Monday, March 25

Author: Michael Kitching

G7 Countries Examine Russian Oil and Gas Price Caps
Business, News, Russia

G7 Countries Examine Russian Oil and Gas Price Caps

The leaders of the G7 countries have agreed to explore the possibility of introducing price caps on Russian oil and gas. G7 officials told Reuters news agency.   With the introduction of a maximum price, the major industrialized countries want to ensure that Moscow earns less from the sale of fossil fuels. The income from oil and gas is an important means for Russia to finance the war in Ukraine. Fuel prices have risen sharply, partly due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Although countries such as the United States and Canada have already decided to stop buying Russian oil and the EU countries have agreed to ban oil from Russia by the end of this year, Moscow still earns a lot from the sale of fuels. The idea is to link financial services, insurance and the shipping of oil carg...
Zelensky Asks G7 Leaders for Anti-Aircraft Fire
Europe, News, Ukraine

Zelensky Asks G7 Leaders for Anti-Aircraft Fire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the G7 countries to send additional anti-aircraft fire.   He did so on Monday via a live connection with the summit that is being held these days in Schloss Elmau in southern Germany, reports a European official who wishes to remain anonymous. More heavy weapons weren't the only thing on Zelensky's wish list. He also argued for tougher sanctions against Russia and wanted more security guarantees from the G7 leaders. The Ukrainian president also asked for help with grain exports. Its export is made virtually impossible by the Russians. The G7, the major industrialized countries of the world, will discuss the consequences of the war in Ukraine until Tuesday. In addition to the G7 leaders, EU leaders and several other government leade...
Amazon is Working on Deepfake Voices for Alexa
Business, News, Tech

Amazon is Working on Deepfake Voices for Alexa

Amazon's smart assistant Alexa could get a feature where it can imitate a human's voice based on a minute of audio.   Amazon says it is working on the feature where Alexa can imitate someone's voice based on a minute of audio. The company will announce this at its re: MARS conference in Las Vegas in the United States. The technology is packaged as an opportunity to reminisce about dearly departed by having texts read in their voices. Quite apart from the psychological ramifications of that idea, and ethical questions about the rights to a person's voice, technology that can quickly and easily "deepfake" someone's voice has other potential consequences. For example, it could be used for fraudulent purposes such as voice phishing ("vishing"). Think, for example, of a phone call from ...
Volkswagen CEO: Risks for Factories Due to Russian Gas Stop
Business, Germany, News

Volkswagen CEO: Risks for Factories Due to Russian Gas Stop

The German automaker Volkswagen is at risk with production at its factories if Russian gas supplies to Germany were suddenly stopped. That said CEO Herbert Diess to Bloomberg news agency at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha.   He said that because Germany relied on Russian natural gas, the company will retain the option of running its power plants on coal instead of gas. He stated that the transition in Germany to energy sources other than Russian gas is not proceeding fast enough and that major disruptions could therefore arise if Moscow suddenly turns off the gas tap. According to the CEO, it will take time to get liquefied natural gas (LNG) from other countries and build the infrastructure for it. Diess did say that he is convinced in the longer term that Germany can do without R...
President Macron Rejects Borne’s Resignation
Europe, France, News

President Macron Rejects Borne’s Resignation

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has tendered her resignation after the election defeat of President Emmanuel Macron's party coalition. It is customary for the Prime Minister to leave after such a heavy political defeat. But Macron has not accepted her resignation.   He believes that "the government should continue to carry out its duties". Macron says he is looking for "possible constructive solutions". His party coalition Ensemble won only 245 seats in the National Assembly from 577 deputies in the parliamentary elections. He ruled until this week with a majority of 350 seats. Macron must now look for new allies or partners of tolerance. He is therefore speaking with the leaders of all political parties to see what kind of government can come. He has the best chance with the...
The European Commission Starts Research into Iron Pill Maker Vifor Pharma
Business, Europe, News

The European Commission Starts Research into Iron Pill Maker Vifor Pharma

The European Commission has launched an investigation into possible practices by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Vifor Pharma that distort competition in the market for iron pills.   Vifor Pharma has been trying to discredit its rival Pharmacosmos through misleading communication campaigns, according to indications the committee has "for years". According to European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager (Competition), the Swiss company, the market leader in the sale of iron pills called Ferinject, is spreading misleading information, especially among healthcare professionals, about the safety of the drug Monofer from Pharmacosmos. That Danish company also markets drugs to treat iron deficiencies. According to Vestager, patients ultimately bear the brunt of the practices because compet...
London for Extradition Assange to the US, Appeal Still Possible
News, UK, US

London for Extradition Assange to the US, Appeal Still Possible

British Home Secretary Priti Patel has agreed to extradite Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US.   She has signed for the extradition because she sees no legal grounds to lawfully reject the request.   Assange and his lawyers are appealing this decision, according to English media. They have 14 days to do so.
London Imposes Sanctions on Russian Patriarch Kirill
News, UK

London Imposes Sanctions on Russian Patriarch Kirill

The British government has put the spiritual leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, on a sanction list for his support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.   Kirill and others on the sanctions list will no longer be allowed to enter the UK. Their assets are also frozen. The British Foreign Office announced the measures on Thursday, two weeks after Kirill was removed from a proposed European Union sanctions list. The EU decided to do so under pressure from Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he does not want to punish religious leaders. The Hungarians got their way because otherwise the agreed oil embargo against Russia would be jeopardized. The Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, has also been placed on the British san...
NATO to Help Ukraine Switch to Western Weapons
News, Ukraine

NATO to Help Ukraine Switch to Western Weapons

NATO will help Ukraine switch to Western weapons to defend itself against the invaded Russian army. These are more modern than the Soviet-made weapons on which the country has so far mainly relied, says NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.   In addition, NATO countries' stocks of Soviet weapons are running out. The NATO countries will agree on new support for Ukraine at their summit in Madrid in two weeks, Stoltenberg expects. It should "make it possible for Ukrainians to move from old Soviet-era equipment to more modern standard NATO equipment," said the secretary-general. This also allows the distressed country to better cooperate militarily with NATO. "We are extremely focused on ramping up support." Until now, Ukraine has mainly received weapons from the old arsenals of former Eastern...
Foreign-Owned Company Behind London’s Double-Decker Buses
Business, News, UK

Foreign-Owned Company Behind London’s Double-Decker Buses

Go-Ahead Group, the largest operator of London's iconic red double-decker buses, has fallen into foreign hands.   The company, which operates commuter trains in addition to buses, is being acquired for £648 million by an investor group led by Australian industry peer Kinetic. Go-Ahead operates nearly a quarter of London's buses, including part of the city's zero-emission fleet. The company also operates Govia Thameslink, the UK's largest rail operator, responsible for commuter trains to London and the Express line to Gatwick Airport. Interest in takeovers of British transport companies has been increasing recently. Investors expect a rebound in passenger traffic after the corona pandemic and are attracted by the stable returns the sector offers due to the predominantly multi-year ...