In from the cold: Scandi wines hope to win over drinkers
Sipping a glass of local wine is likely not what springs to mind when visiting Scandinavia, but this colder, northerly region is emerging as a new wine frontier. Hundreds of commercial vineyards are now dotted across Denmark, Sweden, and even Norway, as a first generation of professional winemakers transform what was once a niche hobby into a small but flourishing industry. Far north of France’s Bordeaux or California’s Napa Valley, more than 10,000 vines grow on a hillside on Zealand, Denmark’s biggest island. “People have found out that it is actually possible to grow wine in Denmark, so newcomers are coming, year [Read More…]
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses confidence vote
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a vote of confidence in parliament, paving the way for early elections on 23 February. Scholz called Monday’s vote and had expected to lose it, but calculated that triggering an early election was his best chance of reviving his party’s political fortunes. It comes around two months after the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition government, which left the embattled chancellor leading a minority administration. Ahead of Monday’s vote, Scholz said it would now be up to voters to “determine the political course of our country”, teeing up what is likely to be a fiercely [Read More…]
No-one gets France’s difficulty more than me, says Macron’s new PM Bayrou
Centrist leader François Bayrou has become France’s latest prime minister, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to end months of political turmoil. Bayrou, a 73-year-old mayor from the south-west who leads the MoDem party, said he was fully aware of the “Himalayan” task facing France, and he vowed to “hide nothing, neglect nothing and leave nothing aside”. He is seen by Macron’s entourage as a potential consensus candidate and his task will be to avoid the fate of his predecessor. Ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier was ousted by MPs nine days ago and welcomed Bayrou to the prime minister’s [Read More…]
NATO must switch to a wartime mindset, warns secretary general 4 days ago
The head of Nato has said it is time to “shift to a wartime mindset”, as he warned the military alliance’s members were not spending enough to prepare for the threat of a future conflict with Russia. Secretary general Mark Rutte said Moscow was “preparing for long-term confrontation with Ukraine and with us”, describing the current security situation as the worst in his lifetime. “We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years,” he said in his first major speech since becoming secretary general in October, urging members to “turbocharge” their defence spending. His [Read More…]
Who is Luigi Mangione, CEO shooting suspect?
The scion of a prominent Maryland family who came top of his class at an elite private school before graduating from an Ivy League college, Luigi Mangione seemed to have everything going for him, according to friends. They have been left stunned by the 26-year-old’s arrest for the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot last week in New York City. Mr Mangione will plead not guilty, his lawyer says. According to a law enforcement bulletin seen by US media, Mr Mangione was allegedly motivated by resentment at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies. He [Read More…]
India: Is the fastest-growing big economy losing steam?
Is the world’s fastest-growing big economy losing steam? The latest GDP numbers paint a sobering picture. Between July and September, India’s economy slumped to a seven-quarter low of 5.4%, well below the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) forecast of 7%. While it is still robust compared with developed nations, the figure signals a slowdown. Economists attribute this to several factors. Consumer demand has weakened, private investment has been sluggish for years and government spending – an essential driver in recent years – has been pulled back. India’s goods exports have long struggled, with their global share standing at a mere [Read More…]
Germany’s one million Syrians at centre of fierce debate over their future
Across Germany Syrians have been celebrating in the streets the downfall of former president Bashar al-Assad. But now many will be feeling less euphoric, as some politicians question their future in Germany. There are around a million people with a Syrian passport in Germany. Most of them came from 2015-16, after Angela Merkel’s government made a decision not to close Germany’s borders to refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war. The mood at the time was that Germany would manage. The climate now is rather different. Within hours of the news of Assad’s fall, a fierce political debate erupted in Germany over [Read More…]
What just happened in Syria?
The Assad family ruled Syria for more than 50 years with an iron fist. Now that has come to an end. Bashar al-Assad became president after the death in 2000 of his father Hafez, who had ruled for almost three decades. In 2011, he brutally crushed a peaceful, pro-democracy uprising, sparking a devastating civil war in which more than half a million people have been killed and 12 million others have been forced to flee their homes. Twelve days ago, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied rebel factions launched a major offensive in north-western Syria. The [Read More…]
Trump vow to end automatic citizenship for anybody dem born for America
President-elect Donald Trump say e go chook eye for pardon for those wey involve for di 2021 US Capitol riot on im first day back in office next month. “Dis pipo dey live in hell,” e tell NBC Meet the Press for im first broadcast network interview since e win di November election. Di Republican also vow to end automatic citizenship for anybody dem born for di country, but e offer to work with Democrats to help some undocumented immigrants wey dem bring come US as children. For di interview wey dem record on Friday, Trump promise to issue “a [Read More…]
China opens probe into Nvidia, accusing company of violating its anti-monopoly law
The action follows the Biden administration’s announcement of new limits on the ability of Chinese firms to use U.S.-made chips. China on Monday accused U.S. chipmaker Nvidia of violating its anti-monopoly law, a move likely to escalate already-tense trade relations between the two countries as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office for a second time. China’s state market regulatory arm said the probe is related to Nvidia’s 2019 acquisition of Mellanox, a global supplier of computer networking equipment. China had conditionally approved that acquisition in 2020. A Nvidia spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The [Read More…]
