The Bengaluru, India-based company will buy the stakes held by Serum Institute Life Sciences, Tata Capital and Activ Pine by swapping 70.28 Biocon shares for every 100 Biocon Biologics shares, at a price of 405.78 rupees ($4.51) per Biocon share, according to a statement released over the weekend. The deal, slated to be completed in March subject to regulatory approvals, values Biocon Biologics at $5.5 billion, it said.

Separately, India-listed Biocon also said it will also buy the shares held by Pittsburgh-based Viatris in Biocon Biologics for $815 million, paying $400 million in cash and $415 million in Biocon shares. The company also plans to raise up to 45 billion rupees ($500 million) by selling shares to institutional investors, with the proceeds going toward the cash payment to Viatris.

“The integration of Biocon Biologics into Biocon represents the next chapter in our evolution,” Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairwoman of Biocon said in the statement. “Strategically, Biocon will be one of the few companies offering both biosimilars and generics at a global scale”.

The company said that integrating Biocon Biologics will simplify its corporate structure and strengthen Biocon’s position in diabetes, oncology and immunology medications, which together make up nearly 40% of global pharmaceutical industry’s revenues.

With an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion based on Forbes’ real-time data, Mazumdar-Shaw, is among the wealthiest in India. She founded Biocon in 1978 and turned it into a biopharmaceutical giant. The company acquired U.S. drugmaker Viatris’ biosimilars business for $3.3 billion in 2022. Biocon-backed cancer therapy drug maker Bicara Therapeutics raised $362 million in its IPO on Nasdaq last year.

Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, Russia has enjoyed watching the deteriorating situation in the Middle East preoccupy its main adversary, the United States. On April 13, however, Moscow grew concerned when, in retaliation for an attack on the Damascus consulate of Iran, its growing ally, Tehran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel. Although that attack was effectively neutralized by antimissile defenses and coordinated support from the United States and Arab and Western partners, Israel responded six days later with a strike on an S-300 long-range air defense system in Isfahan, a city deep within Iran.

In the same video, the same Peter Stahl explains why the company decided to take such a step. The main reason: “it is a great honor for Hochland employees to make their direct contribution and help defenders of the interests of the motherland.” Everything is summarized by the statement that the company will remain in Russia forever.

Recall that the German cheese manufacturer has not only not left the market since the start of its production, but even increased its turnover, initially explaining that there would be no benefit from the sale of assets of the largest cheese factory.

Patricia Schlesinger is accused of abusing the privileges granted to her on duty without the intervention of supervisory authorities. The press reported that in addition to her salary of more than 300,000 euros a year, the former investigative journalist received abundant «bonuses for goals» provided on not very transparent terms.

She is also accused of hosting private dinners at her home at her employer’s expense, ordering 1.4 million euros worth of work on the floor of her office in Berlin, or using a luxury service sedan equipped with seat massage systems. Her husband, a former journalist, for his part, thanks to his intervention, received consulting assignments for the Berlin Congress Center, a public company co-headed by the chairman of the supervisory board of the regional RBB channel Dieter Wolf, who resigned on August 9. The Berlin prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.

The case took on such proportions that Friedrich Merz, president of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the first opposition party, publicly condemned the violations of public broadcasting revealed as a result of the scandal. «The Schlesinger case may finally deprive public broadcasting of its legitimacy and recognition by the public», – he warned in a column published on August 13. A serious warning shot for German public channels and radio, which for several years have been criticized for their structures, often considered redundant, too expensive or unsuitable for the current media landscape.

Stations that have to finance their transition to digital, while the traditional audience is shrinking, have been on the defensive for several years. Take a look at the recent debate about the fee increase, which took unprecedented proportions in 2020, when the president of the state of Saxony-Anhalt Rainer Haseloff blocked an increase of 86 centimes per month. Only after the decision of the Constitutional Court, the reform was finally approved.

The fee in Germany is currently 18.36 euros per month per family or 220.32 euros per year (compared to 136 euros in France before its cancellation). In August 2021, a few weeks before taking office as head of ARD, Patricia Schlesinger justified the increase in contribution to public broadcasting, explaining to Der Spiegel magazine: «Saving money is our daily life».

The energy shock is global in nature, but households have suffered greatly due to the lack of a tariff shield or a similar system. «Families are facing price increases that haven’t been seen in any generation», – says Jack Leslie, an economist at the Resolution Foundation research center. In June, inflation reached 9.4% for the year, the highest level in forty years.

On Thursday, August 4, the Bank of England outlined the consequences. He now forecasts inflation at 13% in the fourth quarter and estimates that the country’s economy will enter recession in the last three months of 2022. At the same time, he is trying to stop the price increase, risking holding back a little more growth: she raised the key interest rate by half a point, to 1.75%. This is the sixth consecutive increase and the largest one-time increase since 1995.

This gloomy picture is a direct consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. «Since May [during the Bank of England’s previous forecast], wholesale gas prices have almost doubled due to supply restrictions from Russia», – Bailey said.

The UK’s predicament is far from unique. In June, inflation in the US was 9.1%, and in the euro area — 8.6%, which is close to the level of the UK. Central Europe or Germany are much more exposed to the reduction of Russian gas than the British, who mainly receive their supplies from the North Sea. Moreover, many economists also predict a recession in the eurozone and the US in the coming months.

Nevertheless, there is one peculiarity in the United Kingdom: the poorest segments of the population are particularly exposed to electricity costs. On August 3, the International Monetary Fund published a study measuring the impact of the energy shock on 20% of the richest households and 20% of the most vulnerable households across Europe. In France, Finland or Sweden, the increase in the cost of living is the same for both groups and is about 4%. In the United Kingdom, it is 7% for the richest and 16% for the most disadvantaged. Only in Estonia is there such a big gap.

The goal is to specifically target children from disadvantaged families, while it is believed that the public sector is able to offer them real support. The goal is also to give young people the opportunity to enter the labor market earlier and thereby solve the employment problems caused by the falling birth rate. Seduced by this idea, conservative President Yun Seok-el called for its «speedy implementation». Ms. Park would like to apply it in stages, starting from the beginning of the 2025 academic year.

But Ms. Park’s proposal mobilizes all education unions against her, from the conservative Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations (KFTA) to the Progressive Korean Teachers’ Union (KTU). Thirty-six educational organizations filed petitions and organized a demonstration in front of the presidential building in Seoul on August 1: parents and teachers are concerned about the risks of such a measure for children’s development.

«The requirement to enter primary school at the age of 5 is inappropriate, given the level of cognitive and emotional development of children. It can also have negative side effects, because children will face strong competition earlier when entering universities and private schools», – the trade unions explained in a letter sent to the president. For these organizations, five-year-olds should be able to play, run and develop, and not spend days sitting in class.

The proposal also angers companies in the influential private education sector. Managers of private nurseries worry about their income, because 5-year-olds make up 40 to 50% of their «clientele». At the political level, the measure requires a change in the law on education, which has not changed since its adoption in 1949. However, criticism is already coming from the progressive ranks, in the majority in the National Assembly.

