An exceptional moment that Saudis along with people of the entire world have experienced on December 11, 2024 after Saudi Arabia scripted a new chapter as the first country in FIFA history to host the World Cup single handedly in its new format consisting of 48 teams. This experience drew attention of the entire globe as it will be the first edition of the World Cup in which the teams qualified for the tournament in its expanded format will compete in one country. Hence, Saudi Arabia’s message "Welcoming the world" came to represent this dazzling reality that everyone is eagerly awaiting. It is known that after two years the world will bid farewell to the old format of the World Cup, the most important event that the planet awaits every 4 years. The global tournament will continue to be played in its new format in 2030 but with joint organization of three countries, and after that it will be the turn in 2034 for Saudi Arabia from whom the world awaits an exceptional version of the World Cup that is absolutely unprecedented. The importance of granting the Kingdom the right to host the 2034 World Cup goes beyond football, as it comes as an expression of the confidence of the international sports community in Saudi Arabia’s capabilities and potentials of geographical diversity, economic weight, cultural richness and historical fragrance, which will make hosting the tournament on its lands a great opportunity to achieve a comprehensive experience for football fans with their diverse hobbies and interests. Ten years from today, Saudis will be scripting a new and bright page in the book of Saudi pride, and this time through the gate of sports. Behind this achievement stands Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, an inspiring leader who led, planned, followed up and supervised meticulously the details of this inspiring story, seeking help for that from God and then from a people who are in his eyes the first capital and inexhaustible wealth. How won’t it happen? Thus he is the one who planted hope in them, ignited the flame of ambition and raised the banner that “the impossible is not Saudi.” He expressed this achievement eloquently and concisely by saying, "We do not dream; we think about a reality that is achieved." The Crown Prince did not stop there, but rather raised the level of Saudi achievement to the highest strategic level for decision-makers by forming a supreme committee headed by him personally to follow up on this national project, which came as a deserved result of a long and arduous journey since the launch of Vision 2030. Thus sending another message of Saudi Arabia's determination and resolve to transfer sports and football to another level of Saudi care and hospitality. This expressed the renewed antiquity and a national identity rooted in the depths of history to constitute the greatest opportunity to convey Saudi Arabia's message to the world of tolerance, love and peace. Our weapon in that is the determination of the people of Tuwaiq and the youth of the Kingdom who are capable of overcoming all difficulties. Saudi Arabia's message today is that it is the most important player in the field of culture as it was on the economic, political and religious levels. It is not just a fuel pump for the world or barrels of oil that affect its economy, but rather it is a peacemaker and a source of love, culture and arts, in addition to the ability to reach one of the most important experiences of hosting a sporting event of this importance. This Saudi victory is the will of the political leadership, the determination of the people, and the work of institutions, organizations, and bodies that joined forces to reap it. If hosting the World Cup is the crown jewel in the long story of Saudi excellence, then its book of successes contains many pages from hosting the 2027 Asian Cup to organizing World Expo 2030. Saudi Arabia's message today is that it is capable of creating creativity and presenting it to the world in a way that achieves "renewed antiquity," which is a Saudi duality par excellence. The joy, jubilation, and solidarity of Saudis to express that joy was a message of thanks and gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their unlimited support for all activities and sectors that invest in the homeland and the citizen and achieve prosperity and well-being and compete with the countries of the first world to prove that "the impossible is not Saudi.” Saudi excellence is a fast train towards the future, its first stop was Vision 2030, and its stations are so many and diverse in all fields and levels, and its ambitions have no limits except the sky. < Previous Page Next Page >B.C. premier says feds and provinces plan right-left approach to Trump's tariff plans
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By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts.
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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its fourth loss in the last six days. It’s a pause for the index, which has been rallying toward one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 234 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report early in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they dilute one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders are widely expecting the Fed will ease its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which lowered rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.7% and was one of the heaviest weights on the market despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.4% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move “enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 3.2% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.94 points to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 234.55 to 43,914.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 132.05 to 19,902.84. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.33% from 4.27% late Wednesday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.Washington begins to make way for TrumpworldAP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:27 p.m. ESTThe five-part series will debut globally on December 10. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will bring a new series to Netflix in December, revealing the “grit behind the glamour” in the high-stakes world of polo. The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.
