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The Kremlin has said that Europe will feel the impact of its 'illegal sanctions' against Russia
In remarks published Sunday, the Kremlin stated that the stronger the sanctions Europe imposes on Russia, the greater the pain for Europe's economies. This is because Russia has become resistant to these "illegal" sanctions. Russia's invasion in Ukraine in 2022 has triggered a wave Western sanctions against Russia. It is now the world's most heavily sanctioned economy. The West said it hoped that its sanctions would force Vladimir Putin to seek peace with Ukraine. Although the economy contracted by 2022, in 2023 and in 2024 it grew faster than the European Union. The European Commission proposed new sanctions against Russia on June 10, targeting its energy revenues, banks, and military industry. However, the United States refused to tighten their own sanctions. When asked about comments by Western European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, that toughening sanctions will force Russia into negotiations to end the war the Kremlin stated only logic and arguments can force Russia to bargain. The recoil of a gun will be more severe the more severe the sanctions package, which we, again, consider illegal. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, told state TV that this is a two-edged blade. Peskov said to state television's Pavel Zarubin that he had no doubt that the EU would continue to impose sanctions, but that Russia has built up "resistance". Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that additional EU sanctions against Russia would only hurt Europe more. He also pointed out that Russia’s economy is expected to grow at a rate of 4.3% by 2024, compared with the 0.9% growth in the euro zone. Guy Faulconbridge is responsible for reporting and editing.
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More than a third on the sinking Tuvalu are seeking climate visas from Australia
Official figures show that more than a third of the population of Tuvalu in the Pacific, which scientists predict may be submerged under rising seas due to climate change, has applied for an historic climate visa to migrate from the country to Australia. Tapugao Falefou said on Sunday that he was "amazed by the number of people who are vying for the opportunity" and that the small community is interested in learning who will be the first group of climate migrants. Tuvalu is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Experts say that it's causing sea levels to rise. It has 11,000 people living on nine atolls spread across the Pacific Ocean between Australia and Hawaii. Since the Australian visa lottery applications opened in this month, 1,124 applicants have been registered. Family members bring the total number of visa seekers to 4,052 as per the bilateral climate treaty and security. Officials said that the deadline for applications is July 18. An annual visa cap of 280 visas will be implemented to prevent brain drain in Tuvalu from migration to Australia. Tuvaluans can now live, study and work in Australia with the same health and educational benefits as Australians. Falefou stated that "Moving from the Falepili union treaty to Australia will provide an additional remittance for families back home." NASA scientists predict that by 2050, the daily tides of Funafuti will submerge up to half of its main atoll, which is home to 60% Tuvalu residents. The villagers are clinging to a 20-metre strip of land (65 feet) wide. This forecast assumes that sea levels will rise by 1 metre, but the worst-case scenario would see 90% of Funafuti submerged. Tuvalu's sea level has risen 15 cm (6") in the last three decades. This is 1.5 times higher than the global average. It has constructed 7 hectares (17 acre) of artificial land and plans to build more. The island hopes that the land will remain above the tides up until 2100.
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Officials say that the Indonesian-Chinese lithium battery plant will be operational by 2026.
An Indonesian official stated on Sunday that a lithium-ion plant to be built by an Indonesian firm and China's CATL will have a capacity of 6,9 gigawatts by the end 2026. Dwi Aggia, spokesman for the energy ministry, stated that the plant will expand in order to produce electric vehicles batteries with a storage capacity up to 15 GWh. The output of this plant will be sold on both domestic and international markets. The partnership between Indonesia Battery Corp. and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. is a part of a $6 Billion power battery project that will be signed by 2022 by Indonesian firms, including the state-miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk and a CATL Consortium. The partnership covers nickel mining, processing and manufacturing of EV batteries and battery recycling. Speaking at the groundbreaking of the project, Indonesian Energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia said that the plant could also produce a battery type to store energy generated by solar panels. The total production capacity could be up to 40 GWh with the solar panel battery, he added, noting that discussions were ongoing with the owner of the plant. The battery plant is being built in West Java. Meanwhile, the other sub-projects are in North Maluku in Indonesia's nickel rich province in eastern Indonesia. Indonesia, which has the largest nickel reserves in the world, has set a goal to produce 600,000 electric vehicles by 2030. This would be about 13 times more than the number of EVs sold in Indonesia last. (Reporting and editing by Kim Coghill, William Mallard, and Stefanno Sulaiman)
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Saudi Arabia's net direct foreign investment fell 7% in the first quarter