«The country already allows students to enter primary school a year earlier. But the number of 5-year—olds entering primary school in 2021 did not exceed 537 people compared to 9707 in 2009», – the Justice Party responded.

The meeting of the Fed’s Monetary Policy Committee, FOMC, began on Tuesday, July 26. At its previous meeting in mid-June, the FOMC had already raised rates to a range of 1.50 to 1.75%. This was the biggest increase since 1994. This time, an increase of 0.75 points leads to the fact that the key rates range from 2.25 to 2.50%. «The Monetary Committee expects that a further increase in key rates will be appropriate», – the Fed commented in a press release.

«Recent spending and production figures have slowed», – the Fed says, referring to U.S. consumption, the engine of the U.S. economy, which accounts for almost three—quarters of GDP. «However, job creation has remained steady in recent months and the unemployment rate remains low», – she added.

Comments that Jerome Powell may make regarding the rate of increase that the institution envisions in the coming months will also be carefully studied and analyzed by observers. «Mr. Powell will repeat that the Fed considers inflation a scourge, especially for low—income households, and that policymakers are determined to reduce it», – predicts economist Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics.

The Fed said it would take a reduction in inflation to consider stopping rate hikes, or at least slowing the pace of increases. «We expect that this condition will be fulfilled by the time of the September meeting», – adds Ian Shepherdson. However, the long-awaited slowdown in economic growth aimed at lowering prices may be too strong and plunge the world’s largest economy into recession.

The European Central Bank has also begun to tighten its monetary policy, following many financial authorities. And the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that it is extremely important that these institutions continue to fight inflation. This, of course, will not be without difficulties, and «a tighter monetary policy will inevitably entail economic costs, but any delay will only aggravate them», the IMF believes. The Fed hopes for a «soft landing».

According to the Minister of Economy and Finance Joe Biden Janet Yellen, the good health of the American economy should allow it to avoid a recession. The IMF is less optimistic. «The current situation suggests that the probability of the US coming out of recession is low», – warned chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gurinchas on Tuesday.

The international institution now expects only 2.3% growth in the US this year, i.e. 1.4 points less than in its latest forecasts published in April. On Thursday, data on the growth of gross domestic product for the second quarter will be published. It should be very weakly positive after a negative first quarter (-1.6%), thereby saving the US economy from recession for this time.

If it turns negative again, the world’s largest economy will enter a technical recession. The very definition of a recession, however, is the subject of debate in the country as this publication approaches: negative growth in two quarters or a broader deterioration in economic indicators – which is not there now?

In fact, Tokyoites are proportionally relatively modest polluters, as they live in the largest agglomeration in the world. In 2021, each person threw out an average of «only» 0.73 kg of garbage per day. At first glance, the threat that waste poses to economic growth is inevitable. One has only to think of the mountains of garbage piling up in Bombay or New Delhi as proof – and metaphor — of how garbage is clogging up and slowing down the economy.

On the contrary, Tokyo’s approach to waste management can be symbolized by a completely new waste disposal site created in Tokyo Bay, a new burial site on the surface of the sea, a carefully constructed complex where waste from twenty-three counties is collected, processed and turned into ashes. The city boasts a respectable recycling rate of 20.8%, which is almost twice as much as in Malaysia.

Faced with the huge amount of waste produced by the Japanese population, the government has stepped up its recycling efforts. Businesses that have thrown away more than 5 tons of plastic items divided into twelve categories, including hangers, brushes and cutlery, will have to reduce their use between 2021 and 2022.

This campaign will initially focus on markets, restaurants and hotels, but small businesses are encouraged to follow suit. These guidelines have been implemented by municipal authorities since April 2022. Being at the forefront of the country’s economy, politics and culture, Tokyo already wants to be a champion of sustainable development and hopes to become a zero-waste city in the future.

«Бразилия потеряла 16 557 квадратных километров первоначального растительного покрова во всех своих экосистемах в прошлом году по сравнению с 13 789 квадратных километров в 2020 году», — сообщает совместная платформа MapBiomas, которая собирает данные из различных спутниковых картографических систем.

Большая часть этой вырубки лесов (59%) произошла в Амазонии. Затем идут Серрадо, бразильская саванна (30,2%), Каатинга, полузасушливая зона северо-востока (7%), затем атлантический лес или «мата атлантика» (1,8%) и Пантанал (1,7%). «Только в Амазонии каждый час вырубается 111,6 га, или 1,9 га в минуту, что эквивалентно почти 18 деревьям в секунду», — говорится в заявлении MapBiomas, объединяющей НПО, университеты и технологические компании.

Сельское хозяйство и животноводство остаются основными «векторами давления» обезлесения, на которые приходится 97%. Согласно исследованию, подземные шахты в штате Пара (Север) также оказывают сильное давление.

С 2019 года, когда к власти пришел ультраправый президент Жаир Болсонару, вырубка лесов во всех экосистемах достигла 42 000 квадратных километров, «почти площадь штата Рио-де-Жанейро», согласно тому же источнику. Экологи и оппозиция обвиняют правительство Болсонару в поощрении вырубки лесов, защите эксплуатации Амазонки и ослаблении защиты окружающей среды.

По официальным данным Национального института космических исследований (INPE), в период с января по июнь 2022 года бразильская часть Амазонии (60%) потеряла 3988 квадратных километров площади лесов, что является рекордом за первое полугодие с 2016 года.

Официальные данные также показывают, что с момента прихода к власти президента Болсонару среднегодовая вырубка лесов в Амазонии увеличилась на 75% по сравнению с предыдущим десятилетием.

«The difference between today and the latest abortion ban in the United States is that we live in an unprecedented era of digital surveillance», – said Eva Halperin, head of the organization.

Returning to the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court allows every U.S. state to ban abortions. Almost half of them could go in this direction, thirteen of them have already voted for trigger laws, that is, laws designed to come into force quickly after the decision of the highest court. Across the country, observers are now concerned about how authorities may use personal data collected by digital companies.

In states that may soon ban abortions, many digital footprints left by Internet users, as well as anyone who provides assistance or services related to this procedure, can theoretically be used by judicial authorities.

Google’s query history, for example, can be used by judicial authorities to support a case or prosecution. If a person is looking for clinics in a neighboring state with different legislation or pills needed for a medical abortion, this data can be obtained by the courts, both by seizing phones and computers – as it has already been, at least in one case.

Geolocation data, which is collected not only by Google and Apple, but also by mobile operators, is also very sensitive. If some states seek to ban trips to a clinic in a neighboring territory for an abortion and hold accountable anyone who undertakes this trip, geolocation data will be crucial.

Finally, menstrual cycle tracking apps, whose data is extremely sensitive, are at the forefront. The Flo app recently announced the upcoming launch of «anonymous mode», which erases all credentials from an account. For its part, Clue also issued a press release promising that all its users’ data is hosted in Europe, and that therefore the company is not obligated to respond to US court requests for its customers’ health data. Finally, the Natural Cycles application announced that it is working on a method of total data anonymization.