On Dec. 11, President-elect Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he has tapped Kari Lake to serve as the next director of Voice of America. Lake was a television news anchor in Phoenix for nearly three decades until she left in 2021 after making a series of controversial statements on social media, including sharing COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic. She launched her political career a short time later, quickly building a following and national profile as she sparred with journalists and echoed Trump in her sharp criticism of what she called the “fake news.” She ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for Arizona governor in 2022 and Arizona Senator in 2024. After Trump’s announcement, many people on social media claimed they’d never heard of Voice of America before. Others asked if Trump created a new organization and position just for Lake. Recent search trends also show that “What is Voice of America?” is spiking online. THE QUESTION Is Voice of America a new government organization? THE SOURCES Voice of America U.S. Agency for Global Media U.S. Law 94-350 THE ANSWER No, Voice of America is not a new government organization. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! WHAT WE FOUND Voice of America is not new. It’s a U.S. government-funded international multimedia news organization that was founded in the 1940s. Voice of America started in 1942 as a radio broadcaster to “combat Nazi propaganda with accurate and unbiased news and information.” Congress funds the organization through the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which is a federal agency that oversees all non-military U.S. international broadcasting. Congress passed a law establishing the organization in 1976. According to Voice of America’s congressional charter , the organization is required to present objective, independent news and information to international audiences. These are the principles that govern all Voice of America broadcasts: VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive. VOA will represent America, not any single segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions. VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies. Since it was founded more than 80 years ago, Voice of America has expanded to online, social and television platforms to share U.S. policy-centric content around the world. The organization currently broadcasts to an estimated weekly global audience of more than 354 million people in nearly 50 languages. Although Trump says he wants Lake to lead Voice of America, that role is actually appointed by the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which is a position appointed by the president that requires congressional confirmation. Trump said on Dec. 11 that he plans to announce his nomination for the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media soon. The Associated Press contributed to this report .
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( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Lindberg credits his 90-hour per week“Only Eat on Weekends” intermittent fasting program with giving him the energy to raise children in his mid-50s – and stand up to the lies, deceit, and manipulation from the mainstream media about his life. Tampa, Florida, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- “With the national media's recent interest in my family, I decided to release a family Christmas video of Santa Claus coming to visit my kids,” says entrepreneur and author Greg Lindberg. Lindberg says he is releasing the video in response to national news stories about his 12 children, some of which were born with the assistance of IVF and egg donors. “Yes, it's a big family, but's a fun and loving family. I'm releasing a personal video today to show the world that you can have a big family and there is nothing unusual about it,” Lindberg says. “My grandmother came from a family of 13,” Lindberg says,“and I always wanted a big family,” Lindberg says he worked with a number of egg donors in the process of building his family, many of whom were aggressive about demanding large and above market fees for their egg donations.“The investment was worth it,” Lindberg says.“Children are priceless. They are expensive to raise and educate, and every one of them is a vote for the future of the country and the planet,” Lindberg says. Lindberg says his decision to grow his family to its current size was made when he was sentenced to 87 months in prison.“The prosecutor said that he wanted to 'incapacitate Greg Lindberg' – so I thought what better way to deny him that satisfaction than to have a large, beautiful family?” Lindberg didn't realize at the time that it was politically incorrect to have a large family. “When the most important thing we humans do – bring new life into this world – is grounds to be attacked with politically-motivated news stories, we have a problem,” says Lindberg. “The mainstream media will lie and misstate the facts in order to make you look bad,” Lindberg says. “You can never win with the mainstream media,” Lindberg says,“so it's best to ignore the critics and live your life how you want to live it.” To help raise his children, Lindberg says he has created a home school program for his children with two full-time professional teachers.“The formal education program in our family starts at age 2.5 to 3 years, when our children start attending school,” Lindberg says. “Every child has amazing potential,” says Lindberg. Lindberg says he experienced numerous failures in his attempt to expand his family after his divorce in 2017. He has three beautiful children with his ex-wife and wanted to have more children.