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An Afghan woman wanted to be a doctor. Now she makes pickles as the Taliban restricts women's roles None - Frozan Ahmadzai is one of 200,000 Afghan women who have the Taliban’s permission to work An Afghan woman wanted to be a doctor. Now she makes pickles as the Taliban restricts women's roles KABUL, Afghanistan -- Frozan Ahmadzai is one of 200,000 Afghan women who have the Taliban’s permission to work. She should have graduated from university this year in pursuit of her dream of becoming a doctor, but the Taliban have barred women from higher education and excluded them from many jobs. Now, instead of suturing, she sews in a basement in Kabul. Instead of administering medication, she makes pickles. Half of Afghanistan's population now finds itself locked out of the freedom to work at a time when the country's economy is worse than ever. Few jobs are still available to women. They include tailoring and making food, which the 33-year-old Ahmadzai now does along with women who once were teachers or aspired to be one. Women's participation in the workforce in Afghanistan, always limited by conservative cultural beliefs, was 14.8% in 2021, before the Taliban seized power and imposed harsh restrictions on women and girls. They include banning female education beyond sixth grade, barring women from public spaces like parks, and enforcing dress codes. Women's participation in the workforce was down to 4.8% in 2023, according to World Bank data. Ahmadzai’s eyes flare when talking about the new reality for Afghan women. “We are only looking for a way to escape,” she said, referring to the work in the basement. It's a step, at least, beyond being confined at home. But profits are slim for her and her 50 colleagues in the collective. In a good month, the pickle-making and tailoring businesses bring in around 30,000 afghanis ($426). The women also have other complaints familiar to anyone in Afghanistan: The rent and utility bills are high. The sewing machines are old-fashioned. The electricity supply is erratic. Local retailers don’t compensate them fairly. They don’t receive support from banks or local authorities to help their businesses grow. Just obtaining permission from the Taliban to work is challenging for women, though under Afghan labor laws, the process for work permits ought to be the same for both sexes. The ministry responsible for issuing permits has banned women from its premises, setting up a female-only office elsewhere. It's to “speed things up and make things easier” for women, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Samiullah Ebrahimi. There, women submit their paperwork, including their national identity card, a cover letter and a health certificate from a private clinic. That’s assuming they have the documents along with the money to cover any costs. It also assumes they can move around without being harassed if unaccompanied by a male guardian. Last year, a top United Nations official said Afghanistan had become the most repressive country in the world for women and girls. Roza Otunbayeva, head of the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan, said that while the country needed to recover from decades of war, half of its potential doctors, scientists, journalists and politicians were “shut away in their homes, their dreams crushed and their talents confiscated.” The Taliban have a different view. They have tried to provide women with a “safe, secure and separate” working environment in line with Islamic values and Afghan traditions in sectors where women’s work is needed, according to ministry spokesman Ebrahimi. They can work in retail or hospitality, but it must be a female-only setting. He said women don’t need degrees for the majority of permissible work including cleaning, security screening, handicrafts, farming, tailoring or food manufacturing. It’s heartbreaking for Ahmadzai and her colleagues to see their expertise go unused. Several also were training to be makeup artists, but beauty parlors have been closed. Some jobs for women remain in education and health care, so Ahmadzai has pivoted to a nursing and midwifery course so she can become a medical professional. But not a doctor. The Taliban don't want more female doctors. The challenges for Afghan women of obeying Taliban edicts while helping to support their families while living conditions worsen is a strain on health, including mental health. Ahmadzai said one of the few positives about her work in the basement in Kabul is the camaraderie and support system there. “Afghan women nowadays all have the same role in society. They stay at home, care for children, mind the house and don’t work hard," she said. "If my family didn’t encourage me, I wouldn’t be here. They support me because I work. My husband is unemployed and I have small children.” Salma Yusufzai, the head of Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, acknowledged that working under Taliban rule is a challenge. The chamber has almost 10,000 members, but the lack of female representation within the Taliban-controlled administration is a challenge. Yusufzai said the chamber supports women by giving them a platform at local markets and connecting them with the international community for participation in overseas exhibitions and other opportunities. Chamber members include key Afghan industries like carpet-making and dried fruit. The businesses are male-owned but kept alive by women who want to support the economy, which she said would collapse without them. She acknowledged that the chamber's limited work was only possible through engagement with the Taliban: “If I close the door then nothing will happen, nothing will remain." Yusufzai once had three gemstone businesses and gave them up because of her chamber role. But she can’t own them anyway under Taliban rule, so the businesses are in her husband’s name. “Since we are living in this country, we have to follow the rules,” she said. Her smile was tight. “From nothing, it is better to have something.”
