Latest News
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Mexico: At least 44 dead following torrential rains
The government announced on Sunday that at least 44 people died in Mexico as a result of flooding and heavy rains. Tropical storms Priscilla, and Raymond brought torrential rains that triggered landslides in five states. A government statement stated that 18 people were killed in Veracruz, 16 in Hidalgo and nine in Puebla, with one person in Queretaro. The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum managed a response plan for 139 affected communities. The Mexican military posted photos of people being evacuated using liferafts. Homes were covered in mud, and rescue workers had to wade through waist-high water through the streets. In coordination with the Governor and the Governors as well as the various federal authorities, we continue to pay attention to the emergencies in Veracruz and Hidalgo as well as Puebla, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi. Sheinbaum stated on X that the National Emergency Committee was in perpetual session.
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South Carolina Island shooting leaves four dead and at least 20 wounded
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office reported that four people were killed in the shooting and 20 others injured at a restaurant on an island in South Carolina. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said that deputies responded to Willie's Bar and Grill in St. Helena Island shortly before 1 am and found several victims with gunshot injuries. Authorities said that four of the injured are in critical condition. The sheriff’s office stated that it was investigating but refused to give further details. The office refused to reveal the names of those who died pending notification of their families. The sheriff's department said that hundreds of people were present at the time the shooting occurred. The sheriff's department said: "This is a tragedy and a difficult incident for all." St. Helena Island has a reputation as the epicenter of Gullah geechee culture, a group of descendants of African slaves. The bar and restaurant where the shooting took place describes itself as serving authentic Gullah food. Gun Violence Archive defines mass shootings as those where four or more individuals are shot. These incidents have increased in frequency in the U.S. over the last decade. Americans are divided on the issue of possible policy solutions. Democrats support more gun restrictions, while Republicans favor better enforcement of violent crime laws and gun rights. (Reporting from Ted Hesson, Washington; Additional reporting provided by Jasper Ward, Washington; Editing done by Sergio Non and Mark Porter.)
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Taiwan's chip industry is not affected by China's rare earths restrictions
Taiwan's Economy Ministry said that the new Chinese restrictions on rare earths will not have a significant impact on the semiconductor industry as these metals are different from those needed in the chip sector. China tightened its control of the rare earths sector in advance of the talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Beijing added five new elements to its export controls and increased scrutiny on chip users. Taiwan's Economy Ministry said in a press release about China's new regulations that the rare earth elements covered by the expanded prohibition differ from those required for Taiwan's semiconductor process, and therefore no significant impact is expected on chip manufacture at this time. It added that the majority of products or derivatives for domestic use containing rare Earths are sourced from Europe and Japan. Taiwan is the home of the largest contract chipmaker in the world, TSMC. It produces the vast majority advanced chips which are a critical component for artificial intelligence applications. The ministry said that China's recent expansion of controls may affect global supply chains, including those for electric vehicles and drones. It added that the impact would need to be closely monitored. On Sunday, China justified its restrictions on the export of rare earth metals and equipment by claiming that they were based on concerns about their military applications in a period of "frequent war". (Reporting and editing by Raju Gopikrishnan; Ben Blanchard)
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US intelligence assists Ukraine in targeting Russian energy infrastructure, reports FT
Financial Times reported that the U.S. had been helping Ukraine launch long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure for months as part of a joint effort to weaken Russia's economy and force Vladimir Putin to the negotiation table. The newspaper reported that U.S. intelligence helped Kyiv to strike Russian energy assets including oil refineries far beyond the front lines, citing anonymous U.S. and Ukrainian officials familiar with this campaign. Requests for comments were not immediately responded to by the White House, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office or Ukraine's Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This month, Moscow claimed that Washington and the NATO alliance regularly provided intelligence to Kyiv regarding the war Putin started in February 2022. The Kremlin's Dmitry Peskov said that the use and supply of NATO and US infrastructure to collect and transmit intelligence to Ukrainians was obvious. The FT reported that U.S. Intelligence helps Kyiv to shape route planning and altitude decisions, as well as timing and mission choices, enabling Ukraine’s long-range one-way drone attack aircraft to evade Russian defences. Three people with knowledge of the operation said that the United States was closely involved at all stages in planning. According to a U.S. official, Ukraine chose the targets of long-range attacks and Washington provided intelligence about the sites' vulnerability. Two U.S. officials said in early February that Washington would provide Ukraine intelligence on long-range targets of energy infrastructure in Russia as it considers sending Kyiv missiles which could be used for such strikes. Officials from the United States said that they had also asked NATO members to provide similar assistance. Zelenskiy stated on Saturday that he discussed Russian attacks against the Ukrainian energy system during a "positive" and "productive" phone call with U.S. president Donald Trump. "We discussed the opportunities for bolstering our air defense as well as concrete agreement that we are working to ensure." Zelenskiy wrote on X that there are solid options and ideas for how we can truly be strengthened.