Saudi Arabia's foreign direct investment (FDI), as measured by the government, fell 7% from the previous quarter to the first quarter 2025. The kingdom is still lagging behind its ambitious FDI targets. In the three-month period ending March 31, the kingdom attracted 22.2 billion riyals (5.92 billion dollars) in FDI, down from 24 billion riyals (6.40 billion dollars) in the final three months of 2024. General Authority of Statistics figures show that net FDI increased by 44% in comparison to the same period last year, when the Kingdom received 15.5 billion riyals (about $4.13 billion). The Kingdom's Vision 2030 Economic Transformation Programme, which aims at reducing the dependence of the country on oil and expanding the private sector as well as creating jobs, is built around increasing FDI. Saudi Arabia is aiming to attract $100 billion in foreign direct investment by 2030. It has spent massively on "gigaprojects" (huge development projects) and expanded sectors such as sports, tourism and entertainment. The FDI numbers are still far below the target. Sources said that when the FDI target was announced for 2021, Saudi Arabia had been viewed as a capital source rather than a place to invest. Foreign investors may find it difficult navigating the business environment of the kingdom. A recent report from the International Monetary Fund said that the kingdom will likely post a budget deficit of $27 billion in this year. This deficit will be funded largely by borrowing. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest issuer of emerging market dollar debt, according to the IMF, and its net debt of 17% of GDP makes it one of the lowest indebted countries globally. Riyadh is encouraging foreign companies to invest in the country. Saudi Arabia has been the mandatory regional headquarters for companies that want to win state contracts since 2021. The government also announced that it would update the existing investment laws in order to promote transparency and equal treatment for local and foreign investors. ($1 = 3,7504 riyals). (Reporting and editing by Kate Mayberry; Pesha Magd)
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Document reveals EU plans to add Carbon Credits to New Climate Goal
A document from the European Commission, seen by, revealed that the Commission will propose to count carbon credits purchased from other countries toward the European Union’s 2040 climate goal. On July 2, the Commission will propose a legally-binding EU climate target 2040. In the beginning, the EU executive planned to reduce net emissions by 90% compared to 1990. However, it has been more flexible in recent months, as a result of pushback from countries such as Italy, Poland, and the Czech Republic who were concerned about costs. A summary of the internal proposal by the Commission, which was seen by, stated that the EU could use "high quality international credits" to achieve 3% of its emissions reductions towards the 2040 target. The document stated that credits would be phased-in from 2036 and that EU legislation will later specify the quality and origin criteria for the credits, as well as details on how they will be purchased. This would reduce the amount of emissions reductions and investments needed from European industries to reach the 90% target. The EU would purchase "credits" for the part of the target that is met by credits from projects abroad, such as forest restoration in Brazil, rather than reducing CO2 emissions in Europe. These credits, say their supporters, are an important way to raise money for projects that reduce CO2 emissions in developing countries. Recent scandals revealed that some projects that generated credits did not achieve the claimed climate benefits. In the document, the Commission said it would add additional flexibility to the 90% goal, as Brussels tries to contain the resistance of governments who are struggling to finance the green transition along with other priorities, such as defence, and from industries that say ambitious environmental regulations harm their competitiveness. The document stated that these include the integration of credits from projects that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the EU's market for carbon credits so that European industry can purchase these credits to offset a portion of their emissions. The draft also gives countries more flexibility in which sectors of their economy will do the heavy lifting in order to reach the 2040 target, "to help achieve targets in an efficient way". Un spokesperson for the Commission declined to comment on upcoming proposals, which may still be altered before they are published next week. The EU countries, the European Parliament and the European Commission must negotiate on the final target. They could also amend what the Commission suggests. (Reporting and editing by Timothy Heritage, Kate Abnett)
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China's flood-hit Guizhou is hit by heavy rain for the second time this week
On Saturday, heavy rains again hit China's southwest Guizhou Province. The city of Rongjiang was half submerged in floodwaters for the second time this past week. Residents were forced to evacuate higher ground. Rongjiang, a city of 300,000 people located at the confluences of three rivers, was inundated by torrential rains earlier this week, which caused six deaths and forced over 80,000 residents to flee. The city average rainfall for June was twice as much rain in 72 hours. The city's flood emergency level was raised to its highest level by authorities on Saturday in response to a new round of flooding. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the benchmark hydrological station at one of the rivers predicted the maximum water level to reach 253.50 meters (832 ft), surpassing the safety threshold by two metres. The Guizhou Provincial Government said that the floods began earlier this week when the water reached a peak of 256.7 meters, which was the highest level since 1954. They blamed "the extreme weather" for the flooding. Floods in Southwest China will have a major impact on local economies. Rongjiang has been removed from the national list of poverty in 2020. The unexpected boom in tourism began after the local soccer league, nicknamed "Village Super League", became a sensation on social media and attracted thousands of tourists and fans. The soccer pitch was submerged up to 7 metres on Tuesday. China has been fighting summer flooding for millennia. But some scientists claim climate change is leading to heavier rains and more frequent floods. Chinese officials warn that massive flooding could trigger "black swans" with devastating consequences such as dam collapses. CCTV, citing Saturday's report by the Ministry of Water Resources, reported that 13 major rivers were affected by storms in southern China during the past two weeks and rose above their warning level. (Reporting and editing by Shanghai & Beijing Newsroom)