Chinese firms eye Morocco as way to cash in on US electric vehicle subsidies None - Investment in electric vehicle manufacturing is booming in Morocco, a country that neighbors Europe and enjoys a free trade agreement with the United States Chinese firms eye Morocco as way to cash in on US electric vehicle subsidies TANGIERS, Morocco -- After the United States passed new subsidies designed to boost domestic electric vehicle production and cut into Beijing’s supply chain dominance, Chinese manufacturers began investing in an unlikely place: Morocco. In the rolling hills near Tangiers and in industrial parks near the Atlantic Ocean, they have announced plans for new factories to make parts for EVs that may qualify for $7,500 credits to car buyers in the United States. Similar investments have been announced in other countries that share free trade agreements with the United States, including South Korea and Mexico. But few countries have seen the kind of boom that Morocco has. At least eight Chinese battery makers have announced new investments in the North African kingdom since President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the $430 billion U.S. law designed to fight climate change, according to an Associated Press tally. By moving operations to U.S. trading partners like Morocco, Chinese players that have long dominated the battery supply chain are seeking a pathway to cash in on increasing demand from American carmakers like Tesla and General Motors, said Kevin Shang, a senior battery analyst at the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. “Chinese companies definitely don’t want to miss this big party," he said. The United States and European Union have both imposed major new tariffs on Chinese vehicle imports since May. The United States also finalized eligibility rules governing the tax credits in May. The latter limit companies with ties to U.S. adversaries, but give carmakers time to reduce their reliance on China. To qualify for the subsidies, carmakers cannot source critical minerals or battery parts from manufacturers in which China and other “foreign entities of concern” control more than 25% of the company or its board. Critics say the rules are a giveaway to China and will extend its EV dominance. The Biden administration says the rules pave the way for billions in investment in EV manufacturing in the United States. In Morocco, a largely agrarian economy where the median income is $2,150 a month, giant industrial parks full of American, European and Chinese component makers have sprung up in the rural outskirts of Tangiers, Kenitra and El Jadida. Expanding on infrastructure that has made Morocco a car manufacturing hub, they hope to meet growing demand and overcome rules designed to exclude them from the incentives the Inflation Reduction Act is injecting into the U.S. car market, the world's second-largest. The rules “have led Chinese producers to increase investment in countries with whom the US has free trade agreements, namely South Korea and Morocco, to get past some IRA barriers,” the policy research firm Rhodium Group said in a report earlier this year. Some of the new China investments in Morocco explicitly cite the new U.S. subsidies as a reason. Many are joint ventures that have cited their ability to tinker with board seats and governance to comply with U.S. rules. That includes CNGR, one of China's largest battery cathode producers, which in September announced a $2 billion plan to build what it called a “base in the world and pan-Atlantic region” in a joint venture with the Moroccan royal family’s investment group, Al Mada. Though CNGR owns slightly more than a 50% stake in the project, Thorsten Lahrs, CEO of its Europe division, said he's confident its cathodes can qualify for the tax credits and change its board composition if necessary. If not, the company would pivot to other markets, including Europe, which just hiked tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China. “To ride the wave of the IRA, you have to execute fast and comply with its regulations,” he said in an interview before the U.S. finalized its rules. “We have flexibility to be able to comply with all the changes in interpretation or rules.” The Chinese battery projects include at least three joint ventures and several that reference Morocco's trade ties with the United States. The largest among them is Chinese-German battery-maker Gotion High-Tech, which signed a deal with Morocco last year for $6.4 billion investment to construct Africa’s first electric vehicle battery factory. Investments also include Youshan, a joint venture backed by Korean giant LG Chem and China’s Huayou Cobalt. It declined to provide details about the size of their investment but said the Morocco base means their cathodes “will be supplied to the North American market and subsidized by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act as Morocco is a signatory to the U.S. Free Trade Agreement.” LG Chem said the venture would adjust ownership shares as necessary to comply with U.S. rules. China’s BTR Group's announcement of a cathode factory in April noted that Morocco’s trade status with the United States and Europe would ensure “a seamless entry for the majority of its manufactured products into these regions.” Abdelmonim Amachraa, a supply chain expert who previously worked in Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, said Morocco was profiting from its “ability to coexist when a link can’t be found between China and the United States.” Officials in Morocco have publicly and privately worked to foster ties up and down the automotive supply chain in both the East and the West. The country hosts more than 250 companies that manufacture cars or their components, including Stellantis and Renault as well as Chinese, Japanese, American and Korean factories that make seats, engines, shock absorbers and wheels. The industry exports almost $14 billion in cars and parts annually. As the world transitions to electric vehicles, Morocco may appear to be a surprising beneficiary as China, the United States and Europe compete for market share. But its officials worry that anti-competitive policies like tariffs and subsidies could ultimately make it more difficult to lure investment. Ryad Mezzour, the country’s minister of industry and trade, said in an interview that all the new investment doesn't tell the full story. Morocco has also lost out on some projects due to what he called “a new age of protectionism." The investment has been a boon to countries like Morocco. But in Washington, Chinese firms have raised alarm by angling to access the American subsidies. “Under the Biden administration’s electric vehicle regulations, America’s working families will have to watch their hard-earned tax dollars go to line the pockets of Chinese