At the moment, the main technology players are content with confirming their position and assuring their employees that they will continue to facilitate access to abortions for those of them who need it. Thus, the management of Yelp, as well as Meta and Microsoft announced that they would create internal assistance for those who need to travel to another state to have an abortion, or indicated that such a mechanism already exists. «We are in the process of evaluating how best to do this, given the complex legal framework», – said a representative of Meta, Facebook’s parent company. For its part, Uber has promised to cover the legal costs of drivers who will be held accountable for delivering a client to an abortion clinic.

But none of the giants of Silicon Valley has spoken unequivocally on the issue of personal data collection. It is a difficult question when we know that many depend on these collections, both from the point of view of their internal functioning and from the point of view of their economic model, and that these companies, like mobile operators, have few means of protection from information requests by the courts.

Therefore, some elected officials seek to force platforms to assume their responsibilities. In May, shortly after the draft decision prepared by the Supreme Court leaked to the press, American elected officials wrote a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, warning about the risk posed to citizens by the collection of geolocation data by the digital giant.

Then, in early June, Sarah Jacobs, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives, introduced a bill called «My Body, My Data». The text is aimed at additional protection of users’ personal data from the point of view of health, but cannot count on voting without the support of Republicans, as the Washington Post notes.

Along with three Democratic senators, Sarah Jacobs also appealed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US regulatory trade body, to investigate how Google and Apple use mobile device user data, accusing the two companies of «unfair and misleading practices» that allow the collection and sale of personal data of hundreds of millions of smartphone users.

Meanwhile, mesages explaining how to cover their tracks on the Internet for people who want to learn about abortion procedures are multiplying. Information leaflets, which themselves may become illegal in the long term, The Verge website notes, certain anti-abortion activist groups, such as the National Committee on the Right to Life, campaigning for any assistance provided to someone who wants to have an abortion, are also prosecuted. In Texas, a law passed in September 2021 already allows, as the Protocol website notes, to prosecute, for example, a VTC driver who was transporting someone going for an abortion, or an association of abortion supporters collecting donations online.

Deserted stations, rare trains arriving. The London Underground has almost stopped. And a country under the summer sun that mostly worked at home, avoiding travel. On Tuesday, June 21, the largest train strike since 1989 took place in the United Kingdom. In accordance with the law, the minimum traffic remained in force, but only 20% of the trains ran.

Mike Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT), could enjoy the start of the evening: «It’s fantastic that the strike is being watched so closely. It exceeded our expectations».

Two more days of strikes are planned this week, but this is just the beginning, he warns: «RMT members are ahead of all workers in the country who are tired of seeing their wages and working conditions destroyed as a result of the combination of big business profits and government policy».

The British media, never lacking in images, are already calling out the «summer of discontent», referring to the famous «winter of discontent» in 1979, when huge strikes paralyzed the country, from factories to garbage removal, bypassing gravediggers.

The scale of the current movement is not comparable to the scale of the late 1970s, but social discontent is unusually widespread for the UK. In addition to transport, social movements can break out in hospitals, schools, post offices, local communities and even among lawyers.

Anger stems mainly from a sudden drop in purchasing power. On the other side of the English Channel, inflation in May was 9.1%. According to the forecasts of the Bank of England, it should reach 11% in the autumn. At the same time, wages increased sharply in the private sector (8%), mainly due to bonuses, but not in the public sector (1.5%). For 5.7 million workers in this sector, this represents a sharp reduction in real wages after a decade of austerity.

Politically, Prime Minister Boris Johnson seems relatively satisfied with this great strike movement, which allows him to criticize trade unions.

As compensation, the RMT, which does not represent train drivers, but all other railway workers, demands a 7% salary increase. This is less than inflation, because negotiations began in December 2021, even before the war in Ukraine, when no one expected such a jump in prices. Thirteen railway companies operating under private law but regulated by government agencies offer only 3%.

Added to this wage clash is the possible loss of 1,800 jobs at Network Rail, the state-owned company that runs the railways. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the development of remote work, the use of trains has sharply decreased, and savings are needed. RMT claims that this project jeopardizes the security of the network.

In a study entitled «Agriculture in Africa: The Difference between Facts and Myths», published in 2018, the World Bank identified the first difficulty: the lack of reliable data on their real presence in the agricultural sector. It is widely estimated that they provide 60 to 80 percent of the continent’s agricultural workforce, but the numbers vary greatly from country to country, from 24 percent in Niger to 56 percent in Uganda.

«They make up about 53% of those working in the region», – says Jemima Newkey, head of the Economic emancipation department at UN Women. A gray area that says a lot about the precariousness of their position in the mostly informal and very unequal sector.

The second difficulty: limited access to agricultural equipment (tools, seeds, resources, etc.) that would allow them to increase their productivity. Questionable: credit systems that are not adapted. «From having to get their husband’s permission to claim it, to an injunction against paying the down payment from the very beginning of their project, even if the income is still missing, the dysfunctions are still numerous», – regrets Jemima Newkey.

The system even sometimes just breaks down. «When micro-loans are only for women, their husbands can ask them to borrow for them, so they are the ones who will get into debt», – explains Marlene Elias, coordinator of gender studies at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

Finally, they often do not have access to land. According to the UN, less than 15% of landowners in Africa are women (20% in the world). In many countries, this access is still carried out through men. However, the rules of transfer in the event of the death of a husband, father or divorce are generally unfavorable for women.

Some governments, such as Ethiopia or Uganda, encourage spouses to jointly register land. «But the law alone is not enough. In some communities, the fact that a woman receives a title deed may be condemned. It is necessary to fight all the discrimination of the system, trying to transform [social] norms», – recalls Marlene Elias.

Women take on tasks that reduce their productivity. Work in the field is often complemented by painful work with firewood and water. «The overwhelming majority of surveys show that they work more than men, taking into account unpaid work», – confirms socioeconomist Isabelle Droit from the Development Research Institute (IRD): «They bear particularly heavy loads, taking care of children and the elderly – care without which society could not function».

Responsible for cooking, they are the guarantors of the nutrition of others. When they acquire autonomy, they tend to invest more in their family. «It has been demonstrated that investing in women’s empowerment has positive effects in terms of productivity, as well as in terms of nutrition and education of children», – confirms Marlene Elias.

According to donors and international organizations, increasing women’s agricultural potential will improve household life and increase food security. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that if women and men are guaranteed equal access to the means of production, agricultural yields in developing countries will increase by 2.5–4%. In turn, the number of people suffering from hunger worldwide may decrease by 17%.

Projects aimed at improving the representation of rural women in decision-making bodies are also multiplying. This includes educating them and giving them more space in public policy. «We need budgets allocated to gender issues in ministries and a feminist view of the problems they face», – says Jemima Newkey.

A joint report by the International Research Institute for Food Policy (Ifpri) and the Global Health 50/50 initiative, which defines and deciphers gender policy and practice in international organizations, notes that women make up only 6% of the CEOs and board chairmen in the sample. Out of 52 organizations dealing with food systems in low and middle-income countries.

