CNN — Farmers in central and eastern Europe protested this week against the impact of cheap Ukrainian grain imports, which have undercut domestic prices and hit the sales of local producers. Protesters blocked traffic and border checkpoints with tractors along the border between Romania and Bulgaria, in an effort to prevent Ukrainian trucks from entering … Read more
CNN — While China and Russia have strengthened ties since the Kremlin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the US has not seen evidence that China has provided systemic material support to the Kremlin as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government look for avenues to evade Western sanctions and backfill its military, according to senior US … Read more
CNN — A Greek court dropped espionage charges against a group of aid workers who rescued migrants from the sea, in a move hailed by rights groups and lawmakers. Irish-German citizen Sean Binder and 23 other humanitarian workers had their misdemeanor charges set aside by a court on the island of Lesbos Friday, however felony … Read more
Hong Kong CNN — In the years before Covid, China was the world’s most important source of international travelers. Its 155 million tourists spent more than a quarter of a trillion dollars beyond its borders in 2019. That largesse fell precipitously over the past three years as the country essentially closed its borders. But, as … Read more
Hong Kong CNN Business — Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Saudi Arabia this week for the first time in nearly seven years, during which he is expected to sign billions of dollars of deals with the world’s largest oil exporter and meet leaders from across the Middle East. The visit is a sign that … Read more
Changwon, South Korea CNN — With a blinding yellow flash and a concussion that shakes bones, K9 self-propelled howitzers launch artillery shells onto a hill that’s just been hit by rockets fired from helicopters. Then K2 tanks roar in, speeding up roads and firing as they go. This is part of DX Korea, a four-day … Read more
Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt CNN — The past week has given the world a glimpse of what climate-vulnerable countries have long known: while rich countries bend over backwards to pledge their support for climate action, they are far less enthusiastic when it comes to forking over the cash. At the UN’s COP27 climate summit, the United … Read more
CNN — World Cup host Qatar has praised the Australian men’s national team for their efforts to raise awareness on “important matters” and said that “no country is perfect,” a spokesperson for Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said on Friday. In a video message produced by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and released Wednesday, … Read more
Minneapolis CNN Business — The US economy grew last quarter, bouncing back after shrinking in the first half of the year — but there are indications that consumer spending, which powers the US economy, is starting to soften. Gross domestic product — the broadest measure of economic activity — rose by an annualized rate of … Read more
Berlin/London CNN Business — Germany is nationalizing Uniper, its biggest importer of natural gas, as part of an €8 billion ($7.9 billion) plan to prevent an energy shortage this winter. Europe has been hit by soaring natural gas and electricity prices as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its throttling of gas supplies. … Read more