“After almost three years of effort all I had was several egg donors and gestational carriers that didn't work out,” Lindberg says. "Even though my first marriage didn't end as I hoped, I feel incredibly blessed to have three wonderful, beautiful, and smart children with my ex-wife. The divorce was tough on all of us,” Lindberg says. Going through the divorce experience made Lindberg realize how much he missed the joy of having young children around laughing, exploring, and even the occasional chaos. "I knew I still wanted to expand my family," he shared. “My grandmother grew up in a one room house boat with 12 brothers, and she was the toughest woman that I've ever met,” Lindberg says about raising a large family. Over several years, Lindberg researched various approaches to fatherhood and the diverse ways children can thrive under different family structures. "I discovered that regardless of how families are formed, the most important factor is love," Lindberg says. “With the miracle of modern fertility treatments and IVF, you can still have a family – even if you think you are infertile,” Lindberg says says. Lindberg says he is deeply grateful for the help of everyone – the egg donors, gestational carriers, and medical professionals who have made his family a success. Brenda Lynch, who was worked as a project manager for Lindberg for many years, says“Greg sees fatherhood as more than just providing for his kids; it's about being deeply involved in their lives and supporting their dreams. He's extremely passionate about encouraging his kids to follow their interests and dreams.” Lindberg Credits Intermittent Fasting With Giving Him The Energy For More Kids At Age 54 Separately, Lindberg released results of a 6-year study that shows conclusively that a long-term program of intermittent fasting – including regular weekly water-only fasts of over 90 hours combined with rigorous daily physical and mental exercises – can dramatically increase the length of your telomeres. “This is my gift to the world – Only Eat On WeekendsTM and you will get younger,” Lindberg said.“This simple program is free and available to everyone,” Lindberg said. Lindberg credits his 90-hour per week“Only Eat on Weekends” intermittent fasting program with giving him the energy to raise children in his mid-50s – and stand up to the lies, deceit, and manipulation from the mainstream media about his life. Lindberg said that his 6 years of test data“suggests that the Hayflick limit is wrong -- our cells do not have a built-in and predetermined lifespan.” The Hayflick limit was proposed as the number of times your cells will divide before division stops and the cell dies. This limit was based on the fact that our telomeres – the end caps to the DNA – get shorter the more times the cell divides. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres on the ends of each chromosome shorten slightly. Cell division will cease once telomeres shorten to a critical length. Hayflick interpreted his discovery to be aging at the cellular level. The aging of cell populations appears to correlate with the overall physical aging of an organism. “Increasing your telomere length is the holy grail of anti-aging,” said Lindberg. “And you can increase your telomere length simply by following an Only Eat On Weekends TM program – 4 simple words to stop aging,” Lindberg said.“Rigorous daily exercise, rigorous mental exertion, robust social interaction, and a carefully planned and balanced diet during your feast period are also critical elements to this anti-aging program,” Lindberg said. Numerous studies have shown that telomere length progressively shortens with age, which eventually leads to aging, age-related diseases and early death. “Over a 6-year period, from April of 2018 to July of 2024, my telomeres increased in length from 7.01 kb to 10.46 kb. This increase took my telomere length from that of an average 60 year-old to that of an average an 18 year-old,” Lindberg said. Lindberg's telomere results over this 6-year period were measured by SpectraCell Laboratories in Houston, Texas. “My average telomere length increased by almost 50 percent. Before starting fasting, I was in the 39th percentile for telomere length. Today, my numbers have increased to the 99th percentile,” Lindberg said. “What's most extraordinary about this increase in telomere length is that this 6-year period was an extraordinarily stressful time for me: a divorce battle, indictments, numerous legal battles, numerous deceitful hit pieces from the mainstream media, and 633 days in a federal prison. Despite all of that, the Only Eat On WeekendsTM program that I followed resulted in longer telomeres – and a younger and more healthy body,” Lindberg said. “My data shows that telomeres can get longer with regular fasting,” said Lindberg.“The Hayflick limit is wrong. If you replenish your telomeres with a program of fasting and exercise, they can get longer. There is no built-in lifespan for your cells,” Lindberg said. Lindberg does a water-only fast four days per week, and only eats on weekends. During his fast, he exercises one to two hours per day. Lindberg said exercising while fasting can be particularly hard, but it's extremely important as it helps burn up the glucose in the system and convert the body to a triglyceride metabolism. Lindberg also said that strenuous mental exertion – while exercising if possible – is also critical to the Only Eat On WeekendsTM program. “Strenuous mental exertion drives the regeneration of the brain and helps your brain get younger,” Lindberg said. Lindberg said he listens to science and engineering audiobooks at 2x speed while working out to help stimulate neurogenesis. “Only Eat on WeekendsTM -- This is my simple, four-word prescription that can help people live healthier and stay younger,” said Lindberg.