To fill the gaps in this area, Jemima Newkey has been working since 2021 to create a coalition to «Make Food Systems Work for Women and Girls», including UN agencies, civil society movements, the academic sector, etc., with the aim of including gender equality and women’s empowerment in food systems. An annual index has already been developed to measure the place of women in leadership positions, gender policy and its results in agricultural sector organizations.

Finally, many experts call for rethinking the assistance intended for rural women, involving their communities, in order to avoid blockages. Because the recommendations of international donors regularly run into social norms. «It is necessary to associate men with the definition of these programs and convince them that they are also interested in these developments», – concludes Isabelle Droit.

Jose Graziano da Silva is a Brazilian agronomist, director of the Instituto Fome Zero (Institute for the Elimination of Hunger). Former Minister Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva coordinated the «Fome Zero» program in Brazil in 2003-2004 to combat malnutrition and extreme poverty. From 2012 to 2019, he served as Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which put him at the forefront of growing global food security.

Food prices have been rising rapidly for several months. What is the nature of the current crisis and the specific impact of the war in Ukraine that began on February 24?

The war is one of the factors driving up food prices. Indeed, there is a risk of famine in Africa and in the poorest Arab countries, especially in those that have already suffered from conflicts and economic crisis. It is difficult to make predictions without knowing how long the conflict will last. But it is likely that the next harvest season will be compromised both in Ukraine and among its neighbors, farmers fear instability and very high prices for fertilizers and energy.

At the moment, according to FAO estimates, grain stocks are at a fairly comfortable level. But the instability of the markets encourages speculation. Sellers keep their stocks waiting for an opportunity to sell them at a better price. This is the normal behavior of economic players in a situation of great uncertainty, when we do not know exactly what volumes are available for key producers, such as China and India. Moreover, with the exception of China, where there are state-owned shares, most of the shares in the world are private, and we do not see them.

International organizations are increasingly calling for transparency of the state of reserves. Can these signals be successful?

This will not work in any way, because speculation is inherent in the fact that several large multinational corporations dominate the markets with very weak regulation. Apart from requests from agencies such as FAO or the World Food Programme not to restrict exports and keep markets open, the World Trade Organization or the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Cnuced) are not taking any action to strengthen regulation.

Have we learned the lessons of previous food crises, in particular the crisis of 2007-2008, which led to the hunger riots? Judging by the current market and food situation, it is unlikely.

The same thing happened in Chicago, where on Friday the price closed the session at $ 10.40 (9.70 euros) per bushel, which is almost 20% below its peak in March. Despite this withdrawal, gold grain is still very valuable: prices have increased by almost 40% since the beginning of the year, which was caused by the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The evolution of the price, which is very volatile, still depends on geopolitical movements, such as weather forecasts. The changes are amplified by financial speculation. «The discussions initiated by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin on the creation of a sea corridor in the Black Sea to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain have led to a correction in the market», – says Artur Portier from Agritel. Financial players are reselling part of their position, counting on an easier flow of 25 million tons of grain, including 7 million tons of wheat, which are still stored in Ukraine.

In mid-May, it was the decision of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban wheat exports that blew up the markets. And this is despite the fact that shortly before he announced his desire to «feed the world» and correct the lack of a product after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His brutal U-turn put the markets on the wrong foot. India, the second largest wheat producer in the world after China, but with a small presence on the world trade market, is concerned about ensuring the food security of its population. However, the heat has undermined the production potential of the current crop, and inflationary pressure remains high.

Mr. Modi, however, stressed that the export contracts already concluded will be respected, and negotiations are underway with Egypt on the exchange of wheat for fertilizers. In this tense situation, everyone is wondering about the production volumes for the 2022-2023 campaign. So far, the green light is on in Russia. This year, as never before, the key role in grain trade will be played by the country led by Vladimir Putin.

After the decree on the blockade of European agricultural products in 2014, during the annexation of Crimea, the blockade, which was never lifted, Russia increased its agricultural forces and established itself as a leading exporter of wheat on the world market with 18% of volumes. The country continues to increase its agricultural capacity and is rapidly becoming a leader in the global wheat market, which is almost independently able to form product prices on global trading platforms.

Now the ECB recommends that the European Council officially approve this accession. This should be done during the meeting of EU economy ministers in July. Croatia will then switch to dual price display in the autumn, and then switch to coins and banknotes in the same currency in the new year. The Croatian kuna, used since 1994, will disappear with an exchange rate of 7,53450 per euro.

The approval of Croatia’s accession is not a surprise, but marks the culmination of a long process that began shortly after the country became a member of the European Union in 2013. This requires compliance with a number of economic criteria: the level of public debt and deficit, inflation, the financial condition of banks, the reliability of statistical data, the fight against money laundering, etc. The country gradually had to demonstrate its achievements in this.

The proof that this process is not necessarily simple is that Croatia, but also Bulgaria at the same time, in July 2020, joined the European exchange rate mechanism (known in jargon as «ERM II»). This crucial phase, prior to joining the euro, places the local exchange rate in a fixed range of plus or minus 15% relative to the euro. However, today only Croatia has received the green light from the European Commission and the ECB. Bulgaria postponed its accession until January 1, 2024 due to lack of sufficient economic progress.

I must say that the period was difficult. «The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have made it difficult to achieve convergence», – explains Philip Lane, ECB Chief Economist. Croatia, a very tourist country, has been particularly affected by Covid-19. As elsewhere, the country’s debt has jumped, exceeding the limit of 60% of gross domestic product (GDP), in principle imposed on all member countries (even if half of the countries currently do not comply with it). Unlike Bulgaria, Croatia has made significant fiscal efforts, reducing its debt from 87.3% of GDP in 2020 to 79.8% last year. «A strong decline», – the ECB report welcomes.

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Miles

When it comes to earning travel rewards from American express platinum card, one of the best ways is to sign up for a rewards program. Airlines often offer sign-up bonuses for spending over a certain amount of money within the first three months. Some reward programs will also offer a referral program, where you can earn bonus miles when you refer new members. There are many ways to get free miles and other perks from a rewards program.

General travel rewards cards are the best types of miles credit cards to choose, as they don’t tie you to a specific airline and can be transferred to multiple travel rewards programs. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a popular choice among frequent travelers, thanks to its moderate annual fee, many of its benefits, and its 1:1 point transfer to Chase Ultimate Rewards partners. However, if you aren’t planning to use your credit card for traveling, don’t worry – the general travel rewards cards have plenty of other benefits too.

Fixed-value cards

Some credit cards offer an incredibly high number of points on signup or upon first spend. Others offer category bonuses, meaning extra points on specific categories. All of these features can help you add up your stash more quickly than normal spending would. Fixed-value cards earn airline miles for airfare and are a great way to chase elite status with a particular airline. You can even transfer your points to your partner airline for travel discounts or premium cabin awards.