billionaires and businesses with links to the Chinese Communist Party,” U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican, said of the new guidelines. But at issue are the complexities of both the electric vehicle supply chain and the Inflation Reduction Act, which seeks to grow adoption of EVs and boost domestic manufacturing, too. The U.S. Energy and Treasury departments have tried to strike a delicate balance, working to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturers while also ensuring enough vehicles qualify for the credits. The Department of Energy did not respond to questions about what its rules meant for Chinese investments in countries that share free trade agreements with the United States. But in a statement, a spokesperson called the transition to electric vehicles “an industry-wide, global trend” and said new policies “help the US strengthen its energy security and competitiveness—including outcompeting China.” China has spent years subsidizing companies that extract critical battery minerals, manufacturers of cathodes, anodes and electrolyzers and carmakers like BYD. Those companies' eagerness to invest in Morocco to cash in on the Inflation Reduction Act shows how decoupling Chinese manufacturers from the supply chain will take years, if not decades, said Chris Berry, an adviser to battery companies and investors. “There is not going to be a lithium ion battery supply chain that does not have Chinese influence for a long time,” Berry said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Italian landowner is arrested after an Indian worker bled to death in accident with farm equipment None - Police have arrested an Italian farm owner after one of his workers, an undocumented laborer from India, bled to death after his arm was cut off by farm equipment Italian landowner is arrested after an Indian worker bled to death in accident with farm equipment ROME -- Italian police arrested a farm owner on Tuesday on suspicion of homicide after one of his workers, an undocumented laborer from India, bled to death when his arm was cut off by a piece of farm equipment. The landowner abandoned the bleeding worker and failed to call an ambulance, prosecutors said. The death of Satnam Singh has shocked Italians and sparked protests by unions and farm workers demanding better working conditions. They have called for an end to the exploitive “caporalato” system of using underpaid migrant labor to work in Italy's agriculture industry. Even President Sergio Mattarella has weighed in on the case, referring to what he said was the “cruel” exploitation of workers like Singh and “inhuman” conditions in which seasonal farmhands often work in Italy. Carabinieri police in Latina, a largely agricultural province south of Rome, arrested farm owner Antonello Lovato after prosecutors bumped up the original suspected crime of manslaughter to homicide with “malice afterthought,” a statement from Latina prosecutors said. They did so after forensics determined that Singh died from “copious blood loss.” The forensic report found he “most likely” would have survived if he had received prompt medical care, the prosecutors' statement said. But an ambulance apparently wasn't called right away after Singh's arm was wrenched off when it got stuck in a nylon-wrapping machine. Italian daily Corriere della Sera quoted the arrest warrant signed by Judge Giuseppe Molfese as saying Lovato was driving the tractor that was pulling the nylon-wrapping machine, and then abandoned the bleeding Singh, leaving him outside his home. Italian news reports have quoted witnesses as saying Lovato refused entreaties by Singh’s wife, who also worked at the farm, to call an ambulance, claiming he was already dead. RAI state television interviewed a neighbor who finally called an ambulance. Singh was brought to the San Camillo hospital in Rome where he was pronounced dead some two days later. In the statement, Latina prosecutors said Singh’s condition after the injury was so serious that it was obvious he needed prompt medical attention. “At the present time, therefore, it must be held that the decision to omit the necessary care constituted acceptance of the risk of the lethal event and united the cause that directly resulted in death,” the statement said. There was no immediate reply to an email seeking comment from the law offices of Stefano Perotti and Valerio Righi, identified by RAI as Lovato’s lawyers. RAI has quoted Lovato's father, Renzo, as saying Singh had been warned not to get so close to the equipment. He said Singh took the warning “too lightly,” and that his attitude “will cost everyone dearly.” ___ Follow AP’s coverage of migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
UK election 2024 live updates: Exit polls suggest Labour is headed for a landslide victory None - Crisis in the UK’s NHS shows why Conservatives are struggling after 14 years in power Nathaniel Dye changes his stoma bag at home in London, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Dye, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer and faced delays in treatment, is hoping the opposition Labour Party will win the July 4 election and fix problems with Britain’s National Health Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Nathaniel Dye believes he probably won’t live to see Britain’s next election. But the music teacher diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer is doing everything he can to make sure the Labour Party wins this one. Dismayed by delays in his diagnosis by the National Health Service, the 38-year-old says he feels let down by the Conservative-led government, which health policy experts say has failed to adequately fund the NHS. As a result, he played a central role in the launch of Labour’s election platform earlier this month, going on national television to urge voters to back the party. “I’ve seen underfunding of the NHS and mismanagement of the NHS cause real problems in the way I’ve been treated,” he told The Associated Press. “And I suppose I consider it the most natural thing in the world to talk to people on a personal level and say, ‘What can we do to improve things?’” No public service is as central to life in the United Kingdom as the NHS, and it is failing to deliver on its promise to provide free health care to everyone. The NHS is creaking under the weight of an aging and growing population, years of funding constraints, and fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. That means people are waiting longer for everything from primary care appointments to elective surgery and cancer treatment. Some 52% of people were dissatisfied with the NHS last year, 29 percentage points higher than in 2020, according to the British Social Attitudes Survey, conducted annually since 1983. ▶ Read more about the UK’s NHS crisis.
