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Telecoms giant BT Group appoints Allison Kirkby as CEO 2023-07-31 - LONDON — Britain's largest mobile and broadband supplier BT Group on Monday appointed Allison Kirkby to replace Philip Jansen as chief executive, saying the switch would take place toward the end of January 2024 at the latest. Kirby has previously served as president and CEO of Swedish telecoms provider Telia, with experience at Virgin Media and Denmark's TDC. She has been a member of the BT Group board for the past four years. "I'm fully supportive of our strategy and am excited about leading it into its next phase of development, as we grow to support customers, shareholders and the U.K. economy," Kirby said. Jansen earlier this month announced he would step down from his role within the next 12 months. He will remain on hand to support the handover until March 2024 before retiring, BT said Monday. His legacy includes BT's push to build a national fibre network, offering discounted wholesale fibre pricing to major broadband providers in exchange for shifting customers to the grid. U.K. telecoms regulator Ofcom in May ruled that BT subsidiary Openreach's Equinox 2 wholesale pricing scheme was allowed. "Based on the evidence available to us, we don't consider Openreach's new pricing discounts to be anti-competitive," Ofcom said at the time. "Openreach is now 44% of the way through its full fibre build, and customer demand has continued to grow with a total network take-up rate of 32%," BT said on Thursday, during its quarterly earnings release for the three-month period to 30 June. It also declared adjusted EBITDA up 5% to £2 billion ($ 2.57 billion), with pre-tax profit of £536 million, up 11%.
India's accelerating growth can fill the global commodity demand gap left by a slowing China 2023-07-31 - Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, in New Delhi. China's growth slowdown is set to hurt global commodity demand, but India could make up for some of that shortfall, according to ANZ. India's economic growth is likely to outpace China's, with the South Asian nation set to become the third-largest economy by the end of this decade, the bank predicted. That means India's demand for commodities will likely surge, and it could cover more than half of China's demand shortfall especially in the energy sector, the bank said in a recent report. "India's demand for commodities is slated to grow rapidly, supported by favorable demographics, urbanization, the expansion of manufacturing and exports and the build-up of infrastructure," ANZ analysts wrote. India has overtaken China to become the most populous country, and according to ANZ's data, its rate of urbanization is expected to rise to 40% by 2030 from current levels of 35% — stoking demand for industrial metals and energy commodities which are often associated with a rise in demand for infrastructure and manufacturing.
Contraction in China factory activity extends into a fourth month 2023-07-31 - The sunset glow is seen over buildings and a ferris wheel on May 13, 2022 in Beijing, China. China's factory activity contracted for a fourth consecutive month in July, while non-manufacturing activity slowed to its weakest this year as the world's second-largest economy struggles to revive growth momentum in the wake of soft global demand. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index came in at 49.3 in July — compared with 49.0 in June, 48.8 in May and 49.2 in April — according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Monday. July's reading was slightly better than the 49.2 median forecast in a Reuters poll. Monday's figures also showed China posting its weakest official non-manufacturing PMI reading this year, coming in at 51.5 in July — compared with 53.2 in June, 54.5 in May and 56.4 in April. A PMI reading above 50 points to an expansion in activity, while a reading below that level suggests a contraction. "Although China's manufacturing PMI rebounded to 49.3% this month, some enterprises in the survey reported that the current external environment is complicated and severe, overseas orders have decreased, and insufficient demand is still the main difficulty facing enterprises," Zhao Qinghe, a senior NBS official, wrote in an accompanying statement Monday. These readings for July point to the "tortuous" economic recovery that China's top leaders described last Monday, which the Politburo attributed to insufficient domestic demand, difficulties in the operation of some enterprises, many risks and hidden dangers in key areas and a grim and complex external environment.
A Spending Boom Fuels Russia’s Wartime Economy, Raising Bubble Fears 2023-07-31 - After Russia invaded Ukraine, Anna Gromova, a Russian entrepreneur, made a snap decision to open a real estate agency, hoping to create a safety net from the economic fallout of the conflict. The career change has paid off. Within weeks, she landed a deal for a stately 18th-century apartment, with parquet floors and high ceilings in the prestigious center of Russia’s former imperial capital of St. Petersburg. Since the war, the owner had stopped coming to Russia, allowing her client to buy it for roughly 40 percent below its current value. “We in Russia have become accustomed to living in a state of permanent crisis,” said Ms. Gromova, who has bought two investment properties for herself and brokered the sale of 150 others in the past year. Amid the constant shocks, people are looking for “a window of opportunity” to secure their income, she added. Her business has been underpinned by a state-led spending boom that has propped up the national economy despite the swiftest and most far-reaching campaign of sanctions imposed by Western nations in modern history.
Is It an E-Bike, or a Motorcycle for Children? 2023-07-31 - LeGrand Crewse, co-founder and chief executive of Super73, recently showed off the company’s latest product, a diminutive motorized bike called the K1D. Aimed at riders 4 years old and up, the vehicle lacks pedals, in the spirit of a training bicycle, and has a throttle. The company calls the K1D an “electric balance bike.” “But you can also call it a motorcycle,” Mr. Crewse said during a tour of the company’s 60,000-square-foot headquarters. In “normal mode” the K1D can go 13 miles per hour. “Then we have a race mode,” Mr. Crewse said — at 15 miles per hour. The e-bike industry is already pushing the boundaries of youth transportation, and Super73 is an early darling among customers. The company aims to sell more than 25,000 units this year, a significant portion of them for teens, Mr. Crewse said. Unlike the K1D, most Super73 e-bikes come with pedals as well as a throttle-powered electric motor. What the company is selling, Mr. Crewse said, is a lifestyle, featuring “cool” products that are not subject to heavy regulation. “Ride without restrictions,” the Super73 website declares, in bold letters. “No license, registration, or insurance required.”
