French farmers block major roadways over gov’t climate change policies
Protests outside Paris continued on Monday, Jan. 29, as farmers demanding lower fuel prices, higher wages, and fewer regulations brought in heavy farm equipment to block major roadways. Combines, tractors, and other large vehicles could be seen rolling into position in protest of government policies farmers say threaten their livelihoods.
European leaders contend that the policies put in place are needed to combat climate change.
According to Radio France Internationale, a French news outlet, one of the main points of contention for farmers is a requirement under the European Union’s Nature Restoration Law for 4% of farmland to remain unused, which farmers said cuts into their production capacity and hurts their income.
The EU law went into effect in 2023. The goal of the law is to preserve and restore habitats harmed by agriculture.
European leaders claim the law is necessary to limit the harm done by pesticides and fertilizer, and cite a significant drop in insect and bird populations in the European countryside tied to current farming practices, according to the Washington Post.
However, demonstrators claim the regulations are too costly as farmers are pushed into bankruptcy. Protesters are demanding the government address soaring prices for fuel, fertilizer, crops and feed for livestock — all things farmers say are necessary to keep the agricultural industry afloat.
One protester said the massive convoy that disrupted traffic around Paris and other areas was not designed to “ruin French people’s lives.” Farmers maintain they simply want lawmakers to find solutions to the crisis which has been worsened by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Demonstrators pointed out that France imports food from countries with fewer regulations and lower costs, which local farmers cannot compete with.
Arnoud Rousseau, the president of the FNSEA agricultural union, claimed Ukrainian sugar producers saw soaring exports to Europe after Russia invaded Ukraine. He said it has created an “untenable” situation for European counterparts.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 30, French President Emmanuel Macron said the European Union needs to act to protect farmers against cheap agricultural imports and distribution platforms.
“This is why I will see the EU Commission president on Thursday because we’ve asked for very concrete measures for our farmers,” Macron said. “First, to have clear rules set up around imports from Ukraine because we have today, in terms of volume and quality, something that’s destabilizing the European market, be it poultry or cereals.”
So far, there are no reports of violence other than demonstrators burning some hay bales and tires. Some farmers reportedly played cards as they continued to wait for concessions from the French government.
The farmers’ protests are not just limited to France. In recent weeks, similar protests have been playing out in Germany and across Europe.
US and EU playing catch up to China’s lead in EV charging infrastructure
China has emerged as the global leader in electric vehicle (EV) adoption while also boasting a robust lead over the rest of the world in charging infrastructure. Beijing has overseen the installation of about 2.3 million EV chargers throughout the country — approximately one for every seven Chinese EVs.
Comparatively, the European Union is in a distant second place with around half a million chargers spread across its member states, translating to one charger for every 10 vehicles. Meanwhile, the United States trails both China and the EU, currently boasting approximately 130,000 chargers, equating to one charger for every 18 cars.
Notably, China not only surpasses the competition in quantity but also in quality.
Charging ports in China deliver nearly four kilowatts per EV on average, a stark contrast to the U.S. and EU, where the average is just over one kilowatt per EV. To put it in perspective, this energy difference is akin to powering about 17 standard light bulbs versus 67.
In the U.S., the Biden administration has plans to install half a million chargers by the end of the decade, allocating $7.5 billion for this initiative. Despite this substantial investment, experts suggest that it may only be a fraction of what is needed.
The National Renewable Energy Lab estimates that the U.S. will need to spend somewhere between $31 billion to $55 billion in order to meet anticipated domestic charging needs by 2030.
Meanwhile, a new law adopted by the EU aims to blanket Europe’s highways with EV chargers, mandating installations every 37 miles along the Trans-European Transport Network, the continent’s primary transportation corridor. The European Federation for Transport and Environment is using these initiatives in an effort to help the bloc reach its goal of 3 million chargers projected to be needed by 2030.
However, similarly to the U.S., these actions by the EU may ultimately fall short of meeting expected demand. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has suggested a need for close to 7 million chargers by the end of the decade, requiring an investment of over $300 billion.
“We need minerals to succeed with the green transition,” said Terje Aasland, Norway’s minister for petroleum and energy. “I strongly believe that our seabed mineral resources can be extracted sustainably and responsibly.”
The Nordic nation passed a bill this week that will open up an area of Norwegian waters larger than the size of the United Kingdom for commercial-scale operations. The bill gives companies the ability to submit proposals for deep-sea mining licenses that will be voted on through a case-by-case basis in Norway’s parliament.