Some credit cards are designed to earn points in either cash or transferable to other programs. Flexible travel points can be transferred to airline or hotel loyalty programs. Fixed-value points are usually used for domestic travel and discounted hotel stays. But, if you want to redeem them for premium cabin award flights or a luxury hotel stay, fixed-value cards are more ideal. Here are some tips to help you decide which type of credit card is right for you:

No-annual fee cards

There are many benefits to no-annual-fee credit cards. They allow you to earn cash back or points redeemable for travel. However, they don’t come with the same benefits as premium travel cards. Using no-annual-fee credit cards can improve your credit score over time. Listed below are some of the advantages of no-annual-fee cards. These cards don’t require an annual fee, but they do require you to make monthly payments. If you are concerned that you won’t be able to keep track of your spending, no-annual-fee cards can help you achieve your financial goals.

When choosing a no-annual-fee card, look for one that offers rewards for different categories of spending. Some no-annual-fee travel cards come with welcome offers that give you $200 in rewards right away. Other no-annual-fee travel credit cards tend to have perks like automatic elite status or in-flight discounts. General travel credit cards in this niche often offer benefits like travel insurance.

Colleges in Canada are controlled by the state. The level of education meets international requirements, and many colleges in Canada are on lists of the best educational institutions in the world. A number of colleges are among the top leaders in the creation of applied and academic programs.

Canada’s colleges have many links with employers in a variety of industries. This is how they provide internships for their students, and then employment. It is very easy for college graduates to get a work visa in this country and stay here to work.

The conditions that colleges in Canada provide for international students are great for living and studying. They are housed in campuses or host families, and each college has counsellors and assistants to help them adapt and find their social circle.

Why attend college in Canada

1. The cost of education in Canada is lower than in other countries. The average cost of a year of study at a Canadian university – 30 000 CAD, and in college even lower – from 15 000 CAD.
2. Canadian education is recognized worldwide.
3. Ability to work legally while studying. The average salary per hour – 12,90 CAD.
4. After studying in Canada there is an opportunity to stay working. After at least one academic year (8 months) at state college, you can get a work permit for a year.
5. Career scope. Almost every large international company has its office in Canada

How to choose a college in Canada

There are public  colleges and private colleges in Canada. Only after study at a public college are you eligible for a work permit after your studies. There is almost no difference in price, but public colleges are more popular.

In Canada, 99% of colleges are in the province of Ontario. The most popular majors that international students enroll in are: Management, IT, and Hospitality.

Programs of study

Colleges in Canada offer more than 500 different programs of study in a variety of fields.

Private and public colleges focus on preparing people for jobs. There are special programs designed for every field of study, for example, a student may choose journalism, accounting, hotel management, commerce, IT, film production, nursing, firefighting, or stylist, to name a few.

Colleges in Canada offer three levels of study for international students at the end of which the student receives:

* Post diploma certificate;

* diploma;

* A bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Depending on the preparation of the applicant, there are:

1. Graduate programs ;
2. Programs for university graduates with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

After college a student may continue his or her education at a university from the 3rd year in a transfer program. Postgraduate programs are also available at some colleges.

Canadian colleges offer special preparatory courses for international students, after which it is not necessary to pass an examination, and it is possible to enter a specialized program immediately. They are necessary if the applicant does not speak English well enough. Such courses give an opportunity to learn the language, adapt, become more confident and easier to study later.

Prices

Canadian universities offer degrees that are recognized in every country in the world, just as they are in the United Kingdom or the United States. However, tuition here costs much less than in the UK or America.

The average cost is 14,000 to 19,000 CAD a year for undergraduate programs.

The price of tuition depends a lot on the college and the major.

Admission process

For admission you need to provide:

* A high school diploma (11th grade);

* grades from school or university (excellent in the major subjects and not below average in the others);

* IELTS or TOEFL English test;

* portfolio for creative specialties;

* Sometimes there is an additional interview or tests for creative programs.

They Have Good Quality Food

To the surprise of many people, most airlines provide good quality food to their customers. It might not be as gourmet as you would expect, but it will be neat, clean, and tasty. They have professional cooks to ensure good quality meals for their customers.

Meals Vary in Every Flight

There isn’t one menu for all airlines. In fact, it varies on different flights. You can’t go on a plane hoping you would get what they served the last time. It all depends on how the airline plans it. However, they offer the same menu in most cases.

Different Food for Different Classes

Different classes get different kinds of meals. The rule is simple: you get what you pay for. If you pay them more, they will offer you better food. You will have a bigger menu to choose from and it will be served to make you feel special.

Your Taste Buds Change on Air

Humidity drops to less than 12% when you are at a height of 30 thousand feet. On top of that, you have very low pressure. This reduces the sensitivity of your taste buds for sweet and salty dishes. It’s not a theory, it’s actually scientifically proven.

There is Science Behind Cooking on Flights

Cooking on a flying plane is not easy. You have to consider many little things and have to be careful. That’s why they design a menu that can remain tasty even after cooking, cooling, and heating at 30 thousand feet.

Inflight Dining Might Not be Free

While some flights offer complimentary food and drinks, this is not the case with every airline and flight. It mostly depends if you are on a local or international flight. Some packages come with an inclusive price of anything you can eat while some will ask you to pay upfront.

No Meals for Short Flights

If you have a short flight of 2, 3 hours, you don’t really need food. They serve food when you are on a longer flight and you might miss breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They might offer you some drinks though. Water is always on the menu and free.

Long Flights Might See Popular Chefs

Long flights with good airlines offer many perks to its passengers. These tickets are not cheap, so airlines ensure you get your worth. That’s why you might get a chance to see and enjoy the food of very popular chefs. It’s difficult to even get a reservation at the restaurants of such chefs, but you get to enjoy their cooking while traveling on a plane.

Now You Also Get Metal Cutlery

Normally, airlines serve food in a plastic tray. This has a negative impact on the experience. You can easily eat with plastic cutlery but it doesn’t give that good feeling you get with proper silver spoons. They had to stop the use of metal after the unfortunate incident of September 11, but it has started again. You might not get in the economy, you can expect in first or business class.

They Don’t Mind Special Diets

One might think that they won’t get any special treatments on a plane. After all, they offer traveling service, not food service. However, they always take care of the special diet needs of all their passengers.

They can’t just cook meat and expect vegetarians and vegans to either eat it or go hungry. Likewise, they have to consider allergies, religious beliefs, medical issues, and children’s preferences. They will have something for everyone so you can have a comfortable journey with a full belly.

Pack Your Own Baby Food

While they serve food for all kinds of people, you will have to do something yourself for little babies. This means you should pack what your baby might need and take it with you instead of relying on the flight crew.

Use Hot Water to Heat Baby’s Milk

Airplanes don’t have anything to help you sterilize bottles. If you have to give milk to your baby, you will need a clean bottle. If you have doubts, you can ask them if they can heat the bottle and milk inside it with hot water. You should ask this before you get on the plane.

Only Halal Food from Islamic Countries

If you are traveling on a flight leaving from a Muslim country, you will only get halal food. This means no alcohol or pork. Islamic beliefs forbid them from eating certain types of food and drinking any sort of alcohol. You will still have a lot of options but none will have pork or alcohol in them. This is one thing you will have to sacrifice. On the positive, you can rest assured that any food they will offer is fresh and clean.