‘Too little, too late’: Lack of public dialogue has Democrats ‘frustrated’ with Biden: reporter None - As the fallout of the first presidential debate settles, Donald Trump has stayed quiet as the Biden campaign scrambles to retain Democratic confidence. NBC News correspondent Allie Raffa, The Hill correspondent Amie Parnes, Former Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), and MSNBC political analyst Brendan Buck give their takes on the strategies being employed by both campaigns.July 4, 2024
How the DOJ can prosecute potential President-Elect Donald Trump: attorney explains None - Donald Trump’s sentencing in the hush money case has been postponed as his legal schedule gets reshuffled after the Supreme Court’s immunity decision complicated the trials of the former president. Defense attorney Misty Marris and legal analyst Terri Austin give their analysis on where all the cases stand.July 4, 2024
President Biden prepares for his ABC News primetime interview None - President Biden is faced with a busy schedule for a holiday week as he works to tamp down calls to step aside, including a primetime interview with ABC News. NBC News' Allie Raffa breaks down team Biden's next moves to strengthen his presidential race. July 4, 2024
Small businesses could find filing for bankruptcy more difficult as government program expires None - A type of bankruptcy protection filing that made it easier for small businesses to seek relief has expired, which will complicate filing for small businesses with more than $3 million in debt NEW YORK -- A type of bankruptcy protection filing that made it easier for small businesses to seek relief has expired, which will complicate filing for small businesses with more than $3 million in debt. The filing type, known as Subchapter V, is cheaper and less time-consuming than the traditional Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The rule went into effect in 2020 as part of the Small Business Reorganization Act. It let small businesses with less than $2.75 million in debt file under the subchapter. That debt limit was extended to $7.5 million in March 2020 amid the pandemic for one year — and that was extended two more times. A bill to make the debt limit permanent failed, so the debt threshold reverted to $3 million (the original debt limit adjusted for inflation), on June 21. Subchapter V filing imposes shorter deadlines for filing reorganization plans, allows for greater flexibility in negotiating restructuring plans with creditors and doesn't require the payment of U.S. Trustee quarterly fees. A trustee is appointed for each case and the trustee works with the small business debtor and creditors to facilitate a reorganization plan. According to data compiled by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program, between 2020 and 2023, Subchapter V filers had 51% of plans confirmed by a judge, compared with 31% of plans from filers of other types of bankruptcy protection. Subchapter V filers had half the percentage of plans dismissed compared with other filers, and a shorter time to confirmation.
Tall Ships Races with 50 classic vessels seek to draw attention to Baltic Sea's alarming condition None - Dozens of classic sailing vessels from 13 countries that are plying the Baltic Sea have arrived in the Finnish capital at the end of the first leg of the Tall Ships Races that began in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda in late June HELSINKI -- Dozens of classic sailing vessels from 13 countries that are plying the Baltic Sea arrived in the Finnish capital on Thursday at the end of the first leg of the Tall Ships Races that began in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda in late June. This year’s competition, with a total of 50 ships of different shapes and sizes, is themed around the alarming environmental status of the Baltic Sea, which is suffering from eutrophication — an excessive accumulation of nutrients that has led, among things, to the growth of harmful blue-green algae. “The Baltic Sea isn't doing well,” said CEO Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt of the Finland-based John Nurminen Foundation that supports projects protecting the shallow sea’s marine environment. “It suffers from eutrophication and nature loss that are accelerated by climate change. But it’s not yet too late to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for the future generations,” she said. The international charity sailing race is normally held every four years but returns to the Baltic Sea after a seven-year hiatus because the planned 2021 competition was canceled due to COVID-19. According to co-organizer Sail Training International, the race aims to teach the young global crews group dynamics while training them to handle the impressive old-school sailing ships, including some that are over a hundred years old. One of vessels, the naval training vessel Guayas, sailed to northern European waters from Ecuador in South America. The 2024 competition sails between six Baltic Sea ports: Helsinki, Turku and Mariehamn in Finland, Tallinn in Estonia, Szczecin in Poland and Klaipeda in Lithuania. Though a rather small sea internationally, the Baltic Sea is a major trade, passenger and military shipping route for the nine nations around it, including Russia, and has played a vital role in the history of northern Europe. “Helsinki is a maritime city and the Baltic Sea has shaped our southern coast and the history” of Finland, Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen said at the official welcoming ceremony aboard the elegant Polish training ship Dar Młodzieży. “Sea has always been of vital importance to our city’s trade and an important transport route out to the world” from the Nordic nation of 5.6 million, he said. A change from previous Tall Ships Races is that Russian vessels have been banned from taking part after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since Finland and Sweden joined NATO in 2023 and this year, respectively, Russia's key port of St. Petersburg and its Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad are completely surrounded by members of the Western military alliance. The Tall Ships Races 2024 will end at the Polish seaport of Szczecin near the German border in early August.