Those prospective miners are after rocks on the seabed known as nodules, which contain critical minerals used to build sustainable energy sources like electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and solar panels.
“The renewable green industries run on minerals. This is an important contribution internationally,” Norwegian MP Bård Ludvig Thorheim said.
The resources found in these waters are estimated to be worth about $100 billion and will create around 20,000 new jobs, according to an independent study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Norway’s government has said that deep-sea mining could be a good thing for all of Europe, helping reduce the continent’s reliance on China for its critical mineral supply. Europe currently imports nearly 90 percent of its rare earth metals from Beijing-controlled entities.
Many within the European Union (EU) believe any benefits will come with major risks. In November 2023, 120 EU lawmakers wrote an open letter calling on the Norwegian parliament to reject deep-sea mining because of “the risk of such activity to marine biodiversity and the acceleration of climate change.”
“In the midst of the environmental and climate crisis, the Norwegian government’s decision to start mining in the ocean’s fragile ecosystems would be reckless,” the group of EU lawmakers wrote. “As European parliamentarians we are deeply concerned by our close ally pushing forward this destructive industry, rather than joining the EU in the transition to a circular economy.”
The letter also criticized the country’s environmental impact assessment, saying it had too many “knowledge gaps.” These claims of insufficient studies on the topic were echoed by the Norway Institute of Marine Research, which estimates five to 10 years of additional analysis is still needed.
Elsewhere, other experts in the field are pushing back, too, with more than 800 experts from 44 different countries signing a statement calling for a global pause on deep-sea mining. The Environmental Justice Foundation said the decision to allow it would serve as “an irrevocable black mark on Norway’s reputation as a responsible ocean state.”
Could cheaper Chinese EVs make their way into the US auto market?
Imagine driving a new electric vehicle (EV) but spending only $10,000 on your new ride. This is a reality in China. In the United States, however, Americans spend an average of over $53,000 on buying an EV — more than double where the median asking price stands for Chinese consumers.
It is possible these cheaper vehicles may become available to U.S. drivers in the future, but several issues stand in the way before that can happen. For starters, the rivalry between Washington and Beijing has put the industry in a challenging position.
“To look at the situation with the U.S. and China, their relations are at their worst and 50 years,” said Michael Dunne, CEO of ZoZo Go, which delivers investment advisory services to auto-tech industry companies in the U.S. and China. “Should the U.S. become over-reliant on Chinese with [EV] batteries, it’d be so simple for the Chinese to say, ‘Sorry, we don’t have enough supply for you.’”
In 2023, as part of an effort to combat this problem, the White House introduced additional rules to keep China out of the American EV market. This included an Internal Revenue Service block on all foreign-made electric vehicles from receiving tax breaks granted to the industry under the Inflation Reduction Act.
American car companies are also now prevented from accessing these incentives if they use materials or parts from China.
That move was in addition to a 2018 Trump administration imposed tariff of more than 27% on cars made in China — a policy that has continued under President Joe Biden. The current administration has even considered raising the tariffs already in place.
There’s a difference between people’s allegiances to their country and what they buy at the store. One thing that’s absolutely universal is people buy affordability.
CEO Bill Russo, Automobility
“What happens in China will not stay in China,” said Bill Russo, CEO of advisory firm Automobility. “If you have that kind of supply chain, that kind of position on the chess board, then why wouldn’t you take that internationally? There’s a difference between people’s allegiances to their country and what they buy at the store. One thing that’s absolutely universal is people buy affordability.”
“The Chinese have been very aggressive in motivating the purchase of electric vehicles, which represent a much higher percentage of new vehicle sales in China than they do in the United States,” said John Quelch, a former associate in research at Harvard’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies and fellow of the Harvard China Fund.
On top of tax and trade policies, safety regulations are another issue keeping these cars away from the U.S.
Most Chinese vehicles have not been engineered to comply with American safety standards, adapting to which can be an expensive process. An industry study found that differing auto safety regulations in the U.S. and European Union (EU) force automakers to spend over $2 billion annually.
Even if Chinese car manufacturers could overcome these costs, there remain numerous expenses associated with building a retail network accessible to Americans, although, this could be the first domino to fall.
According to the Financial Times, three major Chinese EV companies are planning to spend billions on new factories in Mexico. The news has reportedly worried U.S. officials that this could open a backdoor for Chinese EVs into the American auto market.
China has a bigger manufacturing scale than all other countries. And they’re using that scale to make these batteries not just in China, but they’re making them in Germany and in Mexico, and now exporting those electric vehicles around the world with sites on the American market, and they think they’re gonna win.