Who Paid for a Mysterious Spy Tool? The F.B.I., an F.B.I. Inquiry Found 2023-07-31 - When The New York Times reported in April that a contractor had purchased and deployed a spying tool made by NSO, the contentious Israeli hacking firm, for use by the U.S. government, White House officials said they were unaware of the contract and put the F.B.I. in charge of figuring out who might have been using the technology. After an investigation, the F.B.I. uncovered at least part of the answer: It was the F.B.I. The deal for the surveillance tool between the contractor, Riva Networks, and NSO was completed in November 2021. Only days before, the Biden administration had put NSO on a Commerce Department blacklist, which effectively banned U.S. firms from doing business with the company. For years, NSO’s spyware had been abused by governments around the world. This particular tool, known as Landmark, allowed government officials to track people in Mexico without their knowledge or consent. The F.B.I. now says that it used the tool unwittingly and that Riva Networks misled the bureau. Once the agency discovered in late April that Riva had used the spying tool on its behalf, Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, terminated the contract, according to U.S. officials.
Why One Country Is Struggling to Break Away From Russian Gas 2023-07-31 - In the 17 months since Moscow ordered soldiers into Ukrainian territory, countries across Europe have moved with surprising speed to reduce their longstanding dependence on cheap Russian gas. Germany, which got 55 percent of its supply from Russia before the war, now imports zero. Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have halted or are close to halting flows. And Italy has been steadily trimming imports, and pledges to be free of Russian natural gas by the end of this year. By contrast, Austria, which received nearly 80 percent of its gas from Russia before the invasion, still got more than half its total from Russia in May. And in March, when demand was higher, the figure reached 74 percent. As long as Russia is selling gas, Austria will buy it, the chief executive of the Austrian energy company OMV Group said this month. The government’s difficulties in weaning itself off Russian gas, which it has pledged to do, have drawn complaints from critics who say Austria’s gas payments are helping to finance Moscow’s war machine.
Idaho mom Lori Vallow to be sentenced in deaths of her 2 children and romantic rival 2023-07-31 - ST. ANTHONY, Idaho — Idaho mother Lori Vallow faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse. Vallow was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife. The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece’s ex survived an attempt later that year. Monday’s sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow's only surviving son, Colby Ryan. The case began in July 2019, when Vallow's brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self-defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes. Vallow was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him. The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s yard the following summer. Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said. Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow's brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths. Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said. Vallow's former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee.
What does Ron DeSantis have riding on the debates? Maybe everything. 2023-07-31 - Ron DeSantis is weeks away from what could be the pivotal moment of his White House bid. Allies, donors and voters alike are looking at Aug. 23, the night of the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, as the event that could re-establish the Florida governor as a strong alternative to former President Donald Trump — or, if things go poorly, deliver a death blow to an already ailing campaign. “The debate is of vital importance for Gov. DeSantis,” Dan Eberhart, a donor to the campaign, said. “He urgently needs to change the story arc and regain momentum.” While it’s still early, the debate kickoff is traditionally a time when audiences begin to more broadly tune into the presidential primary. DeSantis’ campaign has taken a beating since his official launch in May. His performance has not met the early hype and high expectations that he was the GOP contender best positioned to beat Trump. His poll numbers remain stubbornly stagnant, a cash crunch looms and donors have grown restless. A recent bloodletting of campaign staff — more than 40% have been fired in recent weeks — has pushed DeSantis into a reset that has yet to show sharp improvements. All of this adds exponentially more pressure as he prepares for a debate that the front-running Trump has hinted he may skip. Any notable missteps by DeSantis on that prime-time national stage could be difficult, if not impossible, to recover from, GOP observers say. “If he bombs, it’s full-blown tail spin at that point,” said Republican strategist Gregg Keller, who has worked on presidential campaigns dating to George W. Bush in 2004. “You do this long enough and you don’t believe any early narrative. Yet I personally have become convinced that DeSantis has some very, very substantial problems.” DeSantis campaign allies say the national exposure will only strengthen the governor's position, giving him the opportunity to show off his intelligence and political record, among the attributes they say got him elected twice statewide in Florida. “Obviously, debates are milestones in a campaign. Oftentimes, they are make or break in both directions for various campaigns,” Ken Cuccinelli, founder of the pro-DeSantis Never Back Down super PAC told NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview last week. “Donald Trump lost the first presidential debate to Joe Biden because he is a good showman, but he is not a good debater because it highlights his weaknesses. Whereas in Ron DeSantis’ case, it showcases his preparation, his brainpower and his application of it all to the benefit of ordinary Americans’ lives," he added. "So I look very forward to his performance in those debates as a place to expand his forward-looking vision for America.” Several likely GOP caucus-goers in Iowa said in interviews this week that they believe DeSantis has squandered his early advantage as the highest-polling alternative to Trump. The debate, they said, is a potential opportunity for the governor to reverse his fortunes. “I like him. I don’t know if he’ll be able to go all the way,” Alan Boelter, an undecided GOP voter from Clive said while waiting to hear South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, this week in Ankeny. “If he has a good first debate, he might actually rocket up a little bit higher.” “I like what he has to say,” Morey Hill of Slater said at the same event. “I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten more traction in the polls. I’m just waiting to see if some movement can be gained.” “If people will tune in and be engaged” to the debate, Hill added, “they might get a better feel of what he’s doing.” This campaign, I think, really starts on the day of the debate. DeSantis donor Hal lambert Some say DeSantis had a strong performance at the Iowa GOP’s Lincoln Dinner last week in Des Moines. But the governor’s other events in the state that will hold the first Republican caucuses in January were marked by awkward moments and thin turnout. He also spent much of his time defending his stance on Florida 's controversial new