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Taiwan doesn't depend on China for rare earths
Taiwan's Economy Ministry said that most rare earth materials are imported from Europe, Japan and the United States, but it is still too early to assess the impact of China's new restrictions on the semiconductor industry. China tightened its control of the rare earths sector in advance of talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Beijing added five new elements to the controls and increased scrutiny on chip users. In a statement on China's new regulations, Taiwan's Economy Ministry said that the majority of rare-earth materials required domestically were supplied by Europe and the United States. The impact of the semiconductor industry on its operation still needs to be assessed and reassessed. "We will continue to monitor any changes in raw materials costs and indirect effects of supply-chain adjustment," the company said. Taiwan is the home of the largest contract chipmaker in the world, TSMC. It produces the vast majority advanced chips which are a critical component for artificial intelligence applications. On Sunday, China had defended its restrictions on the export of rare earth metals and equipment. It said that they were motivated by concerns about their military applications in a period of "frequent war". Ben Blanchard reports.
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Beijing accuses the US of raising trade tensions and defends rare Earth curbs
China called Donald Trump's recent U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Goods Hypocritical on Sunday. It defended its curbs to exports of rare-earth elements and equipment but did not impose new levies against U.S. goods. Trump responded on Friday to Beijing's latest export controls with additional tariffs of 100 percent on China's U.S. bound exports and new export controls for critical software by Nov. 1. Wall Street has been rattled by the renewed trade tensions. They have sent shares of Big Tech tumbling. They are also worried about foreign companies that depend on China's production for processed rare earths or rare earth magnets. And they could even derail a meeting between Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping scheduled later this month. China's Commerce Ministry said that its export controls for rare-earth metals - described by Trump as "surprising and very hostile" on Friday - were a result of a series U.S. actions since bilateral trade negotiations in Madrid last month. Beijing cited as examples the addition of Chinese firms to a U.S. blacklist of companies and Washington's imposition port fees on China linked ships. These actions have seriously damaged China's economic interests and undermined the climate for bilateral trade and economic talks. China is firmly against them," said the ministry. Beijing did not explicitly link these U.S. measures to its export restrictions on critical minerals. Instead, it said that its curbs had been motivated by concerns about the military applications of these metals in a period of "frequent war". The U.S. also delayed announcing a similar levy on U.S.-bound imports to China, unlike earlier this year when both superpowers gradually increased tariffs against each other, until the U.S. was at 145% and China's rate was 125%. The right way to deal China is to not threaten to impose high-tariffs at the drop a hat. China's stance on tariff wars is consistent: "We don't like to fight but we're not afraid to fight," said the Commerce Ministry. China's refusal to respond immediately to Trump's first salvo could open the door for both countries in negotiating a deescalation.