President Joe Biden
“China has a bigger manufacturing scale than all other countries,” Biden said. “And they’re using that scale to make these batteries not just in China, but they’re making them in Germany and in Mexico, and now exporting those electric vehicles around the world with sites on the American market, and they think they’re gonna win.”
Executives with Ford Motor Company have expressed similar concerns regarding China, saying the U.S. is still “not quite yet ready” to compete with Beijing when it comes to electric vehicles.
“[China] developed very quickly, and they developed them in large scale. And now they’re exporting them,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford. “They’re not here but they’ll come here we think, at some point, we need to be ready.”
In Europe, where tariffs on Chinese-made EVs are much lower, car markers are expected to collectively lose more than $7 billion in profit by 2030 due to China’s growth in the market.
“I can announce today that the commission is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles coming from China,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in September. “Global markets are now flooded with cheaper Chinese electric cars. And their prices kept artificially low by huge state subsidies. This is distorting our market.”
While getting more electric vehicles on American roadways is a major goal of the current administration, it is clear that tapping into China’s robust and affordable supply would be a complicated process.
Worst mass shooting in Czech history claims lives of at least 14 people
At least 14 people were killed and dozens more injured in a mass shooting at Charles University in downtown Prague. The tragic incident is being described as the worst mass shooting in Czech Republic history. The gunman, a 24-year-old student, killed his father outside Prague before taking the lives of at least 14 others and injuring 25 more.
“The building is still being evacuated as some students locked themselves in their rooms before the shooter,” a Czech police account said in post published on and translated by X.
The national police chief, Martin Vondrasek, mentioned that the gunman was inspired by a similar event abroad but did not specify the location.
Czech Republic’s Police officer Martin Vondrasek speaks to the media after a mass shooting in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Source: AP Images.
“The police of the Czech Republic received information at 12:20 p.m. that a 24-year-old man from the village of Hostouň, he was supposed to leave for the capital city of Prague, confiding that he wanted to take his own life,” Vondrasek told reporters. “At 12:45, we received information that a dead man was found in the same village and we soon found out that he was the father of the suspect who committed this heinous act today. We found out relatively quickly that he was a student of the Faculty of Philosophy and we found out that in the building of the Faculty of Philosophy in Celetná Street he has a lecture at 2 p.m. That is why we immediately came to Celetná Street, to the building of the Faculty of Philosophy, where we carried out the evacuation of this building, which we finished at 2:22 p.m., and we carried out further search operations for this man.”
Police officers stand on the balcony of Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Source: AP Photo.
Police gave no details about the victims or a possible motive for the shooting at the building
Old Town Square — where Charles University is situated — is a major holiday destination in Europe, attracting thousands of travelers each year.
Social media videos depict a chaotic situation near Charles University, with individuals fleeing, hiding on ledges of buildings and barricading themselves in rooms. Officers sealed off portions of the city and evacuated parts of the university.
People, one wrapped in a thermal blanket, walk near the building of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Source: AP Photo.
Local reports suggest that the shooter had several legally owned guns. However, officials have not released a description of the shooter.
Gun crime is relatively rare in the Czech Republic, with the last major incident occurring in December 2019 when a gunman killed six people in a hospital waiting room in Ostrava before fleeing and fatally shooting himself.
Founded in 1348, Charles University is an international school and one of the oldest universities in Europe.
Germany to permanently deploy troops for first time since WWII to counter Russia
In a move not witnessed since WWII, German troops are embarking on a permanent deployment to foreign soil. The decision comes amid Russia’s intensifying war with Ukraine, positioning troops in an at-risk region along Russia’s borders.
The upped security will station 4,800 troops and their families in Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Vilnius in an attempt to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.
During the week of Dec. 17, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, revealed a “roadmap to action plan.”
Most troops will be sent to the country from 2024 through 2026, and Germany expects them to have full-operational capability in 2027.
The move is especially strategic right now. Lithuania borders both Russia and Russia’s ally Belarus.
The Lithuanian defense minister stressed the need for the agreement.
“The German brigade will significantly increase our defense potential and enhance NATO deterrence and collective defense,” Anusauskas said.
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, Martynas Bendikas, told Newsweek negotiations with Germany picked up in June of 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“The war in Ukraine has indeed exerted a substantial impact on the regional security landscape,” Bendikas said. “In light of this, we are indeed intensifying all our efforts to ensure security in the region, collaborating closely with our allies.”