Europe is slapping tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles — for now. Here's what to know None - The European Union is moving to sharply increase customs duties on electric vehicles made in China Europe is slapping tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles — for now. Here's what to know FRANKFURT, Germany -- The European Union is imposing sharply higher customs duties on electric vehicles imported from China. EVs are the latest flash point in a broader trade dispute over Chinese government subsidies and Beijing's burgeoning exports of green technology to the 27-nation bloc. The higher duties go into effect on Friday, pending a final decision in four month's time. Here are some basic facts about the EU's planned customs duties: After an eight-month investigation, the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, found that companies making electric cars in China benefit from massive government help that means they can undercut rivals in the EU on prices, take a big market share and threaten European jobs. It announced the higher duties on June 12 and they go into effect from Friday. The duties are provisional, meaning they will be totaled up but won’t need to be paid until they’re confirmed by a vote of EU governments before Nov. 2. The EU will only collect the duties if there's a further finding that the European auto industry would have suffered material harm without them. That gives the EU and the Chinese government time to negotiate. Talks have been held between Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU commissioner for the economy, and Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao, as well as at the level of technical experts. The higher duties are not a goal in themselves but “a means to correct an imbalance,” commission spokesman Eric Mamer said Thursday. “We certainly hope we can come to a solution which would allow us not to have to move forward on this path.” The rates, if applied, would be: 17.4% on cars from BYD, 19.9% on those from Geely and 37.6% for vehicles exported by China’s state-owned SAIC. Geely has brands including Polestar and Sweden’s Volvo, while SAIC owns Britain’s MG, one of Europe’s bestselling EV brands. Other EV manufacturers in China including Western companies such as Volkswagen, BMW and Tesla would be subject to duties of at least 20.8%. The commission mentioned that Tesla might get an “individually calculated” rate if duties are definitively imposed. Under EU rules it's possible — though at present it seems unlikely — that the higher duties could be blocked ahead of the Nov. 2 effective date by vote of what the EU calls a “qualified majority” of countries. That means at least 15 of the 27 EU member governments representing at least 65% of the bloc's population. Chinese-built electric cars jumped from 3.9% of the EV market in 2020 to 25% by September 2023, the commission said, in part by unfairly undercutting EU industry prices. The commission says companies in China accomplished that with the help of subsidies all along the chain of production, from cheap land for factories from local governments to below-market supplies of lithium and batteries from state-owned enterprises to tax breaks and below-interest financing from state-controlled banks. The rapid growth in market share has sparked fears that Chinese cars will eventually threaten the EU's ability to produce its own green technology needed to combat climate change, as well as the jobs of 2.5 million workers at risk in the auto industry and 10.3 million more people whose jobs depend indirectly on EV production. Subsidized solar panels from China have wiped out European producers — an experience that European governments don't want to see repeated with their auto industry. Unusually, the commission acted on its own, without a complaint from the European auto industry. Industry leaders and Germany, home to BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, have been skeptics about the subsidy investigation. That's because many of the cars that will be hit with tariffs are made by European companies, and because China could retaliate against the auto industry or in other areas. The Biden administration is raising tariffs on Chinese EVs to 100% from the current 25%. At that level, the U.S. tariffs block virtually all Chinese EV imports. That's not what Europe is trying to do. EU officials want affordable electric cars from abroad to achieve their goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 — but without the subsidies EU leaders see as unfair competition The planned tariffs are aimed at leveling the playing field by approximating the size of the excess or unfair subsidies available to Chinese carmakers. European countries subsidize electric cars, too. The question in trade disputes is whether subsidies are fair and available to all carmakers or distort the market in favor of one side. Chinese carmakers have learned to make electric vehicles cheaply amid ferocious price competition at home in the world's largest car market. BYD's Seal U Comfort model sells for the equivalent of 21,769 euros ($23,370) in China but 41,990 euros ($45,078) in Europe, according to Rhodium Group figures. The base model of BYD's compact Seagull, due to arrive in Europe next year, sells for the equivalent of around $10,000 in China. It's not clear what impact the duties will have on car prices. Chinese carmakers are able to make some cars so cheaply that they could absorb the duties in the form of lower profits instead of raising their prices. While consumers might benefit from cheaper Chinese cars in the short term, allowing unfair practices could eventually mean less competition and higher prices in the long term, the commission argues. Currently, Chinese carmakers often sell their vehicles in Europe at much higher prices than the same cars fetch in China, meaning they are favoring profits over market share, even given their recent market gains. Five of BYD’s six models would still earn a profit in Europe even at a 30% tariff, according to Rhodium Group calculations. The fear is Europe is that Chinese competitors will turn to lowering their prices closer to the ones they are charging in China. and gain an even bigger chunk of the market. Beijing was sharply critical of the higher duties when they were announced, calling them “a naked act of protectionism." On Thursday, He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry, said that the two sides had held several rounds of technical consultations and noted that a final EU ruling won’t be made for four months. “It is hoped that the European side and the Chinese side will move in the same direction, show sincerity, expedite the consultation process and reach a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible on the basis of facts and rules,” he said at a weekly media briefing in Beijing. He also said that China hopes the EU will seriously listen to the voices of the European automakers and governments that have come out against the tariffs and avoid anti-subsidy measures that would harm cooperation between the Chinese and European auto industries. It's not clear what agreement might look like. One move could be to agree on minimum prices for Chinese cars. China could retaliate against European products such as pork or brandy imports, or against European luxury car imports. Over the longer term, Chinese carmakers could avoid tariffs by making cars in Europe. BYD is building a plant in Hungary, while Chery has a joint venture to build cars in Spain's Catalonia region. ___ Moritsugu reported from Beijing.