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Senate Republicans want to end the EV tax credit before September 30
The U.S. Senate Republicans released a revised budget and tax bill late Friday that would eliminate the $7,500 credit for new electric vehicles and leases as well as $4,000 credit for used EVs by September 30. Prior to the new version, the credit would have been terminated 180 days after it was signed into law for new vehicles, 90 days after that for used vehicles. It would also have been terminated immediately for vehicles that were not assembled in North America or those that met other requirements. The Republicans have targeted EVs in a variety of ways, reversing former president Joe Biden's policies that encouraged the use of electric vehicles and renewable energies to combat climate change and reduce emission. The House of Representatives' version would extend the $7,500 tax credit for new-EVs through 2025 and 2026, respectively, for automakers who have not sold 200,000 electric vehicles before it is eliminated. The Senate bill includes a provision that eliminates fines for failure to comply with the requirements. Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules In a move designed to make it easier for automakers build gas-powered cars. The Republican bill exempts auto loan interest from tax for new cars manufactured in the U.S. until 2028. However, it phases out for individuals making more than $100,000 per year. Senate Republicans Dropped a bid to make the U.S. Postal The bill will scrap thousands of electric cars and charging equipment after a decision by the Senate Parliamentarian. The U.S. The U.S. President Donald Trump This month, a resolution was signed Congress has approved a bill to block California's historic plan to stop selling gasoline-only cars by 2035. This plan was adopted by 11 states, representing one third of the U.S. automobile market. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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China's flood-hit social security network expands as extreme rainfall takes its toll
China has increased the financial protections offered to segments of the population who are affected by flood control measures during extreme rain, including direct compensation and payment for livestock losses. Diverting floodwaters into areas adjacent to rivers in China is an important step to manage downstream flooding. China, as extreme rainfall increases, is using these areas more and more. Some of them were unused and populated with farms, crops and even residential structures, which has exacerbated social tensions. According to the revised rules for compensation related to flooding diversions, released late Friday, the central governments will now be responsible for 70% of the compensation funds. Local governments are responsible the remainder. The ratio used to be determined based on the actual economic losses of the local governments and their fiscal condition. For the first time, compensation will be paid for livestock and poultry that are unable to be relocated before floodwaters arrive. Prior to this, compensation was only available for the loss of working animal. The summer of 2023 saw almost 1,000,000 people relocated from Hebei, the province that borders Beijing. Record rains forced the authorities to divert water to populated areas to store it. This angered many who were angry about the loss of their homes and farms to save Beijing. China has designated 98 flood diversion zones spanning major rivers basins, including the Yangtze River Basin which is home to one-third of the population. Eight flood storage areas have been used during the Hebei floods of 2023. China Meterological Administration officials told reporters that since the East Asia Monsoon began in early June, the precipitation on the middle and lower Yangtze River has been two to three times greater than normal. They said that in other parts of China the daily rainfall measured at 30 meteorological stations, including Hubei and Guizhou, broke records during June. Guizhou, China, was at the center of China's flood relief efforts this week. One of its cities had been hit by flooding of a magnitude that only happens once every 50 years and with a speed that stunned its 300,000 inhabitants. This prompted Beijing on Thursday to pledge to relocate vulnerable populations and industries into low-flood zones and to allocate more space to flood diversion. (Reporting and editing by Kim Coghill; Ryan Woo)
West challenges China's important minerals hold on Africa: Andy Home
China's CMOC Group overtook Glencore to end up being the world's. biggest manufacturer of cobalt in 2015 as it ramped up its new. Kisanfu mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The company's production leapt by 174% year-on-year to. 55,526 metric tons, representing over a quarter of international. demand of 213,000 lots.
Kisanfu, in which Chinese battery giant CATL owns a minority. stake, has actually flooded the cobalt market. The Cobalt Institute. price quotes international production exceeded demand by 12,500 heaps in. 2023, making it among the greatest surpluses recently.
CMOC is unconcerned. It plans to lift output further this. year regardless of a slump in the cobalt rate from $40 per lb. in May 2022 to a current $13.
Others can't pay for to be so sanguine. The cost implosion. has actually upturned job economics and undermined Western hopes of. decreasing dependence on China for a metal that is important both. to tidy energy innovation and military hardware.