Some Airlines Don’t Serve Alcohol

Many airlines provide you with complimentary alcohol depending on the class you are traveling in. They give you just enough so you don’t lose control of yourself. However, all airlines owned by Muslims don’t serve alcohol.

You Might Not be Allowed Your Own Alcohol

You can forget about taking your own alcohol in any airline owned by Muslims. You might think then you can take your own alcohol on the plane, but it might not be allowed.

You can take a bottle in your bag, but whether they allow you to drink it on the plane is a different story. Some airlines that don’t serve alcohol might allow it but you will have to confirm it with them before you board the plane.

The scandal-scarred royal is celebrating hitting the milestone age Wednesday with a private dinner at Royal Lodge, the Windsor residence he shares with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.

It is already a downscaled celebration after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, scrapped a lavish party in the aftermath of his disastrous attempts to justify his friendship with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Now they are struggling to even fill the smaller party because so many people are saying they are “unavailable,” according to the Daily Mail.

To save embarrassment, last-minute invites are being sent to “second-tier guests” to make up the numbers, according to the UK paper, which says it highlights Andrew’s “dizzying fall from grace.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are believed to be among those who have snubbed the party, and are instead sending a gift and a video message to be played there, according to the Sun.

The invites are being sent by Fergie’s assistant, Jane Clarke, on behalf of the Duchess of York and her daughters with Andrew, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Mail said.

Columnist Sebastian Shakespeare noted it was a “far cry” from Andrew’s 50th birthday, which was held over a weekend at St. James’s Palace.

A recent policy change also means there is “no requirement” for local councils to fly flags to mark the occasion, as had previously been the case, because Andrew is no longer performing royal duties.

Jeri Seratti-Goldman of Santa Clarita, Calif., has been holed up in an isolation unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she’s been separated from her husband, Carl, who tested positive for the coronavirus.

“This is my life for the next 14 days by myself,” she told her nearly 4,000 viewers Monday in a Facebook live video, panning around a hospital room with a treadmill and private bathroom.

Although she has a cough, she hasn’t received a confirmed diagnosis for the coronavirus, with her results coming back negative in the latest evaluation, she said.

Still, she has to stay in a room that’s equipped with its own ventilation system and an abundance of cough drops.

“I am not able to leave this room at all,” Seratti-Goldman said. “I do have a treadmill but this is it for 14 days. No going outside, no nothing.”

She and her husband were among the 340 Americans who were evacuated on two US charter flights Sunday from the coronavirus-stricken cruise in Yokohama, Japan.

The couple, who own the California station KHTS Radio, celebrated the news of the rescue operation in blog posts chronicling their “crazy adventure.”

But during the mission, they were determined to be among the 13 evacuees who were suspected of having the infectious disease.

Jeri’s husband, Carl, came down with the fever mid-flight and was isolated on the aircraft carrier, she said.

“He could not walk off the plane today between the fever and the Guillain-Barre weakening his immune system,” Seratti-Goldman said, referring to an autoimmune disease he suffers from.

Upon arrival to Omaha, Carl was placed in a special biocontainment unit while Seratti-Goldman was placed in a separate quarantine unit for 14 days.

Carl tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, according to KHTS Radio.

“Carl and I are able to talk and Facetime so we can just pretend that we are together,” Jeri said.

She added that she’s also keeping busy by providing updates on the couple’s hospital stay and taking questions on social media from family members and friends.

“Christmas just happened again today… I got a pair of sweatpants, a shirt, undies, some shavers, a comb and because of my cough, Halls, which is huge,” she excitedly told followers in one video.

Meanwhile, Japanese health officials reported 542 cases among the 3,700 quarantined passengers and crew members Tuesday, making the ship docked in Yokohama the site of the most infections outside of China.

The death toll from the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has reached more than 1,800 — most in mainland China — and has infected more than 73,000 people worldwide.

With Post wires

“I think we need to be extremely cautious in using the term ‘pandemic.’ We had lots of controversies during the H1N1 situation, around when it was pandemic and when it wasn’t pandemic, and I think we need to be careful,” Ryan said.

Ryan continued:

Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of WHO’s Infectious Hazards Management Department, agreed, adding, “The difficulty with certain words is that their interpretation varies, and for [the] general public, very often ‘pandemic’ is really the worst-case scenario. And so I think we need, before qualifying the event as the worst-case scenario, we need a lot more evidence and a lot more data. And so that’s why I think we need to be cautious, because it can really create panic unnecessarily.”

Provand’s Lordship

This historical building was established back in the year 1471 and half of the structure was once a part of the St Nicholas Hospital. Lord Prebendary of Balenock lived in this majestic structure in the late 19th century. The city of Glasgow received the legal ownership of the historic architecture in 1978. The building still houses the authentic wooden furnishings from the late centuries. It is the best place to visit if you are planning to take a trip back to Scotland’s medieval times.

Fort William

Ben Nevis is Britain’s tallest mountain. You can explore or visit this landmark by visiting the scenic town of Fort William. There are a lot of places to visit once you reach this destination. The fort resides along the south-eastern end of the Caledonian Canal, which is a coastal town that you can travel to by foot. The establishment traces back to the late 17th century. It is home to sizeable collections of famous paintings, Highland costumes, and historical weaponry.

The People’s Palace

The People’s Palace is a museum meant to exhibit the different lifestyles of the Glaswegians. The museum became available for public visits and tourism in the year 1898. The main goal of the establishment is to showcase the cultural and traditional lives of the people. It educates its visitors about the vast history, stories and folklore.

Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile

If you have plans for showing your loved ones a real-life castle, then the one located in Edinburgh is a grand sight indeed. With towering stone towers, Edinburgh Castle sits at the top of a hill, high enough to gaze upon the beautiful Edinburgh skyline. The place is home to Scotland’s most precious and priceless crown jewels such as the famous Stone of Destiny. Since the castle is perched on the top of a rocky hill, getting there will be a challenge. The Royal Mile also extends to a length that makes walking it an enjoyable outing. You can look for car rental or campervan hire Edinburgh companies offer, to get reliable transport to visit these spectacular landmarks.

Glasgow’s Science Centre

The Glasgow Science Centre is Scotland’s most innovative and interactive establishment, which aims to entertain and educate its visitors. The museum is home to the latest and most modern form of technological inventions. Most of the rooms come equipped with touch-screen panels and high-tech equipment. It has various facilities that you can visit, such as the Science theatre, Planetarium, and interactive science exhibits.

Remember to prep for your travels. Contact your travel agency to know more about the country and routes that you should take. Visit Scotland’s majestic architecture and landmarks now!

In a lengthy Twitter thread, Agnès Callamard said that “outside the context of active hostilities, the use of drones or other means for targeted killing is almost never likely to be legal,” adding that the US would need to prove the person targeted constituted an imminent threat to others.

She also took issue with the justification for using drones in another country on the basis of self-defense.

“Under customary international law States can take military action if the threatened attack is imminent, no other means would deflect it, and the action is proportionate,” she wrote.

“The test for so-called anticipatory self-defense is very narrow: it must be a necessity that is ‘instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means, and no moment of deliberation.’ This test is unlikely to be met in these particular cases,” she added.