educational standards on slavery. “It’s absolutely huge,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican who opted against a presidential run but prefers to see the party nominate someone other than Trump, said of the first debate and its importance to a DeSantis comeback. Sununu spoke to NBC News in Des Moines after listening to DeSantis’ speech, which he found impressive. “If he comes [to the debate] with the energy that he just brought here tonight, he’s going to do very well,” Sununu said. “He had the crowd. He didn’t just have people interested, he had them excited. But that’s kind of the formula they all need to find.” DeSantis’ struggles are all a far cry from late last year, when he was well-funded, leading Trump in the polls and had already caught the attention of some of the country’s top billionaires. Some of those high-rollers, including Dick Uihlein and Ken Griffin, have pumped the brakes. Other donors have more than once agitated for a campaign shakeup. Donors and allies have consistently said they need to see a signal that DeSantis is capable of righting the ship. “This campaign, I think, really starts on the day of the debate,” said Hal Lambert, a DeSantis donor. “If you want to talk about reset, I think the debates are what are going to cause that.” If Trump isn’t there, Lambert said, “DeSantis will be getting all the arrows launched at him. If Trump is there, DeSantis will still get all the arrows.” “No one needs a win on the debate stage more than Gov. DeSantis,” said Bill Stepien, who managed Trump’s 2020 campaign and now is not working for any campaign. “Best-case scenario? He lays out the case for his candidacy in a way that he has failed to do thus far and reminds people that they once considered him to be the viable alternative to Donald Trump. Worst-case scenario? He continues his streak of failing to meet expectations and his campaign bleeding continues.” Mary Kate Carey, a onetime speechwriter for George H.W. Bush, said usually the first primary debate isn’t a high stakes situation, but in DeSantis’ case, it is. “He’s under some pressure to put forth a positive, pro-growth agenda that is all about a transformative vision for moving the country forward in a positive way,” she said. Trump has said in public statements and private conversations that he does not intend to debate. But the former president has a penchant for unpredictability. Before an Iowa crowd this weekend, he openly pondered whether he should head to the debate stage. “I probably, maybe won the presidency because of the debates, but at a certain point, you say, why are we doing these things? Why are we doing this thing? So we’ll see what happens. I haven’t made a commitment one way or the other,” Trump said, then asked the crowd: “Should I do them or not?” DeSantis has challenged Trump to take to the debate stage, saying earlier this month on a talk radio show: “Nobody is entitled to this nomination ... Every candidate needs to be put to the test, and I think he needs to step up and do it." The super PAC backing DeSantis took the challenge up a notch. "Gov. DeSantis has said he looks forward to debating to prove to voters he is the leader who will save our country. Nobody is entitled to the nomination, and everyone who qualified for the debate should respect the American people by showing up and debating the issues facing them," Never Back Down spokeswoman Jess Szymanski said. "Donald Trump wants to hide just like Joe Biden, while Ron DeSantis never shies away from the tough fights. What is Trump afraid of?" Beth Hansen, who managed former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s 2016 campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, said she sees Scott and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy — two relative newcomers on the national stage — with the most to gain from the first debate. “It’s very important to be there and be seen as a top-tier candidate, someone who can potentially challenge for the nomination,” Hansen said. “You want supporters to know the strength of your campaign.” Conversely, Hansen said she viewed DeSantis more like the Scott Walker of the 2024 field. Walker, then the governor of Wisconsin, was an early favorite in the 2016 GOP primary but burned through money quickly, failed to surpass Trump in the polls and dropped out months before the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis, she added, should lean more into his record as a governor navigating hurricanes rather than nagging Disney. “I think he has put himself in a little bit of a trick box,” Hansen said. “He wanted to be the candidate most like Trump who wasn’t Trump. If you’re going to have a choice between Coca-Cola or RC Cola, you want the real one.” Natasha Korecki reported from Chicago, Henry Gomez from Iowa and Jonathan Allen from Washington, D.C.
Thousands flee homes as heavy rain lashes China after Typhoon Doksuri 2023-07-31 - Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Beijing as the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri dumped record rainfall on the city, grounding flights and flooding hundreds of roads on Monday, state media reported. Besides Beijing, heavy rain continued to soak the neighboring city of Tianjin as well as Hebei province in a region nearly the size of Britain in the wake of Doksuri, which was downgraded to a tropical depression on the weekend. Three of the five rivers that make up the Hai river basin rose to dangerous levels on Monday. Some houses were washed into the Yongding river, and nearly 55,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Baoding city, state media reported. Doksuri was one of the strongest storms to hit China in years and caused widespread flooding over the weekend in the southern province of Fujian, driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Average rainfall in Beijing reached 176.9 mm (7 inches) between Saturday night and Monday afternoon, with the maximum recorded rainfall in Mentougou district hitting 580.9 mm (23 inches), according to state media. The Beijing observatory kept a red alert — the highest warning — for heavy rainfall in place while Beijing Hydrology Station upgraded its flood warning with more rain and river flooding forecast. Residents walk through flood waters in the aftermath of Typhoon Doksuri in Fuzhou, southeastern China on July 29, 2023. Chinatopix / AP More than 31,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Beijing, work at more than 4,000 construction sites was halted, almost 20,000 buildings were inspected for damage, and scenic spots in the city were closed, media reported. Both airports in the capital cancelled more than 180 flights on Monday morning, with hundreds more delayed, according to flight tracking app Flight Master. Railway authorities dispatched workers to send food including instant noodles, eggs and ham, and drinking water to train passengers who were stuck overnight. As many as 358 roads in Beijing were affected by the rain as of Monday. There was no reported damage or casualties, state media said, but south of Beijing, Doksuri’s impact was more pronounced. In northern Hebei province, a driver was missing after two trucks fell off a collapsed bridge in Baoding city on Sunday, while a railway bridge for freight in Shijiazhuang city was washed away in a swollen river, media reported. While Doksuri continues to taper off, forecasters warned that typhoon Khanun was approaching and was set to strike China’s densely populated coast this week. Authorities said Khanun could inflict further damage to corn and other crops that have already been hit by Doksuri.