German officials said there will be three “maneuver battalions,” combat support and supply units within the brigade.
Lithuania is committing 0.3% of its gross domestic product to support the effort and has said it will likely have to raise taxes to fund the effort. The funding will go towards housing and training grounds.
German soldiers will have German-language schools, kindergartens and flight connections.
The Lithuanian defense minister underscored the urgency felt in the former Soviet Republic.
“The speed of the project clearly shows that Germany understood the new security reality,” Anusauskas said. “We should expect not only good scenarios but also the very worst scenarios. So, we must be ready… Russia remains the main threat to us and NATO.”
The project comes after a push by Western powers for Germany to help Ukraine’s efforts against Russia. In January, the U.S. and other Western allies pressured Germany to send to Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine.
Lithuania is a country of 2.7 million people. It was once ruled from Moscow, but the country is now a member of the European Union and NATO. The Lithuanian military has around 8,000 professional soldiers and enlisted.
Elon Musk’s X under European investigation for disinformation
X is under investigation over disinformation. The European Union announced Monday, Dec. 18, that it is beginning the first probe opened under Europe’s new Digital Services Act (DSA).
The EU is looking into accusations that Elon Musk’s platform violated new regulations implemented in August. The regulations aimed to crack down on the spread of disinformation across social media.
The probe could last several months as the European Commission assesses “whether X may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to risk management, content moderation, dark patterns, advertising transparency and data access for researchers.”
The investigation comes two months after EU officials initially asked X to provide information about “illegal content,” particularly violent content related to the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel.
Regulators are gathering information to decide whether X attempted to counter disinformation regarding the Israel-Hamas war via its Community Notes system.
If the investigation reveals that X engaged in unlawful practices, such as not fighting disinformation, Musk’s platform could be fined up to 6% of its global annual revenue. Based on 2022 figures, X brought in $4.4 billion dollars, which could equate to $282 million in fines.
Musk has not personally commented on the probe, however, X’s Safety page made a post reiterating the company’s commitment to compliance with the law.
“X remains committed to complying with the Digital Services Act and is cooperating with the regulatory process,” the post said. “It is important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law. X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform, while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal.”
Other social media companies, such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, along with Snapchat and TikTok, have also received requests for information under the DSA. However, the commission has not yet launched any probes into those companies.
However, the bloc could not agree on a $54 billion aid package for Ukraine. It’s not clear when talks for Ukraine’s entry into the EU will begin, a process that could take years but is still seen as a victory for Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president posted on X, “I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day.”
The EU has also agreed to start talks with Moldova, which, like Ukraine, is another former Soviet Union republic.
As for the economic aid, EU leaders said 26 of the 27 member states agreed on the package, all but Hungary, and the decision needs to be unanimous. Talks are set to resume early next year.
Another blow to Ukraine with funding talks in the U.S. stalling despite Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington, D.C. to talk to Congressional leaders this week. On Thursday, Dec. 14, speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced the House has adjourned for holiday break seemingly pushing any chance at more funding into the new year.
The Senate; however, is staying to work get to work on a package that would include aid to Ukraine and Israel, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Though anything passed through the Senate would have to go to the House for a vote, and Johnson said “the House will not wait around to receive and debate a rushed product.”
House adjourns, Senate stays to work on funding for Ukraine and Israel: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 15, 2023
With the House adjourned for the holidays, the Senate said it’s staying put to work on the Ukraine aid package. And, train passengers in New Jersey are joined by an unusual traveler during a wild morning commute. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.
House adjourns for holidays, Senate to continue talks on Ukraine aid
They’re heading home for the holidays while Ukrainians are heading right back into the fight.
National Security Council John Kirby
While making the announcement on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said negotiators have made “good progress” over a path forward on the $110 billion package, which Republicans say needs to include stricter immigration policies.
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“If we believe something is important and urgent, we should stay and get the job done,” Schumer said. “So, for the information of all Senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans a time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement.”
Too many Republicans now seem more interested about flying home for the holidays than finishing the job.
If Republicans say the border is an emergency, they should be prepared to stay.
Crying fire about the border then saying we should go home the next is unserious. pic.twitter.com/dMGhiZogrq
National Security Council John Kirby accused House Republicans, who last week blocked the package from passing due to the border policy, of abandoning Ukraine in its time of need.
“They’re heading home for the holidays while Ukrainians are heading right back into the fight,” Kirby said.
