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PARIS: The temperature in France on Friday (Jun 28) surpassed 45 degrees Celsius for the first time on record as Europe wilted in a major heatwave, state weather forecaster Meteo-France said. The record was set in the village of Villevieille in the southern department of Gard, which registered a high of 45.1 degrees Celsius. The previous record stood at 44.1 degrees Celsius in the same area during the notorious August 2003 heatwave, Meteo-France said. France, Spain, Italy and parts of central Europe are particularly badly hit by the high temperatures, and officials have urged people to take "common sense" precautions. France's new record temperature of 45.9 degrees Celsius was registered in Gallargues-le-Montueux, a village in the southern department of Gard near Montpellier, breaking successive records set earlier in the day, the Meteo-France weather service told AFP. This is the same area where the previous high of 44.1 degrees Celsius was set in August 2003. Records began … [Read more...] about Temperature hits 45 degrees Celsius in France as Europe heatwave leaves 2 dead in Spain

TOULOUSE: The European Commission’s decision last month to block the proposed rail-industry merger between Alstom and Siemens was clearly a blow for the two companies. It was also a major setback for the French and German governments, which had strongly supported the deal. Upset by the decision, France and Germany now want to rewrite European Union (EU) merger rules and give member states more say over proposed tie-ups. Although such an approach may seem tempting, Europe would be wise not to leave competition policy enforcement in the hands of its politicians. A HIGH-SPEED RAIL CHAMPION Supporters of the Alstom-Siemens merger said it would create a European high-speed-train champion to rival China’s rail giant CRRC, which operates in a large, and mostly closed, domestic market and – according to the deal’s backers – may soon increase its presence in Europe. READ:  An Italian port awakens to China’s siren call, a commentary But this was not a “no-brainer” merger … [Read more...] about Commentary: Europe’s stillborn high-speed rail giant reveals lessons about competition

Scientists from at least thirty-three universities in the United Kingdom have worked with Chinese military researchers on the development of nuclear weapons, an investigation has claimed. Top academics, including those at the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh and Manchester, have reportedly worked alongside researchers at China’s top nuclear weapons research institution, the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). According to The Telegraph , academics from at least thirty-three UK universities have published papers alongside Chinese researchers at the CAEP or its subsidiaries. Some of the British scientists are believed to have even accepted positions at the Chinese institution. The CAEP and its underlings have all been placed on America’s sanction list for their role in developing the communist regime’s nuclear arsenal and advanced weapons technologies. The CAEP and its subsidiaries are also all under the supervision of China’s Central Military Council, which is … [Read more...] about Top British Scientists Helped China Develop Nuclear Weapons Technology: Report

Mikhail Gorbachev turned 90 on Tuesday, with several world leaders sending well-wishes to the former leader of the Soviet Union. The former leader of the Soviet Union and secretary-general of the Communist Party is considered by some as one of the greatest reformers of the 20th century — but remains a controversial figure at home. How did he celebrate his birthday? Still active, Gorbachev heads a political foundation and co-owns the Kremlin-critical newspaper, Novaya Gazeta . He celebrated his birthday while staying in a hospital as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gorbachev was scheduled to have video calls with his aides and associates who gathered at his foundation to congratulate him. He also spoke with world leaders and read messages from admirers worldwide. Gorbi and the Germans: Mikhail Gorbachev at 90 Remembering the 'Fathers of Unity' The first and only president of the former Soviet Union turns 90 on March 2. Since German … [Read more...] about Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev celebrates his 90th birthday

SHANGHAI: China's decision to let its currency weaken against the dollar on Monday (Aug 5) sent global markets diving further into the red and provoked a Twitter tirade from US President Donald Trump. The deteriorating picture appeared to worsen as official Chinese media reported Beijing ceased purchases of American farm exports. The Chinese yuan fell to its lowest level against the dollar since August 2010 in morning trading on Monday, fuelling speculation that Beijing is allowing currency depreciation to counter threatened US tariffs. US President Donald Trump reacted angrily later in the day, accusing China of deliberately and improperly weakening its currency. "China dropped the price of their currency to an almost a historic low. It's called 'currency manipulation.' Are you listening Federal Reserve?" he said on Twitter, calling the change "a major violation" which would "greatly weaken China." The onshore yuan also tumbled, hitting 7.0536 in Monday morning trade to … [Read more...] about Chinese yuan falls to lowest level against US dollar since August 2010