Pakistan holds funerals as government vows to hunt down those behind deadly suicide bombing 2023-07-31 - Pakistan held funerals on Monday for victims of a massive suicide bombing that targeted a rally of a pro-Taliban cleric the previous day as the government vowed to hunt down those behind the attack. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing, which killed at least 43 people and wounded nearly 100. Police said their initial investigation suggests the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate could be behind the attack. The victims were all from the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which is headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent close to a market in Bajur, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. The IS regional affiliate — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is based in neighboring Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban. Bajur was a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before several Pakistani army offensives that ended in 2016 claimed to have driven them out of the area. The cleric’s supporters had gathered in Bajut on Sunday as part of their party’s preparations for the next parliamentary elections, expected sometime in October or November after the current parliament’s five-year term ends. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to dissolve the parliament in August to pave the way for the vote. Rehman’s party is part of Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature. A boy mourns the death of a relative in Bajaur district on Monday. Abdul Majeed / AFP - Getty Images Khan later on Sunday also condemned the bombing, as condolences continued to pour in from across the country. Dozens of people who received minor injuries were discharged from hospital while the critically wounded were taken to the city of Peshawar by army helicopters. Local police chief Akhtar Hayat Gandapur told NBC News on Monday that they have confirmed 43 deaths, with around 90 people injured and under treatment in different hospitals. Jalil Jan, a spokesperson for the Jamiat Ulema Islam political party, said earlier that the death toll was 55. Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. The bombing has also drawn nationwide condemnation, with ruling and opposition parties offering condolences to the families of the victims. The U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad also condemned the attack.
Madonna says she feels 'lucky' to be alive after hospitalization 2023-07-31 - Madonna said she feels "lucky" to be alive and grateful to her loved ones for supporting her after the “Queen of Pop” was hospitalized due to a bacterial infection that forced her to postpone the launch of an international tour. "Love from family and friends is the best Medicine," Madonna, 64, wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday, about a month after her release from the hospital. "As a Mother you can really get caught up In the needs Of your children and the seemingly endless giving," Madonna wrote. "But when the chips were down my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference." The pop star was forced to delay her upcoming “Celebration” tour after spending several days in an intensive care unit due to a "serious bacterial infection," her manager Guy Oseary said in an Instagram post last month. A source close to Madonna told NBC News in late June that she was back at home and “feeling better" after the ordeal. The artist had previously been slated to kick off the tour with guest Bob the Drag Queen in Canada on July 15, with the tour expected to conclude in Mexico at the end of January. The show celebrating her four decades in music was expected to span North America and Europe, according to her website. In her Instagram post, Madonna said the "love and support from my friends" also aided in her recovery. Sharing a series of photos, Madonna noted that one of the images shows her holding a "Polaroid taken by Andy Warhol of Keith Haring wearing a jacket with Michael Jackson’s face painted on it," which she said was a gift from Oseary. "I sobbed when I opened this gift because I realized how lucky I am to be alive," she said. "And how fortunate I am to have known these people and so many others who are also gone." "Thank you @guyoseary for this gift!" she wrote. "And Thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me Stay to finish doing my work!"
Georgia resident dies from rare brain-eating amoeba 2023-07-31 - A Georgia resident has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba after they were likely infected while swimming in a freshwater lake or pond, officials said. The resident, who has not yet been identified, died after being exposed to Naegleria fowleri, which can cause a rare infection that "destroys brain tissue, causing brain swelling and usually death," the Georgia Department of Public Health said in a news release Friday. It was not clear exactly when the resident died or where they were swimming when they contracted the infection. "Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba (single-celled living organism) that lives in soil and warm, freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs," the health department said. It noted that the amoeba is not found in salt water or in properly treated drinking water or swimming pools. The amoeba is known as the "brain-eating amoeba" because it can cause a brain infection when water containing the amoeba goes up the nose, the health department said. "It cannot infect people if swallowed and is not spread from person to person," the department noted. The deadly infection is rare, with only about three people in the United States contracting it each year, "but these infections are usually fatal," the health department said. Prior to this latest case, there have been five other cases reported in Georgia since 1962, according to the department. There have been multiple other cases reported in the U.S. so far this year. In July, a 2-year-old boy from Nevada was confirmed to have died from a Naegleria fowleri infection. The boy, from Lincoln County, just north of the Las Vegas area, may have been exposed at Ash Springs, a natural hot spring in the county, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health said. In February, a man in Florida also died from an amoeba, which he may have contracted after he rinsed his sinuses with tap water, health officials said. Last year, there were three confirmed cases of Naegleria fowleri that were believed to have occurred after exposure to freshwater in Iowa, Nebraska and Arizona, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three cases were also reported each year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. “Though the risk of infection is low, recreational water users should always assume there is a risk when they enter warm fresh water,” the Georgia Department of Public Health said. “If you choose to swim, you can reduce your risk of infection by limiting the amount of water that goes up the nose.” Symptoms of an infection can include "severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting and progress to stiff neck, seizures, and coma that can lead to death," the department said. "Once symptoms start, the disease progresses rapidly and usually causes death within about five days."
