be funded through equity by Aramco (62.5%) and TotalEnergies (37.5%), the statement said. The planned Amiral complex, integrated with the existing Saudi Arabia Total Refining and Petrochemical (SATORP) refinery located in Jubail on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, will be owned and operated by Aramco and TotalEnergies. The petrochemicals facility will enable SATORP to convert its refinery off-gases and naphtha, as well as ethane and natural gasoline supplied by Aramco, into higher-value chemicals.

☆ Pacers vs Warriors: Steph Curry to get an MRI after suffering shoulder injury in Golden State's 125-119 loss to Indiana
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Golden State fans wait anxiously for a verdict on Steph Curry as the superstar guard will get an MRI after he suffered a shoulder injury in the Warriors’ 125-119 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Late in the third quarter, Curry was injured when trying to defend against the Pacers’ Jalen Smith. As the Indiana forward drove to the basket, Curry reached out an arm that was bent backwards. “The trainers told me he was out midway through the fourth quarter. It was a night to forget for Golden State which is already missing Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins to injuries.

☆ At least 5 tornadoes confirmed in Texas as storms roll through southwestern US and blizzard conditions mount in the northern Plains
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Amir Vera Jason Hanna Monica Garrett | Amir Vera | Jason Hanna | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

More than 18 million people from Texas to Mississippi are under threat of severe storms Tuesday, including tornadoes. In Mississippi, the Meridian Public School District – which serves over 4,900 students – announced they will be closed Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Lawrence County and McComb School Districts also announced they were closing Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency also noted the severe weather expected in the state and asked residents to prepare. “With severe weather expected throughout Mississippi tonight and tomorrow, please review your severe weather preparedness checklist to make sure you are ready for the storms,” the agency said in a message on Twitter.

SEOUL, Dec 13 (Reuters) - South Korea's military got a new recruit on Tuesday: Jin, the oldest member of K-pop phenomenon BTS, began 18 months of mandatory national service, complete with newly shaven head. "I wish it was a warm day," Lee Jin, 24, told Reuters outside the camp, where about 300 military, police and fire officials maintained tight security. BTS announced plans in October to sign up for mandatory military service, starting with Jin, who turned 30 on Dec. 4, after having postponed his service for the maximum time allowed. On Tuesday, Yonhap news agency said another BTS member, Suga, has been judged unfit for active duty and would do community service instead. South Korea's defence minister has said BTS would be able to perform overseas while in the military.

Just because rural areas are less populated doesn’t mean it’s cheaper to provide health services there. She recommends that rural counties explore lower-cost, evidence-based options like distributing naloxone, funding syringe service programs, or connecting people to housing or employment. “We couldn’t function if we didn’t partner for lots of different services.”In Colorado, pooling funds is built into the state’s model for managing opioid settlement money. “Nobody has paid any attention to our rural areas and this problem for years,” Laske said. They cross-referenced the results with a list of allowable uses for the $9 million in settlement funds they’ll receive over 18 years to create a priority grid.

[1/5] Drivers wait in line to get gasoline amid repeated outages at refineries operated by state oil company PDVSA and a lack of imports of diesel and gasoline, in Maracay, Venezuela, December 9, 2022. In 2020 and again in 2021, drivers had to line up for days to get gasoline and farmers halted work because of insufficient diesel. Right after midnight, the station ran out of gasoline," said Ramon Blanco, a 32-year-old who filled up the next day at another station. But lines also have reappeared in Falcon state, home of PDVSA's largest oil refineries. "We are trying our best because we are under pressure to restart some plants for producing gasoline," said a worker from Amuay.

☆ President Xi says China wants to buy more oil from Saudi Arabia – and that could eat away at the dollar, a think tank strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China is willing to import more oil from Saudi Arabia, President Xi Jinping said Friday. That could spur "de-dollarization", if Saudi Arabia agrees to accept yuan payments. He also agreed to step up coordination with Saudi Arabia on energy policy in his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "The Saudis have a lot to buy from China and China has a lot to buy from Saudi Arabia," Luft said. The western sanctions against Russia have led to a cooldown in the relationship between the US and both China and Saudi Arabia.

☆ RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson on partnering with American Express and NBA 2K on a 2K23 'Lab,' acclimating to New York, and the Knicks' path in the East
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( John Lynch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

New York Knicks guards RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson spoke to Insider about their participation in an "American Express x NBA 2K23 Lab" activation in Manhattan this week. I play 2K with my friends all the time. Uh, I will say, we score a lot of points in the paint, so I don't know, maybe that's an advantage there, I guess. For the most part, I don't really play as myself, but I have a lot of people who I know who play as me. I don't really understand like the whole stigma of why everyone is like, "Lefties are always going left," and all this other stuff.

☆ United Arab Emirates ranked as having the best passport in the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFPDUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates is ranked as the world's number one passport to hold in terms of mobility and freedom from travel restrictions, according to the latest publication of the Passport Index, a global ranking by Montreal-based citizenship financial advisory firm Arton Capital. They need a visa for just 19 countries, meaning they're able to access 91% of the world's countries without having to apply for a visa before traveling. The U.S. passport's "world reach" is calculated at 83% of the world's countries, compared to the UAE's 91%. "The Mobility Score is how the power of a passport is measured in the Passport Index," it added. People walk on the Pedestrian Bridge at the Bluewaters Island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 08, 2021.

☆ An Iranian patrol vessel tried to blind the bridges of US Navy ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, US military says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An Iranian vessel tried to blind the bridges of US Navy ships on Monday, CENTCOM said. Two US Navy ships were conducting a routine crossing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol boat crossed within 150 yards of the ships at night. "The Iranian vessel attempted to blind the bridge by shining a spotlight and crossed within 150 yards of the US ships — dangerously close, particularly at night," CENTCOM said, adding that the US Navy ships were conducting a routine crossing in international waters. In late November, the US Navy said an Iranian-made suicide drone was used in an attack on a commercial tanker while it was sailing in the Northern Arabian Sea.

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