China's BYD inaugurates first plant in Thailand as it expands reach into Southeast Asia None - Chinese automaker BYD has inaugurated its first electric vehicle plant in Thailand, part of the company's effort to expand into Southeast Asia while also tackling wealthier markets in the U.S. and Europe China's BYD inaugurates first plant in Thailand as it expands reach into Southeast Asia BANGKOK -- Chinese automaker BYD inaugurated its first electric vehicle plant in Thailand on Thursday, part of the company’s push into Southeast Asia while it also tackles wealthier markets in the U.S. and Europe. The factory’s opening comes on the same day that the European Union is expected to begin imposing higher tariffs on EVs made in China due to concerns over competition from the cheaper-priced imports. In the U.S., the Biden administration also is raising tariffs on Chinese EVs to 100% from the current 25%. The U.S. currently imports very few Chinese cars, but like the European Commission, it worries that subsidies hurt domestic companies and cost jobs. The new factory in Rayong, south of Bangkok, was built in just 16 months and has an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles. It makes several BYD models and also batteries and transmissions. Its opening on Thursday was marked with great fanfare and included the presentation of a BYD Dolphin, a compact hatchback, to a charitable foundation under the patronage of the Thai royal family. That vehicle was the 8 millionth vehicle manufactured by BYD, the company said. Thailand aims to have 30% of all vehicles made in the country be electric by 2030. One in every three EVs sold in Thailand is made by BYD, though most cars on the roads now are still gas or diesel powered. BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” sold 3 million vehicles last year and its exports more than tripled to 243,000. In the first half of this year, the company sold 1.6 million EVs. It sold 30,650 EVs in Thailand last year and plans for its new factory to make the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal and Sealion 6 EV models. BYD says the new factory is expected to create 10,000 jobs. Apart from Thailand and China, BYD also has or is building factories in Brazil, Hungary and Uzbekistan. According to BYD, the Dolphin can run 490 kilometers (about 300 miles) on a single charge. During a recent auto show in Bangkok, models on display were priced at 859,999 baht ($23,700), though reports said BYD would be offering steep discounts in Thailand on vehicles made in the new factory.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index hits a record high close of 40,913.65 None - Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index has closed at a fresh record high of 40,913.65, pushing past its most recent record close set in March on heavy buying of automaker and technology shares TOKYO -- Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index closed Thursday at a fresh record high of 40,913.65, pushing past its most recent record close set in March on heavy buying of automaker and technology shares. The index gained 0.8%, buoyed by heavy buying of technology and export-oriented shares. The index's all-time high during intraday trading is 41,087.75, set on March 22. Its previous record close was 40,888.43, also set on March 22. The gains tracked an overnight rally on Wall Street, where the S & P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq also hit fresh records. Both foreign and domestic investors have piled into the Japanese market in recent months even as the economy has slowed. Part of the attraction is the weakness of the Japanese yen, which is trading at 34-year lows against the dollar. A weak yen tends to push the dollar-denominated overseas profits of exporters higher when they are repatriated to Japan. But changes to investment regulations have also lured many Japanese investors into the equity market. As of this year, so-called NISA, or Nippon (Japan) Individual Savings Accounts, became tax-free investment options, with limits raised for how much can be kept in such accounts and for how long. Among big gainers on Thursday, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries advanced 3.8%; Nissan Motor Co. added 4.5% and Toyota Motor Corp. was up 2%. Computer chip testing equipment maker Advantest jumped 2.1%. The Nikkei 225 index has gained 22.4% so far this year. It surged in the late 1980s during Japan's bubble economy, when asset prices soared. But it collapsed when that financial bubble imploded in early 1990, after hitting its earlier record of 38,915.87 at the end of 1989.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean None - Hurricane Beryl has ripped off roofs in Jamaica, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and damaged or destroyed 95% of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines TULUM, Mexico -- After leaving a trail of destruction across the eastern Caribbean and at least nine people dead, Hurricane Beryl weakened as it chugged over open water toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, going from the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic to Category 2 by the afternoon. Jack Beven, senior hurricane specialist at the U.S. Hurricane Center, said “the biggest immediate threat now that the storm is moving away from the Cayman Islands is landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula.” The storm’s center was about 215 miles (345 kilometers) east-southeast of Tulum, Mexico, on Thursday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 20 mph (about 31 kph). Beryl was expected to bring