2025-05-18 09:11
TOKYO, May 18 (Reuters) - Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has hit a record low, with nearly nine out of every 10 voters dissatisfied with the government's response to soaring price of rice, the nation's beloved staple, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday. Support for Ishiba's government was at 27.4%, down from 32.6% a month ago, a Kyodo poll showed, boding ill for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito in an upper house election slated for July. Sign up here. The poll showed 87.1% of respondents found government measures addressing rising rice prices insufficient. Retail rice prices are about double what they were a year ago after extreme heat hit crops and a tourism boom added to demand, although the government in March started releasing stockpiled rice into the market. https://www.reuters.com/world/support-japan-pm-ishiba-hits-record-low-rice-price-soars-kyodo-reports-2025-05-18/
2025-05-17 21:18
Kentucky and Missouri declare states of emergency after deadly tornadoes Two killed in Virginia during bout of severe thunderstorms St. Louis tornado kills 5, injures 38, damages 5,000 properties Federal resources offered to affected states by Homeland Security secretary May 17 (Reuters) - An unstable spring weather system spawned tornadoes overnight in the U.S. Midwest and Ohio River Valley, killing at least 25 people in Kentucky and Missouri and causing widespread damage to homes and property, state and local officials said on Saturday. In Kentucky, at least 17 people were killed in Laurel County, about 80 miles (129 km) south of Lexington, when a twister touched down around midnight, Governor Andy Beshear said on Saturday afternoon on social media. Another person was killed in Pulaski County, Kentucky. Sign up here. “This is another tough morning for Kentucky after a night of deadly weather,” Beshear said. Earlier, Beshear declared a state of emergency, as did Governor Mike Kehoe in Missouri, where seven people died as a result of the severe weather, including five in St. Louis. Aerial images posted on social media showed scenes of destruction in Laurel County, with entire blocks of houses reduced to splinters, and cars and pickup trucks left battered or crushed in the tornado's wake. Laurel County Sheriff John Root described the devastation as "a mass casualty event," saying on social media that there were numerous severe injuries and emergency crews were searching for survivors. Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's Office, said 22 families who were displaced by the tornado were being housed in emergency facilities. "Their homes were completely destroyed right down to the ground," Acciardo said. He said the tornado was identified as an "EF5," the most powerful category. The destruction recalls the damage caused when a monstrous tornado descended on the western Kentucky town of Mayfield in December 2021, killing at least 22 people in Graves County, including eight in a candle factory that was leveled. TORNADO HITS ST. LOUIS Earlier, a tornado ripped through St. Louis, where in addition to killing at least five, it injured 38 and damaged 5,000 properties, Mayor Cara Spencer said. It tore off the roofs of houses, knocked down power lines and swept through a major thoroughfare during rush-hour traffic on Friday. Two others were killed in Scott County, in southeastern Missouri, according to officials. "Our city is grieving tonight," Spencer, who was sworn in as mayor a month ago, told reporters on Friday night. "The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous." St. Louis resident Joan Miller recounted her narrow escape when a tornado struck her brick house. "The wind started, the tree out front was shaking so violently," she said. "And suddenly all the doors shut, the windows flew out from the bedroom ... the entire back of my house ... you can see straight into the alley now." The National Weather Service said thunderstorms were widespread across portions of the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio Valleys on Friday. At least half a dozen tornadoes touched down in Missouri and neighboring Illinois and other severe weather stretched all the way to the Atlantic Coast, including another tornado reported in New Jersey. Two people were killed on Friday in separate incidents in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington, when trees fell on their cars, according to media reports. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she had talked with the governors of Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois to offer federal resources to help their states cope with the aftermath. "We discussed how while emergency management is best led by local authorities, we reinforced that DHS stands ready to take immediate action to offer resources and support," she wrote on social media. Noem has championed a change in the federal strategy for managing disasters under the Trump administration by shifting responsibilities to states. President Donald Trump's proposed budget includes deep cuts for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which falls under her purview. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/severe-storms-kill-least-21-kentucky-missouri-2025-05-17/
2025-05-17 18:26