Callamard noted that “an individual’s past involvement in ‘terrorist’ attacks is not sufficient to make his targeting for killing lawful.”

The French human rights expert also criticized the Pentagon’s statement about the airstrike.

“It mentions that it aimed at ‘deterring future Iranian attack plans.’ This however is very vague. Future is not the same as imminent which is the time based test required under international law,” she wrote.

Make a plan.

The first step to properly budgeting and to bring down how much you’re spending on your weekly and monthly food shop is to make a plan. Going to the grocery store without a plan is a recipe for unneeded purchases and food making its way directly from the fridge to the trash. To avoid this, start by making a list of the meals you want to eat throughout the week. Three to four core meals is a good place to start. As long as you cook in bulk, this will be plenty to last you for the week.

Make a list.

Once you have your meals planned out for the week, you can start making your list of ingredients that you need to buy. Get each recipe and note down what you need and in what quantities. You may find that some foods overlap, which is great. This means that you can buy in bulk and have enough food for each meal. If meal planning is new to you, you may find that in your first couple of weeks, you’re buying lots of new ingredients, but as you continue, you’ll build up a nice cupboard full of the basic ingredients that will be useful across many different meals. This includes things like dry carbs such as rice, beans and lentils, spices, and tinned tomatoes. These foods form the backbone of many great foods, and soon, you’ll only need to buy fresh meat and vegetables to go along with them.

Make a budget (and stay focused).

Once you have your list, it’s time to shop! As you go down each aisle, try to stick to your list. It can be easy to get carried away in the grocery shop and buy foods you either don’t need or that aren’t the healthiest choice. One of the best ways to stick to your list is to have a firm budget that you need to stick to. This will mean that you don’t have any room to buy extras as you go.

Set a day for cooking.

When you get back home, a great way to save time and to make sure that you don’t run out of meals throughout the week is to cook multiple meals in an afternoon. Try to make two to three meals at once and make enough so that you get multiple servings. Portion these out and put in the freezer, so that you can thaw them out throughout the week. This will help you to avoid any emergency trips to eat out or get food delivered in.

Royal Guard Major General Abdul-Aziz Al-Faghm was allegedly gunned down by Mamdouh bin Meshaal bin Ali at a house in the coastal city of Jeddah, CNN said, citing state media.

The two men were involved in some sort of altercation — the cause of which was not revealed — when Bin Ali left before returning with a gun and opening fire, the report said.

Two other people at the house, including its owner, were injured in the shooting.

Bin Ali then allegedly “refused to surrender” and died a shootout with arriving police officers, authorities said.

Al-Faghm worked for the Saudi royal family for roughly 15 years, according to Arab News.

Before serving as King Salman’s bodyguard, he was part of an entourage for late King Abdullah, the site said.

The PM has said the arrangement to avoid a hard border after Brexit is “anti-democratic” and must be removed to secure a deal.

But the EU has rejected the possibility of any changes to the backstop.

Mr Johnson said the EU’s response to his demands was “a bit negative”.

However, he said he would enter Brexit talks with “a lot of oomph” and there was “a real sense that something needs to be done” with the backstop.

“We can’t get it through Parliament as it is,” he added.

The backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement negotiated between Brussels and former Prime Minister Theresa May, which has been rejected by Parliament three times.

Mr Johnson has vowed to do all he can to renegotiate the agreement, but has insisted the UK will leave on 31 October with or without a deal – “do or die,” as he put it.

Labour and other opposition parties, as well as a number of Conservative MPs, have vowed to do everything possible to prevent a no deal.

They say it would severely damage the economy and lead to widespread disruption to areas like travel and food supply.

Jeremy Corbyn has promised to bring a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson as a means to do that, and some Tories have said they would rather bring down their own government than see no deal happen.

The BBC’s political correspondent Iain Watson said beyond his backstop demand, Mr Johnson would take a second key message to the German chancellor – “renegotiate now and don’t assume the anti-Brexit dissidents in the UK Parliament will find a way to block no deal.”

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Ms Merkel stressed that the backstop was a position of last resort and once “a practical solution” was found for the Irish border which allows trade and secures the Good Friday Agreement, it would not be needed.

She also indicated, though, there would be no change to the withdrawal agreement.

The military band at the German Chancellery is getting good at the British national anthem.

It is the second time in three years they’ve laid on full military honours for a new British prime minister.

Boris Johnson’s “do or die” rhetoric has alarmed and bemused Berlin, but Germany’s position hasn’t changed since Theresa May first arrived here seeking a Brexit deal for Britain.

The UK matters to Germany, but the integrity of the EU and its single market matter more.

Angela Merkel will no doubt serve up her Brexit red lines over the working dinner. The Irish backstop is one of them.

Prime Minister Johnson’s threat of a no-deal Brexit sends a shiver down the spine of German economists and industrialists, especially at a time of global economic uncertainty.

But even the business community here believe Germany and Europe must not put the unity and interests of the EU at risk simply to avoid the pain of such a scenario.

Mr Johnson’s meeting with the German chancellor is the first in a series of talks with EU leaders.

On Thursday, he will travel to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and on Saturday he will attend the G7 summit alongside other world leaders including US President Donald Trump.

Conservative MP and former minister Ed Vaizey said Mr Johnson was “hell-bent” on a no-deal Brexit and was “just going though the motions” in his attempts to talk to the EU.

Therefore, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the only way to avoid no deal was to find a way to persuade Parliament to back the existing deal.

“We’ve been looking at the wrong target. The EU has said again and again and again this is the deal. They’ve got 27 countries to support it; we can’t even get 350 MPs to support it.”

Mr Vaizey added that the onus was now on “people like the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party” who should support the withdrawal agreement if they genuinely want to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

In a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk on Monday, Mr Johnson said the backstop risked undermining the Northern Irish peace process and must be scrapped.

He called for “flexible and creative solutions” and “alternative arrangements” – based on technology – instead.

That demand was met with a wall of rejection from the EU.

Mr Tusk said those opposing the backstop without “realistic alternatives” effectively supported re-establishing a hard border.

The European Commission said Mr Johnson’s letter did not contain a “legally operational solution” to the Irish border issue.

Highly sensitive

Speaking to RTE, Ireland’s foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney said: “We are not going to abandon a solution that we know works for some kind of promise on the basis of trust…

“We are not in the business of being steam-rolled at the end of this because a British prime minister has rolled out new red lines.”

Mr Coveney also reiterated that Ireland would not do a bilateral deal with the UK, following a report in the Sun newspaper that Mr Johnson believed such an arrangement could replace the backstop.

The Irish border is a matter of great political, security and diplomatic sensitivity, and both the UK and EU agree that whatever happens after Brexit there should be no new physical checks or infrastructure at the frontier.

The backstop is a position of last resort to guarantee that, but if implemented, it would see Northern Ireland stay aligned to some rules of the EU single market.

It would also involve a temporary single customs territory, effectively keeping the whole of the UK in the EU customs union.

On Tuesday, the government has announced that British officials would stop attending most EU meetings from 1 September, only taking part in those where the UK has a “significant national interest”.