Six migrant workers struck by SUV in intentional act, N.C. authorities say 2023-07-31 - Six migrant workers outside a North Carolina Walmart were struck by an SUV Sunday in what police allege was an intentional act. The migrants were hospitalized with an array of injuries, but none were life-threatening, the Lincolnton Police Department said in a statement. The motorist, described as an older white man, drove off and was still being sought Sunday night, police said. Officials did not provide a make and model for the SUV, but in security video images distributed by police, it appears to be a dark color, possibly black. Authorities hope someone will recognize it and report it. The incident was reported at the Walmart at 1:17 p.m., the department said. "Six migrant workers were hit in what appears to be an intentional assault with a vehicle," it said. Lincolnton is about 35 miles northwest of Charlotte. It wasn't clear where the migrants are from. Although authorities believe the act was intentional, they haven not said it may have been an alleged hate crime. "The motives of the suspect are still under investigation," the department said.
Europe's economy shows modest growth after months of stagnation as rate hikes weigh on businesses 2023-07-31 - Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 28, 2023. At right the European Central Bank. The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 28, 2023. At right the European Central Bank. The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 28, 2023. At right the European Central Bank. The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 28, 2023. At right the European Central Bank. The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Europe's economy is growing again — but not by much FRANKFURT, Germany -- The European economy grew modestly in the most recent quarter, breaking out of a months of stagnation or contraction as higher interest rates designed to fight inflation make it more expensive for households and businesses to borrow, invest and spend. The 20 countries that use the euro currency and their 346 million people saw 0.3% growth in the April-to-June period, the EU statistics agency Eurostat reported Monday. That’s an improvement over zero growth in the first quarter of this year and a slight decline in fourth quarter of last year, but not by much. A revision raised figures for the first quarter from a decline of 0.1%, wiping out two straight quarters of declining output. Inflation in the eurozone, meanwhile, continued its gradual decline, falling to 5.3% in July from 5.5% in June. Europe's economic growth got a boost by 0.5% growth in France and 0.4% in Spain, where lower inflation has helped lift consumer spending power. The French figure, however, was increased by a one-off: the delivery of one very large manufactured item, a cruise ship. That statistical quirk flattered the French growth figure but does little to disguise weak demand for goods in the eurozone’s second-largest economy. The most growth was posted by Ireland at 3.3%. The country's growth figures often show large swings due to major international companies locating their headquarters there. Europe's largest economy, Germany, struggled in the second quarter, recording zero growth after two straight quarters of falling output as it grappled with high energy costs tied to Russia's war in Ukraine. Europe is still struggling with the aftershocks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow cutting off most of its natural gas to the continent, sharply raising prices for the fuel and the electricity it generates. In Germany, Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck has proposed capping energy prices for industry with government help. The worst of the price spike is over, but costs are still higher than before the war began. Energy has faded as a main driver of inflation, but price rises are hitting Europeans when they shop for groceries, clothes and more, and the rebound for services companies such as hotels and restaurants that suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic has mostly run its course. Rebounding travel, especially in the Mediterranean countries that heavily rely on tourism, is expected to support growth in the third quarter as people flock to the beach for their summer holidays in Greece, Spain and Italy, despite recent heat waves and wildfires. Other than that, prospects for the rest of the year are muted. Another drag on the economy is the rapid series of interest rate increases that the European Central Bank has unleashed to knock down inflation. The ECB made its ninth straight hike Thursday, bringing its key deposit rate from minus 0.5% to 3.75% in just one year, a record pace since the creation of the euro in 1999. The result has been higher mortgage rates and canceled construction plans due to expensive or unavailable credit. The central bank’s lending survey shows the lowest level of business loans and credit lines since the statistics started in 2003. Bank President Christine Lagarde left open whether the bank will keep hiking rates at its next meeting on Sept. 14, saying the decision will depend on incoming inflation data at the time. Since the rate hikes began, inflation has steadily fallen from a peak of 10.6% in October to 5.5% in June, still well above the ECB’s 2% target. Bank officials say tough action now will spare even more painful restriction of credit later if inflation gets completely out of control.
China factory activity shrinks in July, adding to pressure to reverse economic slump 2023-07-31 - FILE - A man rides on an electric bike past by a residential buildings under construction in Beijing on June 5, 2023. Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) FILE - A man rides on an electric bike past by a residential buildings under construction in Beijing on June 5, 2023. Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) FILE - A man rides on an electric bike past by a residential buildings under construction in Beijing on June 5, 2023. Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) FILE - A man rides on an electric bike past by a residential buildings under construction in Beijing on June 5, 2023. Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) BEIJING -- Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed Monday, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown. A purchasing managers’ index issued by the national statistics agency and an industry group improved to 49.3 from June’s 49 on a 100-point scale but was below the 50-point level that shows activity contracting. “China’s manufacturing PMI remained in contraction, albeit a softer pace, as the drag from the external sector deepened,” Erin Xin of HSBC said in a report. That puts “more pressure on Beijing to support growth through both fiscal and monetary measures.” Chinese leaders are trying to revive economic activity by promising to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. But they have yet to give details possible tax cuts or spending and have avoided announcing a large-scale stimulus. Demand for Chinese exports weakened after U.S. and European interest rates were raised to cool record-breaking inflation. At home, consumers are uneasy about possible job losses and are putting off big purchases. Real estate sales, an economic engine, are weak after the government tightened control on the industry's use of debt. An index of export orders weakened to 46.3 from June's 46.4, well below the 50-point contraction level, according to the statistics bureau and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing. Economic growth slid to 0.8% over the previous quarter in the three months ending in June from 2.2% in the January-March period. That is equal to annual growth of 3.2%, which would be among China’s weakest in decades.