heavy rain and moderate winds to Mexico's Caribbean coast, before crossing Yucatan and restrengthening in the Gulf of Mexico to make a second strike on northeast Mexico. Separately, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday that Tropical Storm Aletta had formed in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico’s coast. Aletta, which was located about 190 miles (310 kilometers) from Manzanillo and had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), was forecast to head away from land and dissipate by the weekend. As the wind began gusting over Tulum's white sand beaches on Thursday afternoon, four-wheelers with megaphones rolled along the sand telling people to leave. Tourists snapped photos of the growing surf, but largely left as Beryl was expected to make landfall south of Tulum early on Friday. Over the past days, Beryl has damaged or destroyed 95% of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and ripped off roofs in Jamaica before rumbling past the Cayman Islands early Thursday. Mexico’s popular Caribbean coast prepared shelters, evacuated some small outlying coastal communities and even moved sea turtle eggs off beaches threatened by storm surge. In Playa del Carmen, most businesses were closed Thursday and some were boarding up windows as tourists jogged by and some locals walked their dogs under sunny skies. In Tulum, authorities shut things down and evacuated beachside hotels. Francisco Bencomo, General manager of Hotel Umi in Tulum said all of their guests had left. “With these conditions, we’ll be completely locked down,” he said, adding there were no plans to have guests return before July 10th. “We’ve cut the gas and electricity. We also have an emergency floor where two maintenance employees will be locking down,” he said from the hotel. “We have them staying in the room farthest from the beach and windows.” “I hope we have the least impact possible on the hotel, that the hurricane moves quickly through Tulum, and that it’s nothing serious,” he said. Myriam Setra, a 34-year-old tourist from Dallas, Texas was having a sandwich on the beach earlier Thursday. Her flight home was scheduled for Friday, but Beryl had not persuaded her to leave early. “I figured I’d rather be stuck in Mexico for an extra day, than go back two days early to the United States,” Setra said. “Figured we’d get the last of the sun in today, too. And then it’s just going to be hunker down and just stay indoors until hopefully it passes.” The head of Mexico’s civil defense agency, Laura Velázquez, said Thursday that Beryl is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane when it hits a relatively unpopulated stretch south of Tulum early Friday. But once Beryl re-emerges into the Gulf of Mexico a day later, she said, it is again expected to build to hurricane strength and could hit right around the Mexico-U.S. border, at Matamoros. That area was already soaked in June by Tropical Storm Alberto. Velázquez said temporary storm shelters were in place at schools and hotels but efforts to evacuate a few highly exposed villages — like Punta Allen, which sits on a narrow spit of land south of Tulum — had been only partially successful. Beryl's worst damage appeared to be behind it. Its eye wall brushed by Jamaica’s southern coast on Wednesday afternoon while on Thursday morning, telephone poles and trees were blocking the roadways in Kingston. Authorities confirmed a young man died on Wednesday after he was swept into a storm water drain while trying to retrieve a ball. A woman also died after a house collapsed on her. Residents took advantage of a break in the rain to begin clearing debris. Sixty-five percent of the island remained without electricity, along with a lack of water and limited telecommunications. Government officials were assessing the damage, but it was hampered by the lack of communication, mainly in southern parishes that suffered the most damage. In the south-central parish of Clarendon, residents attempted to mend damaged roofs and clear downed trees. Many roadways in the area remained partially blocked from downed electricity and telecommunication poles. Seymour, armed with a machete as he and others tried to clear debris, was grateful that he and his neighbors were spared. “I am just grateful for life although Beryl destroyed a lot of roofs and we don’t have any water or light (electricity),” he said, declining to give his last name. The premier of the Cayman Islands, Juliana O’Connor, thanked residents and visitors Thursday for contributing to the “collective calm” ahead of Beryl by following storm protocols. Michelle Forbes, the St. Vincent and Grenadines director of the National Emergency Management Organization, said that about 95% of homes in Mayreau and Union Island have been damaged by Hurricane Beryl. Three people were reported killed in Grenada and Carriacou and another in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, officials said. Three other deaths were reported in northern Venezuela, where four people were missing, officials said. One fatality in Grenada occurred after a tree fell on a house, Kerryne James, the environment minister, told The Associated Press. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has promised to rebuild the archipelago. ___ Myers reported from Kingston, Jamaica. Associated Press writers Renloy Trail in Kingston, Jamaica; Mark Stevenson, María Verza and Mariana Martínez Barba in Mexico City; Coral Murphy Marcos in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Lucanus Ollivierre in Kingstown, St. Vincent and Grenadines, contributed to this report.
