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Tag: trade
February 14, 2024
UK
War

Britain Could Run Out of Tea.

British retailer Sainsbury’s has warned customers about potential shortages of black tea due to continuing disruptions to international trade routes. Signs posted in certain Sainsbury’s locations announced, “We are experiencing supply issues affecting the nationwide supply of black tea. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to be back in full supply soon.” Despite this, retail executives were quick to reassure customers that the impact will hopefully be minimal and only temporary.

While Sainsbury’s declined to provide further comment, it’s understood that the complications are tied to Houthi rebel attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea and related delays with a tea supplier. Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, stated, “There is temporary disruption to some black tea lines, but the impact on consumers will be minimal as retailers are not expecting significant challenges.”

While the interruption in the tea supply is significant, the other supermarkets contacted about the situation, including Waitrose, did not report any similar issues. It’s been noted that freight shipments from Asia and East Africa, areas that make up about 75 percent of global tea production, have faced significant disruption in the last two months due to unrest in the Red Sea. The increased violence in the area has forced many shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, leading to 10 to 14 additional days in shipment times and increased costs for shipping firms.

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British retailer Sainsbury's has warned customers about potential shortages of black tea due to continuing disruptions to international trade routes. Signs posted in certain Sainsbury's locations announced, “We are experiencing supply issues affecting the nationwide supply of black tea. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to be back in full supply soon." Despite this, retail executives were quick to reassure customers that the impact will hopefully be minimal and only temporary. show more
February 7, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Health
News

Ecuadorian Poisoned 400+ Americans Using Applesauce.

Children’s applesauce pouches that gave lead poisoning to over 400 Americans were likely contaminated by a single Ecuadorian man, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Cinnamon grinder Carlos Aguilera, originally named by the Ecuadorian authorities, allegedly supplied the tainted applesauce suspected to have poisoned 413 Americans across 43 different states.

Lead is neurotoxic and particularly dangerous to children — the primary consumers of applesauce pouches. The FDA has long suspected the pouches were poisoned intentionally, likely because applesauce is sold by weight, and adulterating it with heavy metals like lead increases this.

Having previously vowed to hold the person or persons responsible for poisoning the applesauce accountable, the FDA is now concerned it could struggle to do so, as it “has limited authority over foreign ingredient suppliers who do not directly ship product to the U.S… because their food undergoes further manufacturing/processing prior to export.”

“[T]he FDA cannot take direct action with Negasmart or Carlos Aguilera,” the agency lamented — though it has pledged to work “closely” with Ecuadorian officials to try to secure a positive outcome.

Source: FDA
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Children's applesauce pouches that gave lead poisoning to over 400 Americans were likely contaminated by a single Ecuadorian man, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). show more
December 18, 2023
Jack Montgomery
Economy
Politics
UK

Anti-Brexit Biden Shelves US-UK Trade Deal Talks.

Plans for a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom have been shelved indefinitely by President Joe Biden. An 11-chapter draft agreement had previously been prepared by the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) office, with negotiations for a deal expected to commence before the close of 2023. American and British government sources have both confirmed that these will not go ahead after pushback from the Democrat-led Senate and Biden himself.

A spokesman for Sen. Ron Wyden, chairman of the influential Senate Finance Committee, said: “[his] view that the United States and United Kingdom should not make announcements until a deal that benefits Americans is achievable.” He also complained the USTR had not involved Congress in the process enough.

There was also some pushback on a trade deal from the British side. In particular, the British government is concerned about allowing chemical-washed and hormone-treaded American meat into the British market.

The U.S. is the UK’s top partner for both imports and exports, and the two countries are each other’s top foreign investors. A trade deal was impossible prior to Brexit, however, as European Union (EU) membership rules say the bloc controls member-states’ trade policy.

Former President Donald Trump was keen to secure a wide-ranging trade deal with Britain, but the country’s governing “Conservative” Party slow-walked the break with the EU, having been caught off guard by the 2016 Brexit vote.

Biden, an avowedly anti-British career politician, has been much less keen on negotiating a deal in the interests of both nations.

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Plans for a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom have been shelved indefinitely by President Joe Biden. An 11-chapter draft agreement had previously been prepared by the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) office, with negotiations for a deal expected to commence before the close of 2023. American and British government sources have both confirmed that these will not go ahead after pushback from the Democrat-led Senate and Biden himself. show more
biden ukraine
September 25, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News
Podcast
World

U.S. Aid is Subsidizing Ukraine Corporates, Paying State Salaries, and Buying Fertilizer for Farmers.

Joe Biden’s government is pumping billions of dollars not only into the Ukrainian war machine, but into the Ukrainian economy, using taxpayer cash to pay the salaries of almost 60,000 state employees, subsidize private businesses, and even buy seed and fertilizer for farmers. At the same time, NATO allies including Poland and Hungary complain their own farmers are being overwhelmed by Ukrainian produce being dumped on European markets.

Reporters discovered U.S. taxpayers are paying the salaries of all 57,000 first responders in Ukraine, and not only subsidizing businesses, but even helping them to secure new customers overseas via USAID.

Perhaps the most controversial discovery is the financial support for Ukrainian farmers, considering Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is currently lodging proceedings against several European Union neighbors who have banned imports of Ukrainian grain – without the EU’s permission.

Poland, one of the countries involved in this fledgling trade war, even halted military supplies to Ukraine amid the dispute. It had previously been one of Zelensky’s most important backers, supplying him with warplanes and over 300 tanks, and pushing other NATO members to offer similar assistance.

While non-military aid to Ukraine has already reached the tens of billions, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to Hawaii following devastating wildfires currently stands at around $3.17 million.

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Joe Biden's government is pumping billions of dollars not only into the Ukrainian war machine, but into the Ukrainian economy, using taxpayer cash to pay the salaries of almost 60,000 state employees, subsidize private businesses, and even buy seed and fertilizer for farmers. At the same time, NATO allies including Poland and Hungary complain their own farmers are being overwhelmed by Ukrainian produce being dumped on European markets. show more
china
July 13, 2023
Jake Welch
News

China Has ‘Aggressively Penetrated’ Whole of UK Economy, Admits Govt.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has successfully penetrated every sector of the United Kingdom (UK)’s economy as a result of the government’s willingness to accept Chinese money without asking questions, so says the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee in a report published Thursday.

The CCP has “prolifically and aggressively” targeted Britain’s industrial and energy sectors as a means of gaining control and influence over the British nation and its interests. It has also been “particularly effective” at using its money and influence to buy up universities and academia to ensure criticism of the party is suppressed and that Chinese values and narratives are pushed “at the expense of the West,” the report states.

The UK is one of China’s main targets due to its close relationship with the United States as well as the UK’s position as an “opinion former,” claims the Intelligence and Security Committee’s chairman, Julian Lewis.

The UK government has done little to counter the threat, instead choosing to take Chinese money while turning a blind eye to “China’s sleight of hand.” The report explains:

“The lack of action similarly to identify and protect UK assets from a known threat is a serious failure, and one that the UK may feel the consequences of for years to come.”

The UK is now “playing catch up,” but “[t]here is no evidence that Whitehall policy departments have the necessary resources, expertise or knowledge of the threat to counter China’s approach,” the report adds.

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The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has successfully penetrated every sector of the United Kingdom (UK)'s economy as a result of the government's willingness to accept Chinese money without asking questions, so says the UK Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee in a report published Thursday. show more