South Korean dog meat farmers push back against growing moves to outlaw their industry 2023-07-31 - Borami Seo, left, a director at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, speaks during an interview with Lee Sangkyung, a campaign manager at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Borami Seo, left, a director at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, speaks during an interview with Lee Sangkyung, a campaign manager at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Borami Seo, left, a director at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, speaks during an interview with Lee Sangkyung, a campaign manager at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Borami Seo, left, a director at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, speaks during an interview with Lee Sangkyung, a campaign manager at the Korea office of the animal welfare charity Humane Society International, at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) PYEONGTAEK, South Korea -- The dogs bark and stare as Kim Jong-kil approaches the rusty cages housing the large, short-haired animals he sells for their meat. Kim opens a door and pets one dog’s neck and chest. Kim says he’s proud of the dog meat farm that has supported his family for 27 years, but is upset over growing attempts by politicians and activists to outlaw the business, which he is turning over to his children. “It’s more than just feeling bad. I absolutely oppose these moves, and we’ll mobilize all our means to resist it,” Kim, 57, said in an interview at his farm in Pyeongtaek city, just south of Seoul. Dog meat consumption is a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula and has long been viewed as a source of stamina on hot summer days. It's neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea, but more and more people want it prohibited. There's increasing public awareness of animal rights and worries about South Korea’s international image. The anti-dog meat campaign recently received a big boost when the country’s first lady expressed her support for a ban and two lawmakers submitted bills to eliminate the dog meat trade. “Foreigners think South Korea is a cultural powerhouse. But the more K-culture increases its international standing, the bigger shock foreigners experience over our dog meat consumption,” said Han Jeoungae, an opposition lawmaker who submitted legislation to outlaw the dog meat industry last month. Prospects for passage of an anti-dog meat law are unclear because of protests by farmers, restaurant owners and others involved in the dog meat industry. Surveys suggest that one in three South Koreans opposes such a ban, though most people don’t eat dog meat anymore. Dogs are also eaten in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Korea and some African countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria. Earlier this month, Indonesian authorities announced the end of dog and cat slaughter at an animal market on the island of Sulawesi following a yearslong campaign by local activists and world celebrities. The Tomohon Extreme Market will become the first such market in Indonesia to go dog and cat meat-free, according to the anti-animal cruelty group Humane Society International. South Korea's dog meat industry receives more international attention because of its reputation as a wealthy, ultra-modern democracy. It is also the only nation with industrial-scale farms. Most farms in South Korea have more than 500 dogs, according to a dog farmers’ association. During a recent visit, Kim’s farm, one of the country’s largest with 7,000 dogs, appeared relatively clean but there was a strong stench in some areas. All dogs are kept in elevated cages and are fed with food waste and ground chicken. They are rarely released for exercise and typically are sold for meat one year after they are born. Kim said two of his children, age 29 and 31, are running the farm with him, and that business has been going pretty well. He said the dogs bred for their meat are different from pets, an idea opposed by activists. It's difficult now to find dog meat restaurants in Seoul’s bustling downtown, though many still exit in the countryside. “I only earn one-third of the money I used to make. Young people don’t come here. Only ailing old people come for lunch,” said Yoon Chu-wol, 77, the owner of a dog meat restaurant in Seoul’s Kyungdong traditional market. “I tell my elderly customers to come and eat my food more frequently before it’s banned.” Farmers also face growing scrutiny from officials and increasingly negative public opinion. They complain that officials visit them repeatedly in response to complaints filed by activists and citizens over alleged animal abuse and other wrongdoing. Kim said more than 90 such petitions were filed against his farm during a recent four-month span. Son Won Hak, general secretary of the dog farmers' association, said many farms have collapsed in recent years because of falling dog meat prices and weaker demand. He thinks that's a result of activist campaigns and unfair media reports focusing on farms with inferior conditions. Some observers, however, say consumption of dog meat was already declining, with younger people staying away from it. “Quite honestly, I'd like to quit my job (as a farmer) tomorrow. We can’t confidently tell our children that we’re raising dogs,” Son said. “When my friends called me, they said ‘Hey, are you still running a dog meat farm? Isn’t it illegal?’” The number of farms across South Korea has dropped by half from a few years ago to about 3,000 to 4,000, and about 700,000 to 1 million dogs are slaughtered each year, a decline from several million 10 to 20 years ago, according to the dog farmers’ association. Some activists argue that the farmers’ estimates are an exaggeration meant to show their industry is too big to destroy. In late 2021, South Korea launched a government-civilian task force to consider outlawing dog meat at the suggestion of then-President Moon Jae-in, a pet lover. The committee, whose members include farmers and animal rights activists, has met more than 20 times but hasn’t reached any agreement, apparently because of disputes over compensation issues. Agriculture officials refused to disclose the discussions in the closed-door meetings. They said the government wants to end dog meat consumption based on a public consensus. In April, first lady Kim Keon Hee, the wife of current President Yoon Suk Yeol, said in a meeting with activists that she hopes for an end to dog meat consumption. Famers responded with rallies and formal complaints against Kim for allegedly hurting their livelihoods. Han, the lawmaker, said she “highly positively appraises” influential figures speaking out against dog meat consumption. Han said her bill offers support programs for farmers who agree to close their farms. They would be entitled to money to dismantle their facilities, vocational training, employment assistance and other benefits, she said. Ju Yeongbong, an official of the farmers’ association, said farmers want to continue for about 20 more years until older people, their main customers, die, allowing the industry to naturally disappear. Observers say most farmers are also in their 60s to 70s. Borami Seo, a director of the South Korea office of the Humane Society International, said she opposes the continued killing of millions of dogs for such a prolonged period. “Letting this silent cruelty to (dogs) be committed in South Korea doesn’t make sense,” Seo said. “(Dog meat consumption) is too anachronistic, has elements of cruelty to animals and hinders our national growth,” said Cheon JinKyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates in Seoul.