Turkmenistan and Iran sign deal to supply gas to Iraq. Iran will build pipeline to aid delivery None - Turkmenistan and Iran have signed a contract for the delivery of 10 billion cubic meters a year of Turkmen gas that Iran will then ship to Iraq Turkmenistan and Iran sign deal to supply gas to Iraq. Iran will build pipeline to aid delivery ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan -- ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP) — Turkmenistan and Iran on Wednesday signed a contract for the delivery of 10 billion cubic meters a year of Turkmen gas that Iran will then ship on to Iraq. The deal was announced by Turkmenistan's foreign ministry, which did not state the monetary worth of the contract. The ministry's statement said Iranian companies will construct a new 125-kilometer (77-mile) pipeline to Iran to expand Turkmenistan's delivery capacity. The ministry said Turkmenistan plans to increase its gas supplies to Iran to 40 billion cubic meters a year. Iraq last year faced disruptions in the supply of Iranian gas, which accounted for about 40% of its imports. Turkmenistan is heavily reliant on revenue from sales of the gas in its vast reserves. And the government was instructed to find alternative options to ensure the operation of power plants in the central and southern provinces of the country. The former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan relies heavily on the export of its vast natural gas reserves. China is the country's main customer for gas and Turkmenistan also is working on a pipeline to supply gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
John Deere to lay off roughly 600 employees from three US factories None - New York CNN — John Deere announced it will lay off about 600 employees across three US factories as the Illinois-based company shifts production to a newly planned facility in Ramos, Mexico. Effective August 30, about 310 employees will be laid off at two Iowa-based plants in Dubuque and Davenport, as well as 280 from a factory in East Moline, Illinois. In total, the three factories have roughly 4,175 production and maintenance employees. The Illinois factory primarily produces harvesting equipment such as combines, while the two Iowa factories manufacture construction and forestry equipment. The decision is the latest in a string of production layoffs by the farm-equipment manufacturer over the past year. Deere has sought to reposition itself as a technology company amid falling agricultural revenue in the United States. “These changes are being made due to reduced demand for the products produced at these facilities,” the company told CNN in a statement Friday. “To better position Deere to meet future demand, we continue to take proactive steps to reduce production and inventory.” The company has reported slumping year-over-year revenue after announcing a net income of more than $10.16 billion in 2023. In a May earnings call, executives forecast Deere’s 2024 income will be about $7 billion, citing higher production costs, lower shipment volumes and volatile weather that has made customers more cautious in their purchasing decisions. “We do expect incremental demand decline in the back half of 2024,” Josh Beal, the company’s director of investor relations, said in the May earnings call. “Notably, our production volumes will decline more than demand in the back half as we’re taking proactive steps to drive down field inventories. This is true for all of our major markets, South America, Europe, and also now for North America large tractors. We believe this approach best positions us to build the retail demand in 2025.” Diminishing demand comes as US farming has faced significant headwinds over the past several years. According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2023 there were 1.89 million farms in the United States, a decline of 7% from the 2.04 million in 2017. In February, the USDA forecast net farm income in 2024 will fall by $43 billion, about 27%, after reaching a record high in 2022. Crop and animal product sales are also expected to generate $21 billion less in revenue this year, according to the USDA. At the same time, manufacturing jobs across the country have plateaued at 13 million employees after recovering from a sharp pandemic-related downswing in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Specifically, machinery manufacturing, which include jobs that produce agriculture and construction equipment, has seen a decline of about 9,000 employees since the beginning of the year.
Can Boeing recover the public's trust? None - Can Boeing recover the public's trust? Founded in 1916, Boeing built a reputation as the gold standard in aviation design. But the storied company has been under scrutiny from regulators and the public alike after the 2018 and 2019 crashes of its 737 MAX, resulting in 346 deaths, and another incident with a 737 MAX this January involving a door panel blowing out mid-flight. Correspondent Kris Van Cleave talks with investigative reporter Peter Robison (author of "Flying Blind"), and with a 737 pilot who says change at Boeing is desperately needed now.
Rep. Al Green: Congressional Democrats calling for Biden to leave the race are a minority None - Rep. Al Green: Congressional Democrats calling for Biden to leave the race are a minority Representative Al Green joins MSNBC's the Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss the mounting pressure for President Joe Biden to step off the ticket after four more Democrats in Congress call for Biden to step aside.July 7, 2024
‘This campaign is in a strong position’: Quentin Fulks addresses calls for Biden to step aside None - 'We have to be ready': How advocacy groups are preparing for a Trump second term 05:17
France's left-wing parties on track to finish first in second round of parliamentary elections None - France's left-wing parties on track to finish first in second round of parliamentary elections According to early exit polls, France's left-wing parties are projected to finish first in the second round of parliamentary elections. NBC News' Josh Lederman reports on the record voter turnout and how the results are expected to leave France without a ruling parliamentary majority.July 7, 2024
‘Patently absurd’: Katyal reveals the dangers of SCOTUS enabling Trump’s Project 2025 agenda None - 'We have to be ready': How advocacy groups are preparing for a Trump second term 05:17