The Department for Exiting the European Union said it would “unshackle” them from discussions “about the future of the Union after the UK has left” and allow them to focus on “our immediate national priorities”.

But the SNP’s Fiona Hyslop expressed concern the move could leave Scotland and the UK unrepresented while it was still a member of the EU.

The government is also ramping up its preparations for no-deal, announcing it will automatically enrol UK firms in a customs system to enable them to continue trading with the EU after Brexit.

And the communities department has allocated £9m to councils in areas with key ports to help prepare for Brexit.

However, Labour called for ministers to “put businesses and the economy first, and rule out a no-deal Brexit”.

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Peter Dowd said the “panicked announcement” was “late in the day” for businesses and would “not come close to mitigating the disastrous effects a Tory no-deal Brexit will have on small business exporters”.

Traditionally, dating sites would serve a specific region. For example, a website would serve the East African area and another on the Asian parameters, etc. Well, things are changing for the better with a more open-minded approach that’s promoting interracial dating. You can now chat with girls on interracial Dating Central with the greatest diversity in culture (black, white, Asian, and Latino).

One of the main reasons why interracial online dating is gaining popularity is because it has so much to offer for those looking for a learning experience in addition to beauty. Some may term it as “curiosity,” but it’s stirring up interracial dating. With the advancement in technology and communication channels, people are finding out more about other ethnicities.

For some individuals, they say that they have been within their comfort zone of dating people from the same race, and it didn’t seem to work in their favor. Expanding their territories provided a solution. The different ideology leaves people excited with something new as opposed to what they are used to dealing with. This isn’t to say that there’s something wrong about dating within a similar race. No. It’s exciting for people who have tried to date on the same grounds, but they feel like it isn’t meeting their goals. 

Interracial dating is beating beliefs that traditionally prevented people from interacting across different ethnicities. For example, the thought that the Blacks are barbaric is a belief that’s dead and buried. People get to see the real side of others from different backgrounds without external influence. Also, people from the same race can also be very different. Therefore, people should venture into interracial dating with an open mind rather than approach the concept from a negative perspective.

The success rate of interracial marriages is proving that people from different backgrounds can successfully lead to a long-term relationship. Despite the challenges of adopting different cultural concepts, the venture proves to be exciting and fun for many.

Geographical boundaries are no longer a concern for people. Initially, it would be difficult to meet people from different regions due to travel requirements. The few who traveled couldn’t represent everyone from their background. However, with interracial online dating, it’s possible to meet people without leaving the comfort of your office or home. Even better, couples can easily maintain a relationship with better communication channels such as video calls and live chat.

Interracial dating has gained popularity with the advancement in technology. In addition, people are more open to adopting and accommodating cultural differences. More dating sites focusing on interracial dating are coming up, and with the numbers, they are showing that more people are open to the concept.

Russia’s Investigative Committee also said it had opened a criminal case over the fires and was investigating officials in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk for suspected negligence at having not taken action to stop them.

The wildfires cover 3.1 million hectares of mostly remote, uninhabited forest, the Federal Forestry Agency said on Thursday.

Medvedev ordered the Interior Ministry, General Prosecutor’s Office and Investigative Committee to investigate if some fires had been started to conceal illicit logging and to report back to him by Nov. 1, TASS news agency reported.

Environmentalists have dubbed the fires an ecological catastrophe and a petition circulated online by an ecologist from Siberia had garnered 872,000 signatures as of Thursday demanding authorities take tougher action.

The Defence Ministry said 10 army transport planes and 10 helicopters had arrived in Krasnoyarsk, a day after President Vladimir Putin ordered the army to help firefighters battle the fires.

Regional authorities have said the wildfires have been caused by lightning after a long spell of hot weather, but Medvedev also raised the possibility of arson at a meeting in the Siberian city of Chita on Thursday.

Anton Beneslavsky, a Greenpeace activist, however, said the fires were caused by a combination of climate change and what he said were ineffective measures in place to bring forest fires under control.

Firefighters have been battling forest fires on 116,000 hectares in Siberia’s Irkutsk and several other regions, but other vast fires covering a total of 2.96 million hectares are only being monitored, the Federal Forestry Agency said.

NASA said in a statement on Wednesday its satellite imagery showed the smoke from fires, which collectively cover an area the size of Belgium, had wafted across Russia’s Siberia and Far East all the way to Alaska down the west coast of Canada.

More than 800 inhabited settlements, from villages to cities, have been shrouded in smoke in the regions of Krasnoyarsk, Yakutia and Irkutsk, TASS news agency cited the emergency services as saying.

In a rare phone call late on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump offered his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin help in putting out fires. Putin told Trump that Moscow would take him up on his offer if needed.

Separate online satellite imagery from fires.ru, a site run by a satellite monitoring company, showed that the fires appeared to be near an area where the Kuyumba oilfield is located in eastern Siberia.

Russian oil giant Rosneft, which operates the field, declined to comment, but a source at the company said Rosneft had taken all possible measures to ensure that its facilities were safe.

(Additional reporting by Maxim Rodionov, Olesya Astakhova, Maria Vasilyeva; Editing by Alison Williams)

Corine Bastide, 45, disappeared near Liège on 23 July, two days before temperatures reached 41.7C.

Her car had swerved into a ditch in a remote area, injuring her spine and leaving her unable to exit the car.

Though severely dehydrated, she remained conscious and survived by drinking rainwater.

She was found on Monday after her family raised the alarm to police, who issued a missing persons alert.

From her hospital bed in the city, she told Belgian broadcaster RBTF she thought no-one would find her in what she describes as a “terrifying heat.”

“The first night, my mobile didn’t stop ringing. I tried to answer it but I couldn’t because my arm was too sore,” she recalled.

“The next day, it stopped ringing.”

She remembers losing consciousness every time she moved her arms to try to escape. Eventually, after much effort, she managed to open the car door with her foot.

“The most difficult thing was lying on pieces of glass. I tried to hoist myself up but I had the impression that my back was being torn.”

There was no food or drink in her car before the crash, so when it began to rain following the heatwave, she collected rainwater to drink in an empty chewing gum box.

“I also used a wet branch to create the sensation of moisture in my mouth. But I didn’t feel hungry, ” she added.

When a car stopped near the roundabout where she went off the road, she cried out for help.

“‘Corine, is it you?’ they asked. They knew my name.”

Among the drivers was the mother of her son’s friend who had seen the missing persons posters and immediately called the emergency services.

She spoke of her extreme gratitude towards the woman who had saved her.

“She told me she had been looking for me everywhere. She stayed with me all the time and that woman, I think she is my guardian angel.”

Despite her horrific ordeal, Ms Bastide says she feels lucky to be alive. Throughout, she never lost hope because she thought of her children.

“I wanted to live for my children. I didn’t want them to ever think that I had made a mistake…

“It was imperative that I got out of this situation so I could do all of the things I had planned to do with my children. It was they who gave me the strength to carry on.”

Ms Bastide’s son told The Times newspaper that she would have to undergo surgery and stay in hospital for several weeks.