Skepticism prevails as Chinese leaders promise to back private businesses to spur slowing economy 2023-07-31 - A woman walks past a store with a sign which reads "Clearing at a lost, left-over sizes clearance" at a store in Beijing, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government is promising to drag the economy out of a crisis of confidence aggravated by tensions with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A woman walks past a store with a sign which reads "Clearing at a lost, left-over sizes clearance" at a store in Beijing, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government is promising to drag the economy out of a crisis of confidence aggravated by tensions with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A woman walks past a store with a sign which reads "Clearing at a lost, left-over sizes clearance" at a store in Beijing, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government is promising to drag the economy out of a crisis of confidence aggravated by tensions with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A woman walks past a store with a sign which reads "Clearing at a lost, left-over sizes clearance" at a store in Beijing, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government is promising to drag the economy out of a crisis of confidence aggravated by tensions with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is promising to drag the economy out of a crisis of confidence aggravated by tensions with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law BEIJING -- The Fangbiaogan Real Estate Agency in the southern city of Nanning is still waiting for China’s post-COVID rebound. Home sales are 30-40% below last year's depressed level after the economy barely grew in the latest quarter, according to the owner, who would give only his surname, Cai. He has cut staff by 80% to 40 employees. Their income from sales commissions has fallen as much as 90%. “People are worried,” said Cai. “They feel safer holding onto their savings instead of spending them.” Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is making ambitious promises to drag the economy out of that crisis of confidence aggravated by tension with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law. Its most striking pledge: To support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth but have felt under attack over the past decade as the ruling Communist Party built up state-owned industry, tightened control over business and pressured them to pay for its technology and industrial ambitions. China has an “urgent need” to “boost confidence in the outlook for the private economy," the Cabinet said in a July 19 announcement. Entrepreneurs and investors are waiting to see what tax, spending or other steps the ruling party might take — and whether it will rein in state companies that dominate banking, energy and other industries and that economists say are stifling growth. The ruling party took action after the economy grew by just 0.8% in the three months ending in June from the previous quarter, down from 2.2% growth in January-March. That is equal to a 3.2% annual rate, among China’s weakest in decades. With households anxious about possible job losses, retail sales growth slid to 3.1% in June from the previous month’s 12.7%. “Policymakers have underestimated the difficulty in boosting the confidence of households and private companies,” Macquarie economists Larry Hu and Yuxiao Zhang said in a report. China needs a “reset in macro and regulatory policies to make them more pro-growth and pro-business,” they said. The ruling party’s Politburo followed up on July 24 with a statement promising to shore up economic growth and support real estate, which has struggled since Beijing clamped down on debt levels in China's biggest industry. Stock markets in Hong Kong and China surged on the news but fell back as investors waited to see what Beijing might do. “I’ve seen lots of policies like this, but none were carried out,” said Cai, the real estate broker. China's leaders want the prosperity generated by free enterprise but also are requiring businesses to invest in political initiatives that include developing computer chips and narrowing the wealth gap between China’s elite and the poor majority. Regulators shut down an internet-based tutoring industry and imposed limits on children playing online games. Skeptical businesspeople and economists expect little more than fine-tuning. “We doubt this marks a fundamental shift in the way that the leadership views the role of private firms,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report. The country’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and Cabinet ministers spent the first half of this year meeting visiting CEOs including Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk of Tesla Ltd. in a charm offensive aimed at reviving investor interest. Despite that, foreign companies are on edge following unexplained raids on two consulting firms and a due diligence firm. The expansion of an anti-spying law and a push for self-reliance in technology also are seen as risks. Foreign investment into China fell 2.7% from a year earlier in the first half of 2023, according to official data. A survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China found 70% of foreign companies want “greater clarity” before making new investments. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said its members are shifting investments to Southeast Asia and other targets. Exports in June fell 12.% from a year earlier after interest rate hikes to cool inflation dampened U.S. and European consumer demand. A furniture dealer in the central city of Taiyuan said her sales were down 20-30% compared with during the pandemic. The merchant, who would give only her family name, Ma, said her customers are salaried urban workers who still were recovering from anti-virus measures that shut down companies. “We have lost money so far this year,” said Ma, who was unaware of the ruling party’s promise of support. An official survey found unemployment among young people in cities spiked to a record 21.3% in June. A researcher at Peking University, Zhang Dandan, wrote in the business news magazine Caixin the true rate might be almost 50% if young people who are paid by parents to work around the house while they try to find other jobs or have given up looking are included. The party's decision to reverse one of its signature policies and ease controls imposed in 2020 to rein in surging debt in real estate reflect the urgency of the problem. Those curbs triggered a wave of hundreds of bankruptcies among developers and dragged on business activity. Still, the property industry’s problems persist. Developers have renegotiated payments to banks and bondholders, but financial analysts say they face another cash crunch if sales fail to pick up. The biggest, Evergrande Group, still is trying to resolve more than $300 billion in debt. Tech tycoon Ma Huateng, the publicity-shy co-founder of games and social media giant Tencent Holding, broke his media silence and issued a statement praising the July 19 announcement as a “clear and in-depth understanding” of challenges for entrepreneurs. Tencent, operator of the popular WeChat message service, is a target of anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns launched by Beijing in 2020 to tighten control over tech industries. Its share price has fallen by half, wiping out more than $400 billion in stock market value. The statement “raised earnest expectations for high-quality development of private enterprises," Ma wrote on a state TV blog. The party has tried to shift money to the public by pressuring successful companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to raise wages and reduce charges. But the party has avoided giving money straight to households through Western-style social welfare programs. The chief economist of state-owned Bank of China International Ltd. suggested a politically sensitive alternative: Hand ownership of state-owned companies that are the core of the ruling party's strategic plans to the Chinese public. Their dividends would “create wealth effects for residents, stimulating increased income and consumption,” Xu Gao wrote in a commentary published by a Beijing think tank, the Center for China and Globalization. The party has given no sign it might consider that. It has not clarified the status of law and consulting firms and other companies under the anti-spying rules, which have left many uncertain about whether gathering information on business conditions is prohibited. Another risk factor: More abrupt policy changes as Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, pursues his economic, social and strategic ambitions. “There is little to prevent private firms from being targeted again down the road,” said Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics. ___ AP researcher Yu Bing contributed.
