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Global

Bhadrakumar: G20 is in need of genuine reform^IP^, and US stoops to conquer Global South with some Indian help^IP^

The G77+China Summit (consisting of 134 countries) was held in Cuba this year, with the aim of building a "new economic order",^PW^ and with Diaz-Canel saying that we need to "change the rules of the game" in favor of developing countries.^TS^

China has once again urged for unilateral sanctions to be lifted to improve international humanitarian work.^CGTN^

The 8th Belt and Road Summit was held in Hong Kong, with nearly 6000 attendees and over 100 delegations, which are record-breaking numbers.^GT^

Simon Watkins - an oil industry analyst ghoul who nonetheless has very good contacts and information - talks about the current state of oil prices, and says (unsurprisingly) that Saudi Arabia and Russia benefit from forcing oil prices higher and higher, and that Saudi Arabia is paying more attention to what China wants than what America wants. He suggests that the equilibrium price for Brent is about $85, with a ceiling of $95 (prices currently sit at $93). Back in the Trump years, the ceiling was $15-20 lower. Interesting critiques of Watkins' position in the comments for those more interested.^NC^

Meanwhile, uranium prices continue to approach highs not seen for over a decade. We've gone from "the Niger coup is really significant for uranium prices" to "actually, it's not really that significant for uranium prices" to "actually, it might be somewhat significant for uranium prices because the output of other uranium producers are already booked". Dialectics or something, idk.^FT^

Europe:

Oil prices in Europe reach a 10-month high.^EN^ Cost of Living Crisis threatens EU Energy Transition,^NC^ The ECB has hiked interest rates to its highest level since the euro was invented.^Euractiv^ The EU's emergency aid reserve is being repeatedly depleted, with 400% more requests for assistance due to extreme weather events over the last two years.^BNE^ The EU is saying that they are unafriad of a trade war with China after a Chinese warning when they began probing Chinese electric car subsidies.^SCMP^ Europe’s solar power industry has warned that a glut of cheap Chinese imports has pushed some manufacturers to the brink of bankruptcy.^FT^ The EU has hit TikTok with a €345 million fine for failing to protect children's privacy.^EN^

The EU has lifted an import ban on Ukrainian grain, which was put in place earlier this year to protect eastern European farmers.^FT^ Poland has declared that the EU can fuck off, and they won't open their borders to Ukrainian grain anyway,^Euractiv^ as have Hungary and Slovakia.^Euractiv^ Bulgaria is taking the news better.^Euractiv^

Tunisia migrant deal will respect human rights, says EU Commission.^Euractiv^

The €785 million agreement between Brussels and Tunis was brokered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen together with Dutch and Italian premiers Mark Rutte and Giorgia Meloni. Under the deal, the will EU provide financial support for Tunisia’s economy and projects for underwater fibre-optic and electricity cables between the EU and North Africa, in exchange for cooperation on migration control.

However, Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has become increasingly authoritarian since suspending parliament, sacking the government and governing by decree in July 2021. A new constitution was introduced this year and many high-profile opposition leaders and civil society activists have been arrested and charged with sedition in recent months.

Croatia:

CW: mentions of sexual violence.

The government has announced tougher measures to fight violence against women, including recognizing femicide in its criminal code, and imposing longer prison sentences for rape.^EN^

Czechia:

Inflation has slowed slightly to 8.5% year-on-year,^BNE^ while unemployment inches up to 3.6%.^BNE^ Czech oil imports from Russia are at 65% this year, compared to 56% the year before - the highest share in a decade.^BNE^

An article on lithium production in Czechia, which holds Europe's largest lithium reserves - where something like a million lithium-ion car batteries could be made every year.^DW^

France:

A French electric battery startup has received €2 billion in financing to create a gigafactory in Dunkirk.^Euractiv^ France is aiming for 150,000 new farmers in 10 years as it experiences an ageing workforce.^Euractiv^

CW: mentions of sexual violence.

The government has launched a major campaign to tackle incest and sexual violence suffered by 160,000 children every year.^EN^

Germany:

The number of sex worker registrations has increased by nearly a fifth to over 28,000 in 2022 compared to 2021, with experts attributing it to the reopening of businesses - the figure pre-pandemic was over 40,000.^DW^ Germany has suspended migrant intakes from Italy due to the "currently high migratory pressure on Germany", and Italy's refusal to take back migrants under their right-wing government which violates their agreement.^DW^ Poland-based Ukrainian refugees are moving to Germany for better wages.^Euractiv^

The government has announced a modernization program for the country's rail network, to be completed by 2030.^DW^ The government has started construction on a high-voltage transmission line from the north to the south, after a decade of delays.^Euractiv^ Volkswagen is weighing up ending Polo production in Europe due to emission regulations costs.^FT^

Greece:

The floods in Central Greece have been devastating, with 30 inches of rain in one day flooding the area and destroying villages and land, and killing 15 people.^Euractiv^

Hungary:

Industrial production fell by 2.6% year-on-year.^BNE^

The country's population is projected to decline below 9 million by 2043 compared to 9.63 million currently, prompting the deeply conservative government to have to consider immigrant labour.^BNE^

Italy:

Meloni is considering looking at Hungary's "perfect example" of how to solve demographic issues, as Italy is facing record negative birth rates.^Euractiv^

Latvia:

Latvia’s parliament voted on Friday (15 September) to confirm Evika Silina of the centre-right New Unity party as the next prime minister, leading a broad coalition, following the resignation last month of Krišjānis Kariņš.^Euractiv^

Lithuania:

The government is giving Belarusians special passports allowing them to leave and enter Lithuania after the Belarus government announced that they would no longer issue passports to citizens permanently living abroad.^EN^

Norway:

The Labour party has lost its first local elections in 99 years to the right-wing.^Euractiv^

Poland:

One month until the Polish elections, where the ruling conservative party has shrunk in voting share from 44% in 2019 to 38% now.^EN^ The Polish foreign ministry has fired the head of its legal service due to a scandal over work visas.^Euractiv^ 70 detained migrants in a prison went on hunger strike, the country's biggest hunger strike of this kind.^EN^

Portugal:

The government is working to minimize the impact of the nine-week production stoppage at the VW plant.^Euractiv^

Romania:

The EU is using money generated by a tax on pollution to fund a gas pipeline.^CCN^ Inflation remains steady at 9.4% year-on-year.^BNE^

Slovakia:

The EU is reacting extremely normally to the possibility that Smer-SD may win the elections, whose leader has stated the extremely controversial propaganda that the war in Ukraine began in 2014 when Ukrainian fascists killed Russian civilians.^Euractiv^ In fact, most Slovak parties do not support sanctions against Russia.^Euractiv^

Switzerland:

A group of international bond investors is drawing up plans to sue Switzerland in the US courts for expropriation over the losses they suffered after the rescue of Credit Suisse.^FT^

CW: mentions of sexual violence.

A study has revealed that there have been 1000 cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Switzerland since the mid-20th century, of which nearly 75% were against minors and over half were against men or boys.^EN^

Ukraine:

Biden taps former Commerce Secretary Pritzker to help Ukraine with economic recovery.^PD^