However the West is now tough China's tight grip on the. mineral riches lying underneath the soil of the Congo and its. neighbour Zambia.
This new scramble for Africa comes with a post-colonial. twist since both countries have aspirations to be major actors in. the important minerals race.
BACK TO AFRICA
The idea is in the name. The Copperbelt straddling northern. Zambia and the southern part of the Congo still consists of a few of. the richest copper and cobalt deposits in the world.
KoBold Metals, a California-based metals exploration business. backed by billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezoz, declares its. Mingomba task in Zambia boasts copper grades of around 5%,. compared with under 1% for a lot of huge mines in Chile, the world's. top producer.
Couple of Western mining companies have actually previously ventured into. the renascent Copperbelt, cautious of the daunting mix of political. risk, bad infrastructure and, in the case of Congolese cobalt,. the ethical issues around artisanal mining.
Fewer still have lasted.
U.S. manufacturer Freeport McMoRan brought the Tenke. Fungurume copper-cobalt mine into production in 2009. It offered. its holding to CMOC in 2016, providing the Chinese business its. initially grip in the Congo.
Freeport went on to sell CMOC the Kisanfu deposit in 2020. stating it was no longer tactical to its long-term growth.
CMOC rather evidently sees the deposit very differently.
And Western federal governments also appear to be concerning the view. If you're tactically short of energy transition metals, that. such as copper and cobalt, there's just one location to head.
Back to Africa.
DE-RISKING AFRICAN METALS
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). is planning to near double its monetary commitments to attempt to. de-risk mining in the Copperbelt.
The flagship financial investment so far is the Lobito Passage. job, which will update the existing railway from the. Angolan port of Lobito to the Congo and after that extend it into. Zambia.
The goal is to link Copperbelt mines straight with the. Atlantic Ocean, reducing both the cost and the carbon foot-print. of the existing trucking passage to South African ports.
U.S. and European government support, it is hoped, will. de-risk logistics for the private sector, a policy that has. currently borne fruit in the type of a six-year dedication from. Ivanhoe Mines to use the upgraded railway for copper. exports from its huge Kamoa-Kakula mine in the Congo.
The United States Trade and Advancement Company (USTDA),. meanwhile, is moneying an expediency study into a brand-new. 200-megawatt solar power plant in Solwezi.
This will not only provide Zambian market but has the. possible to supply power for 2 vital mineral mines in the. Congo, dealing with another consistent issue for Copperbelt. operators.
Facilities is simply the start of the West's re-engagement. with the Congo and Zambia.
The DFC has an extremely healthy pipeline of important minerals. projects in the area, according to deputy CEO Nisha Biswal.
Japan's Company for Metals and Energy Security has simply. signed a memorandum of understanding with Congo's state-owned. mining business Gecamines for technical cooperation at every. phase of the mineral supply chain.
The offer falls under the aegis of the Minerals Security. Partnership, a U.S.-led alliance of Western countries seeking to. lower crucial metals reliance on China and other issue. suppliers such as Russia.
TAKING BACK CONTROL
Gecamines has in recent years been a largely passive. minority stake-holder in the country's mines.
That is changing as the Congolese government looks to get a. greater earnings share of its mineral resources.
President Felix Tshisekedi's federal government, which won a 2nd. term in December elections, is taking a more difficult line with some of. the Chinese investment deals struck under his predecessor Joseph. Kabila.
The amorphous mega handle China's Sicomines joint endeavor. has actually been reviewed with the Chinese partners dedicating to $7. billion in facilities spending and yearly payment of 1.2%. royalties.
CMOC itself was locked in a drawn-out dispute with the. federal government over royalties, causing a year-long suspension of. exports.
CMOC ended up paying $800 million and, maybe more. considerably, accepted equate Gecamines' minority holding. into commensurate physical metal offtake deals.
Gecamines sees this as a design template for all its minority. holdings and the Zambian federal government seems to be taking a close. interest.
Gecamines has actually also just offered to buy three copper-cobalt. assets from Eurasian Resources Group, which is part owned by the. government of Kazakhstan.
The real game-changer, however, could be the Congo's second. effort at formalising its artisanal mining force, which. jointly produces over 10% of the world's supply of cobalt.
Entreprise Generale du Cobalt (EGC) was produced in 2021 and. provided special rights over artisanal production but failed to. protect an ideal deposit to trial the plan.
Gecamines will now move 5 mining areas to EGC in what. is hoped to be the start of a transformational process of. assimilating artisanal workers.
De-risking artisanal mining would be also be. transformational for the Minerals Security Partnership, which. desperately requires to discover cobalt that's not committed to Chinese. buyers.
The viewpoints revealed here are those of the author, a. columnist .
(source: Reuters)