You-pick farms lose customers and crops through heat, drought and haze in Iowa 2023-07-31 - BRIGHTON, Iowa -- You-pick farms are struggling through heat, drought and haze as customers cancel picking appointments and crops across Iowa refuse to grow. These farms offer visitors the chance to harvest their own produce straight from the tree, bush or ground. But this summer marks Iowa’s third year in a row of drought. And that is hurting farmers who grow water-intensive crops like blueberries and strawberries that are particularly sensitive to heat and drought, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported. Kim Anderson told The Gazette that her well started faltering during last summer’s heat and drought at her 5-acre Blueberry Bottom Farm near Brighton in southeastern Iowa. Many of her blueberry bushes became parched. And recently, for the first time in the farm’s five-season history, she had to cancel a day of picking appointments because there weren’t enough ripe berries. “I just never anticipated something like this, that the well wouldn’t have enough water,” she said. Similarly, Dean Henry told The Gazette that these are the worst conditions he has seen in his 56 years of operating the Berry Patch Farm in Nevada in central Iowa. Henry said the Iowa Department of Natural Resources restricted his well water usage from 20 acres a day to 1 acre a day. But his strawberry plants need lots of water. This year, his entire crop failed. The heat has affected customers too. Some you-pick farms reported a decrease in customer visits, according to The Gazette. If people do come, they aren’t staying as long as normal to take in the entertainment at the farms, like picnic tables or games. Smoke from Canadian wildfires also caused Iowa skies to grow hazy and air quality to be poor several times this summer. Customers canceled their appointments on especially hazy days, Anderson said.
New North Sea oil and gas licences will send ‘wrecking ball’ through climate commitments 2023-07-31 - Rishi Sunak has announced the approval of about 100 new North Sea oil and gas licences, prompting condemnation from environmental groups, who said it would “send a wrecking ball” through the UK’s climate commitments. The plan was also criticised by the Conservative MP who led a review into net zero, Chris Skidmore, who said it was “on the wrong side of modern voters”. Making a visit to Aberdeenshire on Monday, Sunak argued that the move would help the UK reach its target of meeting net zero by 2050. Speaking to the BBC, Sunak stressed his desire to maintain UK fossil fuel exploration, a key political dividing line with Labour, which has said it will stop any new North Sea drilling if it comes into power. Ahead of the visit, No 10 unveiled proposals for a new round of licences, as well as plans for two new carbon capture and storage facilities, including the Acorn scheme in north-east Scotland, which missed out when two other sites were chosen for such facilities in 2021. While environmentalists and many scientists have warned that new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with net zero targets, Sunak told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme that the licences were integral to the plan. “When we reach net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will still come from oil and gas, and domestic gas production has about a quarter or a third of the carbon footprint of imported gas,” Sunak said. “So not only is it better for our energy security, not to rely on foreign dictators for that energy, not only is it good for jobs, particularly Scottish jobs, it’s actually better for the environment because there’s no point in importing stuff from halfway around the world, with two to three times the carbon footprint of the stuff we’ve got at home.” Insisting he remained committed to the 2050 target, and to the deadline of stopping the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, Sunak added: “This is a good story for the UK overall. It’s not about political seats, it’s just about doing the right thing for the country.” Oxfam’s climate policy adviser, Lyndsay Walsh, said: “Extracting more fossil fuels from the North Sea will send a wrecking ball through the UK’s climate commitments at a time when we should be investing in a just transition to a low-carbon economy and our own abundant renewables.” Mike Childs, the head of policy for Friends of the Earth, said: “Climate change is already battering the planet with unprecedented wildfires and heatwaves across the globe. Granting hundreds of new oil and gas licences will simply pour more fuel on the flames, while doing nothing for energy security as these fossil fuels will be sold on international markets and not reserved for UK use.” Skidmore, a former science minister and advocate of green policies within the Tory party, called the new licences “the wrong decision at precisely the wrong time, when the rest of the world is experiencing record heat waves”. He said: “It is on the wrong side of a future economy that will be founded on renewable and clean industries, and not fossil fuels. “It is on the wrong side of modern voters who will vote with their feet at the next general election for parties that protect, and not threaten, our environment. And it is on the wrong side of history, that will not look favourably on the decision taken today.” A parallel announcement on carbon capture and storage schemes results in the Acorn project in north-east Scotland and Viking in the Humber being picked for development by 2030. It follows the two earlier projects selected in 2021, one in Humber and Teesside and the other in Liverpool Bay, set to come into use by the mid-2020s. Asked how he was travelling to Scotland, a rather grumpy Sunak, who ended the interview when it reached the five-minute limit imposed by No 10, replied: “I’ll be flying as I normally would.” He then told the Scottish BBC presenter Martin Geissler: “If you or others think that the answer to climate change is getting people to ban everything that they’re doing, just to stop people going on holiday, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach.” The announcement on new licences, which was handed to the Times overnight before being released generally on Monday morning, said about 100 were expected to be awarded, with the first licence confirmed in the autumn. The process, overseen by the North Sea Transition Authority, will involve a climate compatibility test, but will have more flexibility than before to drill for reserves close to currently licensed areas, to increase the amount potentially removed. Sunak and his ministers have accused Labour of making the UK more reliant on overseas resources if it goes ahead with a ban on new North Sea projects. Labour says it would invest heavily in renewable sources such as wind, and also in nuclear power, which would reduce bills and make supplies more secure and sustainable.