EU to open membership talks with Ukraine, fails to agree on aid
However, the bloc could not agree on a $54 billion aid package for Ukraine. It’s not clear when talks for Ukraine’s entry into the EU will begin, a process that could take years but is still seen as a victory for Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president posted on X, “I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day.”
The #EUCO decision to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been adopted.
I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day.
I also congratulate Moldova and personally @SanduMaiamd.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 14, 2023
A U.S. official said Sullivan will discuss “ongoing efforts to promote stability in the West Bank” by confronting terrorism and revamping and revitalizing the Palestinian Authority, the governing body of the West Bank.
The meeting comes as Israel and the U.S. continue to differ on what Gaza would look like once the war with Hamas ends; the United States said the Palestinian Authority should have a governing role in the territory, and Israeli leaders have rejected that idea.
I met today with @IsraeliPM, @yoavgallant, @gantzbe,@Tzachi_Hanegbi, & the War Cabinet in Tel Aviv to discuss our shared objective of defeating Hamas while minimizing harm to civilians & ensuring the increased and sustained flow of humanitarian assistance. https://t.co/3BKFb3bhBa
Sullivan’s visit comes as the Biden administration continues to show its support for Israel’s fight against Hamas while also calling for Netanyahu to focus on saving civilian lives. President Biden on Thursday, Dec. 14, said Israel should “not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful.”
Terror suspects reportedly linked to Hamas arrested in Europe
Denmark and Germany say seven terror suspects, some said to be members of Hamas, have been arrested, suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions across Europe amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
German prosecutors say three of the suspects arrested in Berlin and one arrested in the Netherlands are long-standing members of Hamas with close ties to the high ranks of the terror group. However, a Hamas official denied any connection between the group and those who were arrested in Europe.
According to Danish police, three people were arrested on suspicion of plotting to carry out an “act of terror.”
We commend our partners in the security and law enforcement agencies in Denmark for their successful counter-terrorist operation which culminated today in the arrests and in exposing the expansion of Hamas infrastructure to Europe.
It is unclear how or if the arrests in Denmark are connected to those made in Germany and the Netherlands.
The German justice minister said in a statement that they must do everything they can to keep the Jewish community safe, adding attacks on Jewish institutions have increased in their country in recent weeks.
2 men charged for allegedly killing 3,000 birds, including protected eagles
Two men have been charged with killing over 3,000 birds, including federally protected eagles, over a two-year period. According to the indictment, between January 2019 and March 2021, the two men, Simon Paul and Travis John Branson, deliberately killed 3,600 birds of prey, including Bald Eagles, and sold them on the black market.
Federal prosecutors said they had messages from Branson that said he was going on a “killing spree” to get eagle tail feathers for future sales. The indictment alleges that Branson would travel from Washington state to meet Paul on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana to help kill and ship the eagles to buyers for “significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.”
The defendants have not been arrested but have been ordered to appear in court on Jan. 8. The two face charges for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, as well as a conspiracy count, which has a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
Loose bull causes train delays in New Jersey
It’s something many people do every day: take a train to work. While delays are expected, what happened at Newark Penn Station in New Jersey on Thursday, Dec. 14, was not.
Police said no injuries were reported during the incident. The bull was taken to an animal sanctuary, where he is said to be resting after his busy morning commute.
Pope Francis warns against ethical dangers of AI, calls for regulation
Pope Francis has called for a binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing the need to prevent algorithms from replacing human values. In a written message for the World Day of Peace, he warned against a “technological dictatorship” that poses a threat to humanity.
The message, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Peace,” highlights the global scale of AI and the role of international organizations in regulating its use. Pope Francis urged nations to collaborate on adopting a treaty to govern the development and application of AI.
Getty Images
“The global scale of artificial intelligence makes it clear that, alongside the responsibility of sovereign states to regulate its use internally, international organizations can play a decisive role in reaching multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and enforcement,” Francis wrote in the message.
“The immense expansion of technology thus needs to be accompanied by an appropriate formation in responsibility for its future development,” Francis wrote. “Freedom and peaceful coexistence are threatened whenever human beings yield to the temptation to selfishness, self-interest, the desire for profit and the thirst for power.”
AP Images
This comes as governments worldwide grapple with finding a balance between the benefits and risks of AI technology. Last week, the European Union reached a provisional deal on landmark AI rules, addressing issues such as biometric surveillance and the regulation of AI systems.
Pope Francis, a vocal critic of the arms industry, has expressed serious ethical concerns about the weaponization of AI. The pope cautioned against using AI in weapons, saying it could be disastrous.