ROME, May 17 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned on Saturday that rigid green policies could devastate Europe's industrial base, and called for a more cautious approach to the ecological transition that protects economic and social stability. Speaking after meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Meloni said the European Union's push towards electrification, particularly in the automotive sector, risked undermining the continent’s manufacturing strength. Sign up here. "I have often said that in a desert there is nothing green," Meloni told reporters in Rome. "Before anything else, we must fight the desertification of European industry." She said that alternative fuels such as biofuels and hydrogen must play a central role in Europe's green strategy. Meloni criticised the EU's past regulatory approach as too inflexible, saying it had "crushed" sectors like the automotive industry. She also expressed concern that Europe was depending on electric vehicle supply chains dominated by non-European countries, calling this a strategic vulnerability. "I continue to believe it is counterproductive to focus solely on the electric transition, where the supply chains are not controlled by Europe, but by other actors," she said. Meloni urged the European Commission to go further in revising key aspects of the so-called Green Deal, including new emissions calculations that account for the entire production cycle of a vehicle, not just tailpipe emissions. The European Parliament earlier this month voted to soften rules for European automakers, meaning they will not have to comply with EU CO2 emissions targets for cars and vans that could have led to fines of up to 15 billion euros ($17 billion). Following heavy lobbying, the European Commission proposed allowing automakers to meet the targets based on their average emissions over the period 2025-2027, rather than just this year. Italy and Germany — Europe's two largest manufacturing economies — should lead efforts to restore competitiveness, Meloni said, adding that the automotive sector was one area where bilateral cooperation could make a decisive impact. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/italys-meloni-warns-eu-green-policies-risk-industrial-desertification-2025-05-17/
2025-05-17 17:27
GEORGETOWN, May 17 (Reuters) - Guyana's parliament passed an oil pollution bill late on Friday that holds parties liable for damages caused by oil spills, including from vessels. The bill, which passed with a majority of votes cast in a simple voice vote, is expected to soon be signed into law by President Irfaan Ali. Sign up here. Guyana, whose oil production is controlled by an Exxon Mobil-led (XOM.N) , opens new tab consortium is expected to surpass 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year. The South American country is trying to reinforce oversight of its nascent energy industry, where all crude and gas output comes from offshore fields. The legislation stipulates that responsible parties provide financial assurance to cover spills, conduct regular inspections and audits, and address any issues found. It also includes penalties for companies that fail to comply with regulations, including the suspension of licenses to explore and produce oil for those that do not provide the financial assurance required. Guyana, whose oil production is controlled by an Exxon Mobil-led (XOM.N) , opens new tab consortium is expected to surpass 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year. Last year the country became Latin America's fifth largest oil exporter after Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. The Exxon group, which includes U.S. Hess (HES.N) , opens new tab and China's CNOOC (600938.SS) , opens new tab, produced an average of 631,000 bpd of oil in the first quarter, 3% higher than in the same period last year. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/guyana-lawmakers-pass-bill-making-companies-liable-oil-spill-damages-2025-05-17/
2025-05-17 16:14
MEXICO CITY, May 17 (Reuters) - Mexico said on Saturday it is suspending imports of poultry products from Brazil after the South American country confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm. "With the aim of protecting the national poultry industry, Mexico is temporarily suspending the import of chicken meat, fertile eggs, live birds, and other poultry products from Brazil as a precaution," Mexico's Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-suspends-poultry-imports-brazil-after-bird-flu-case-2025-05-17/
2025-05-17 15:57
BUENOS AIRES, May 17 (Reuters) - Thousands of residents evacuated on Saturday as rains lashed the north of Argentina's Buenos Aires province, a vital agricultural hub, and caused severe flooding. The National Meteorological Service, which issued a red alert for the region on Friday evening, reported rainfall between 150 and 250mm (6-10 inches) between the cities of Zarate and Arrecifes. It warned that storms were "constantly regenerating," with more rain expected. Sign up here. Television images showed residents in Zarate, 100 km (62 miles) from the capital, navigating submerged streets in boats loaded with belongings. A long-distance bus with 44 passengers was trapped by floodwaters on Route 9 near Zarate. "Water started coming in and covered everything," the driver told the local C5N television channel. In San Antonio de Areco, more than 260mm fell in 24 hours – an amount local mayor Francisco Ratto called "rarely surpassed." The heavy precipitation in the key food-exporting region is anticipated to cause further delays to the ongoing soybean harvest. Argentina is the top global exporter of soybean meal and oil, as well as the third-largest exporter of corn and a major wheat exporter. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/severe-floods-hit-argentina-farm-region-thousands-evacuate-2025-05-17/