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Protests in Tunisia's Gabes intensify amid an environmental crisis
Tunisian Police fired tear gas at protesters in front of the Tunisian Chemical Group (CGT) headquarters for phosphates located in the southern city Gabes after residents stormed into the facility to demand its closure due to environmental pollution and respiratory illness. The protest shows the tensions that President Kais Said's government is under, which are already stretched by the deep financial and economic crisis. They must balance the demands of public health with the production phosphate, Tunisia’s most valuable resource. The protest turned violent when the police used tear gas to force the protesters away from the site. They then chased them through the streets of the city. Witnesses reported that protesters had set fire to the branch office in the city of the complex administration. Emergency teams were trying extinguishing the fire. Protesters in the city blocked roads. Witnesses and videos posted on social media said that earlier in the day demonstrators were at the facility, chanting slogans for its dismantling and closure. Saied, in an attempt to calm the anger and protests that were escalating, met with the Ministers for Environment and Energy late Saturday night, and asked them to send a delegation to make the necessary repairs to the phosphate unit of the complex. Khaireddine dbaya, a protester, said: "Gabes is a city that kills. People are struggling to breath, and many suffer from cancer, or have bone fragility, due to the severe air pollution." GABES SUFFERING ENVIRONMENTAL CRISE CGT has not responded to attempts to comment on the situation at Gabes. It has never responded to pollution accusations in the past. Saied claimed last week that Gabes is suffering from an "environmental attack" because of what he called old, criminal policies. He blamed them for widespread illnesses and the destruction local ecosystems. In 2017, the authorities committed to demolish the Gabes Complex and replace it by a facility meeting international standards. They acknowledged that its emissions were a threat to local residents. The plan has not yet been implemented. Gabes' Chatt Essalam Sea receives tons of industrial waste every day. Environmental groups have warned that marine life is severely affected. Local fishermen report a dramatic drop in fish stocks in the last decade. This has hit a vital income source for many in the area. This week, a new wave of protests erupted after dozens schoolchildren suffered from breathing problems caused by toxic fumes coming from a nearby plant. Videos of panicked parents, emergency crews and students struggling to breath fueled public outrage. Calls for the closure of the plant were also sparked. The government wants to revitalize the phosphate sector by increasing production by fivefold, to 14 million tons by 2030. This will allow it to take advantage of a growing global demand. Reporting by Tarek Amar; Editing By Toby Chopra & Alistair Bell
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Iran is open to US nuclear proposal that is 'fair and balanced'
Iran is open to a "fair and balanced proposal" from the United States, but Tehran still hasn't received any negotiation proposal, said Iran's top diplomat on Saturday. Abbas Araqchi, Iran's foreign minister, told state TV that he would consider any American proposal for negotiation if it was reasonable, fair, and balanced. Araqchi, however, said that Tehran would not give up "its right to enrich uranium", but could take confidence-building steps regarding "the peacefulness of its nuclear program." Araqchi added that Washington and Tehran had been exchanging messages via mediators. Israel, the United States and its European allies accuse Tehran, of hiding behind its nuclear program efforts to try and develop the ability to produce weapons. Iran claims its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. Before a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, in which Washington took part by attacking key nuclear sites, Tehran held five rounds with Washington on nuclear issues. However, there were major obstacles, such as the uranium enrichment of Iranian soil. The West wants to reduce this to zero, to minimize any threat of weaponisation.
Vietnam eyes greener power however rely on coal to prevent blackouts
Lights are off and a/c is down at the headquarters of Vietnam's staterun electrical energy provider EVN as the nation's. leading power utility tries to lead by example to prevent a repeat. of in 2015's debilitating blackouts, a main tells visitors.
But numerous services around Vietnam's capital Hanoi. seem ignoring the call to save power, keeping. decorative but otherwise purposeless neon lights on the exterior. of skyscrapers on all night.
The difficulties in cutting usage highlight. the challenges facing Vietnam a year after abrupt failures triggered. losses of hundreds of millions of dollars to multinational. producers with investments in the Southeast Asian nation.
Vietnam is pursuing a patchwork agenda of energy-saving. steps, grid upgrades, regulatory reforms and a huge. boost of coal power as it looks for to avoid electrical energy. shortfalls, according to federal government information and interviews with. authorities and specialists.