“This may not be conventional, but it works and it's free. A simple routine change can help prevent diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and other diseases that come with old age.” Lindberg's life-changing results from fasting has driven him to offer the fasting program to people through his wellness brand called Lifelong Labs. Lifelong Labs provides quick, simple and convenient ways to implement regimen like fasting and exercise into day-to-day routine to help people live younger longer and healthier. For more information on Lindberg's Fasting program, visit Lifelonglabs.com . About Greg Lindberg About Greg Lindberg. Greg Lindberg is a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. To learn more visit Over the course of his career, he has acquired and transformed more than 100 companies that were either failing or underperforming, each time finding and empowering great talent-people with the same commitment to hard work, learning, entrepreneurship, and a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude. Today, these companies are worth billions of dollars and employ 7,000 people. His experiences as a leader and related challenges have inspired him to empower people to achieve optimal success through wellness, longevity and leadership. Lindberg also has authored two books: Failing Early & Failing Often: How to Turn Your Adversity into Advantage and 633 Days Inside: Lessons on Life and Leadership, both of which are available on Amazon. See: In 2020, he founded Interrogating Justice, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring awareness and help advance solutions that hold corrupt government actors accountable, ensure fairness in sentencing, support reentry, and provide access to justice for all. To learn more visit: About Lifelong Labs Lifelong Labs is a wellness, longevity and leadership brand which provide science-based information and programs on fasting, cold exposure, exercise, nutrition, hormesis, sleep, mental wellness, leadership, career, and more. The company, launched in 2023, works with trusted health and wellness experts to provide guidance that is science-based, safe, effective and attainable. The brand connects with audiences through its website, newsletters, subscription-based programs and social media platforms. To learn more, visit . Attachment MENAFN26122024004107003653ID1109033673 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
PARIS (AP) — After more than 20 years of negotiations, the 27-nation European Union and Mercosur — a South American trade bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia — are still trying to finalize a major trade agreement that is sparking protests by European farmers. A draft deal was , but disagreements over environmental, economic and political issues are delaying its final approval. Here’s a look at the deal, why it matters, and challenges it faces: What is the deal about? It aims to create one of the largest free trade zones in the world, covering over 700 million people and nearly 25% of global GDP. Much like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, its goal is to reduce tariffs and trade barriers, making it easier for businesses on both sides to export goods. For the EU, the deal would mean lower tariffs on products like cars, machinery and chemicals. would benefit from better access to EU markets for agricultural exports such as beef, poultry and sugar. began in 1999 and an initial agreement was reached in 2019, but it remains unratified due to significant opposition, particularly from France. Why are some farmers opposing the deal? European farmers, especially in France, worry that an influx of South American products would saturate their markets, undercutting local agriculture. One year after protest movement, another have erupted across the continent, with many claiming that reduced tariffs or duty-free quotas for South American products could be fatal for them. For example, 99,000 tons of beef would face a reduced tariff of just 7.5%, while 180,000 tons of poultry would enter duty-free. According to the European Commission, this accounts for less than 2% of the EU’s annual beef consumption. Livestock farmers argue they cannot compete with South American producers, who benefit from lower labor costs, larger farms and less stringent regulations on practices such as the use of growth hormones compared to EU standards. In October, a European Commission audit found that Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of beef, cannot guarantee that its exports to the EU are free of the growth hormone “oestradiol 17-β,” which has been banned in Europe for decades. Who supports it? Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal are among EU countries pushing for the deal to be finalized by year’s end. Germany, in particular, sees Mercosur as a key market for its automakers. In South America, leaders like Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva view the agreement as a boost for regional trade and economic growth. Countries like Uruguay and Paraguay also support the deal, hoping to diversify their trade partners and reduce reliance on China. Argentina’s President Javier Milei has also backed it, signaling a shift from his predecessor’s skepticism. The deal is also backed by industries in both regions. European carmakers and pharmaceutical companies see it as a way to access Mercosur’s growing markets. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, has also expressed strong support, calling it “an agreement of great economic and strategic importance” — despite opposition from certain EU member states. Who opposes it? France, with the biggest agriculture sector in Europe, has led opposition within the EU, along with Poland, Austria and the Netherlands. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for stronger environmental and labor standards, stating that “France would not sign the deal as is.” France has also requested that the European Commission renegotiate the text, particularly by incorporating “mirror clauses,” which would impose identical standards on products traded between the two blocs. However, France’s ability to block the deal is limited, as trade talks fall under the authority of the European Commission, which negotiates for the 27 member states. Environmental groups, including Greenpeace, have also criticized the deal, warning it could in the Amazon and increase the use of harmful pesticides. What’s next? The Mercosur summit on Dec. 5-6 in Uruguay could be a key moment for the deal. However, even if the agreement is signed, it must be ratified by all 27 EU member states, the European Parliament and all member states’ national parliaments before taking effect. This would give France a chance to veto it. To speed up and make approval easier, the European Commission is considering splitting the deal into two parts: a broader cooperation agreement and a trade-focused agreement. The latter would only require a majority vote under EU rules, bypassing the need for unanimous approval. Under this plan, France would lose its veto power unless it can gather enough support to form a blocking minority. While countries like Poland and Austria have raised objections, their combined influence falls short of the threshold needed to halt the deal. Tom Nouvian, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming “border czar” on Thursday, with the Democratic mayor expressing an enthusiasm to work with the incoming administration to pursue violent criminals in the city while Trump promises a mass deportation strategy. The mayor's meeting with Tom Homan, who will oversee the southern and northern borders and be responsible for deportation efforts in the Trump administration, came as Adams has welcomed parts of the president-elect's hardline immigration platform. Adams told reporters at a brief news conference that he and Homan agreed on pursuing people who commit violent crimes in the city but did not disclose additional details or future plans. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers. That was my conversation today with the border czar, to figure out how to go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city,” Adams told reporters. In the weeks since Trump's election win, Adams has mused about potentially scaling back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies and coordinating with the incoming Trump administration on immigration. He has also said migrants accused of crimes shouldn't have due process rights under the Constitution, though he later walked back those comments. The mayor further stunned Democrats in the city when he sidestepped questions in two televised interviews last week on whether he would consider changing parties to become a Republican, telling journalists that he was part of the “American party.” Adams later clarified that he would remain a Democrat. For Adams, a centrist Democrat known for quarreling with the city's progressive left, the recent comments on immigration follow frustration with the Biden Administration over its immigration policies and a surge of international migrants in the city. He has maintained that his positions have not changed and argues he is trying to protect New Yorkers, pointing to the law-and-order platform he has staked out throughout his political career and during his successful campaign for mayor. At his news conference Thursday, Adams reiterated his commitment to New York’s generous social safety net. “We’re going to tell those who are here, who are law-abiding, to continue to utilize the services that are open to the city, the services that they have a right to utilize, educating their children, health care, public protection,” he said. “But we will not be the safe haven for those who commit violent acts.” While the education of all children present in the U.S. is already guaranteed by a Supreme Court ruling, New York also offers social services like healthcare and emergency shelter to low-income residents, including those in the country illegally. City and state grants also provide significant access to lawyers, which is not guaranteed in the immigration court as they are in the criminal court. Still, Adams’ recent rhetoric has been seen by some critics as an attempt to cozy up to Trump, who could potentially offer a presidential pardon in his federal corruption case. Adams has been charged with accepting luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. He has pleaded not guilty. Homan, who was Trump’s former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, also met this week with Republicans in Illinois, where he called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, to start negotiations over how Trump's mass deportation plans, according to local media. Separately, New York City officials this week announced continued efforts to shrink a huge emergency shelter system for migrants because of a steady decline in new arrivals. Among the planned shelter closures is a massive tent complex built on a federally owned former airport in Brooklyn, which advocates have warned could be a prime target for Trump's mass deportation plan. Elsewhere, Republican governors and lawmakers in some states are already rolling out proposals that could help him carry out his pledge to deport millions of people living in the U.S. illegally. Izaguirre reported from Albany, N.Y.