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Every weekend, Asia Pacific Daily will provide you with a run-down of the latest hot news.
This week, the following hot news you should know:
Top 1 |China, EU reach comprehensive investment agreement
China and the European Union (EU) reached a comprehensive bilateral investment agreement on Wednesday.
China and the EU, the world's two major economies, launched the negotiations for the agreement in 2014.
Top 2 | French wine exporters say U.S. wine taxes a "sledgehammer" to sector
The U.S. decision to impose additional tariffs on French wines and cognac, which come in addition to a first set of tariffs late last year, will cost the sector a total of over 1 billion euros ($1.23 billion), the French wine exporters’ federation said on Thursday.
The U.S. government on Wednesday said it would raise tariffs on certain European Union products, including wines from France, the latest twist in a 16-year battle over aircraft subsidies between Washington and Brussels.
Washington had already imposed additional tariffs of 25% on French wine in October 2019, among an array of EU food, which FEVS said had cost the sector 600 million euros ($737 million) over a year.
Top 3 | Iran Accuses UK Security Firm of Leaking Info for US Drone Strike That Killed Soleimani
Earlier, Iran’s top judge Ebrahim Raisi said that the US President was the “chief criminal” in the assassination case of Iranian anti-terror commander General Qasem Soleimani, killed in a drone strike on 3 January, adding that Donald Trump is by no means immune to punishment for the assassination.
UK-based multinational security services company G4S collaborated with American forces in the drone strike killing of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani on 3 January 2020 in Iraq, Tehran Prosecutor Ali Alqasi-Mehr said on Wednesday.
Top 4 | EU wants swift resolution of aircraft dispute with Biden
The European Commission said on Thursday that new U.S. tariffs on EU products disrupted ongoing negotiations with Washington to resolve a 16-year battle over aircraft subsidies and it hoped to find a swift solution with the next U.S. president, Joe Biden.
The Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 27-nation European Union, said it regretted the U.S. action, which “unilaterally” disrupted ongoing talks about subsidies for European planemaker Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing.
Top 5 | WHO, marking year since COVID-19 began, urges fair vaccine distribution to all
The head of the World Health Organization, marking a year since the first cases of the novel coronavirus were reported by China, urged countries on Wednesday to ensure that vaccines are made available to people at risk everywhere, not just in rich nations.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, appealed for $4 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccines for distribution in lower and middle-income countries through the COVAX vaccine facility.
Top 6 | Turkey, U.S. in talks to form joint working group on S-400s, sanctions -minister
Turkey and the United States have started talks to form a joint working group regarding U.S. sanctions imposed over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
Washington slapped the sanctions on NATO ally Turkey’s Defence Industry Directorate (SSB), its chief Ismail Demir and three other employees this month following its acquisition of the S-400s.
The sanctions come at a delicate moment in the fraught relationship between Ankara and Washington as Democratic President-elect Joe Biden gears up to take office on Jan. 20, replacing Republican incumbent Donald Trump.
Top 7 | Japan virus outbreaks, scandals sap public support for Suga
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga came to office on a wave of popularity, pledging to combat the coronavirus and fix Japan's languishing economy.
Three months after he took over from his former boss Shinzo Abe, a more charismatic leader from an influential political family, Suga seems to be struggling to find his feet. His support ratings have sunk amid flaring virus outbreaks and scandals within the ruling party, even as the economy appears to be recovering.
On Monday, the Nikkei financial newspaper said its latest survey found approval ratings for Suga’s government had sunk more than 30 points to 42% from 74% in late September. The 48% of those questioned who disapproved mainly cited a lack of leadership and poor handling of the pandemic.
Top 8 | India tests vaccine delivery systems ahead of emergency approval
Some Indian states on Monday began a trial run of COVID-19 vaccine delivery systems, with health authorities checking everything from their technology platforms to the storage infrastructure that will be required to inoculate millions.
India wants to deliver 600 million coronavirus shots in the next six to eight months starting in January, with emergency use approval for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine expected within days.
The country’s drug regulator is also considering similar approvals for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and another developed by India’s Bharat Biotech.
Top 9 | Trump reverses on coronavirus stimulus deal, signs package he called a 'disgrace'
President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package Sunday, despite a remarkable video message he posted to social media days earlier in which he called the bipartisan legislation a "disgrace."
"I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more," Trump said in a statement announcing he had signed the bill.
After weeks of negotiation and bipartisan votes of approval in the House and Senate, Trump on Tuesday unexpectedly slammed the COVID stimulus legislation but stopped short of saying he would veto it. The message upended Washington, drew bipartisan condemnation and threatened to end a chaotic year with a government shutdown.
Top 10 | PM sold out fish in Brexit trade deal, fishermen say
British fishermen said on Saturday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sold out fish stocks to the European Union with a Brexit trade deal that gives EU boats significant access to the United Kingdom's rich fishing waters.
Some British politicians also said the deal added up to a sell-out.
The United Kingdom will leave the EU's Common Fisheries Policy on Dec. 31, but under the trade deal agreed on Christmas Eve the current rules will remain largely in place during a 5-1/2-year transition period. After that period, there will be annual consultations to establish the level and conditions for EU access to British waters.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