But Trinh Mai Phuong, EVN's interactions director,. discusses during a media check out that even the greatest. infrastructure upgrade underway, a new $1 billion transmission. line linking the centre of the country to the extremely. industrialised north that was hard struck by blackouts in 2015,. might not suffice.
I would not say it is a video game changer, he said of the line. that could be completed as early as this month, keeping in mind power. usage is expected to hit record highs in the coming weeks. as the nation braces for more heatwaves.
The skyrocketing power demand is making it progressively challenging. for Vietnam to fulfill environment modification commitments while supplying. enough power to please large financiers such as Samsung. Electronic devices, Foxconn and Canon.
Broader sector-wide reforms are required over the longer term,. foreign financiers and analysts said.
EMERGENCY STEPS
In the short term, Vietnam is banking primarily on coal to. provide adequate dependable electricity. It may be simply enough - or. not - but in any case it may indicate a blow to the country's. dedications to decrease dependence on nonrenewable fuel sources.
Coal usage rose enormously in the very first 5 months of 2024,. with coal-fired power plants accounting usually for 59% of. electricity output, going beyond 70% some days, according to EVN. data.
That was up from nearly 45% in the same period last year and. 41% in 2021, when Vietnam started drafting plans to cut coal that. persuaded international donors to dedicate $15.5 billion to assist. phase out the fuel.
Thanks to a new coal-fired power plant that came online in. 2023, coal represented 33% of overall installed capacity last. year, up from 30.8% in 2020, taking Vietnam further away from. the goal of reducing that to 20% by 2030.
Energy conservation is another crucial pillar of the plan. EVN. and its regional systems have actually encouraged energy-hungry customers,. including foreign manufacturers, to conserve power with tailored. measures, specifically in peak hours.
But that dangers Vietnam's credibility as a dependable place for. financial investment and could affect future manufacturing expansion. plans, according to foreign investors who declined to be named. because they were not authorised to speak to media.
The matter ought to be attended to by solving generation and. distribution problems, and not from the intake side, 2. foreign financiers said.
Vietnam's industry ministry did not reply to a request for. comment.
CLEANER OPTIONS
Vietnam is using just a fraction of its set up solar and. onshore wind capacity due largely to administrative hurdles.
It has not approved policies to kick-start offshore wind. jobs and hold-ups dog projects to build power plants sustained. by imported liquefied natural gas, which is cleaner than coal.
The 4 energy sources together must account for more. than 40% of installed capacity by 2030, according to the. government's plans, though analysts are sceptical.
Hydropower is projected to fall to less than 20% of. set up power generation by the end of years from more than. 30% in 2020.
But some capability is being added in the north where needs. are higher.
Among Vietnam's biggest hydropower plants at Hoa Binh is. adding 2 General Electric turbines to its existing. eight, which will enhance its overall capacity to 2.4 gigawatts from. less than 2 GW now by the 2nd half of 2025, said Dao Trong. Sang, EVN's supervisor of the growth job, throughout a visit to. the dam.
The Hoa Binh plant, integrated with the new transmission. line that brings electrical energy to the north from separate plants,. may include 8% capability to the power-hungry north.
REFORMS NEEDED
The power crisis can not be fixed without long-awaited. reforms, experts state, though progress to date has actually been slow.
In April, the market ministry issued an updated. methodology for determining electricity costs, a step towards. possibly restoring jobs stuck for several years due to the fact that of an absence of. clarity about tariffs.
However, the approach might force developers to take on. extreme risk, complicating their access to fund, stated a. Vietnam-based official who decreased to be called because they. were not authorised to speak to media.
A different draft decree making it possible for makers to buy. electricity directly from producers is viewed as close to approval. after years of internal argument, according to a number of analysts.
The use of direct power purchase contracts (DPPAs) could. make it simpler for international business to prevent greater. tariffs on exports and increase using renewables to help them. meet environmental, social and governance requirements.
But the DPPA guidelines require to be integrated with other reforms,. such as clearer arrangements to straight connect factories to. power-generation jobs, the authorities stated.
(source: Reuters)