Finland’s right-wing parties strike deal to form government

By Essi Lehto HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finland’s conservative National Coalition (NCP), winner of April’s parliamentary election, has reached agreement to form a majority government with the eurosceptic, anti-immigration Finns Party and two smaller groups, its leader said on Thursday. “All issues have been resolved and the papers are ready,” said NCP leader Petteri Orpo, a…

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U.S. proposes to formalize deep fee reductions for wind, solar on federal land

(Reuters) -A new regulation will formalize a roughly 80% cut in project fees for wind and solar energy developments on federal lands under a proposal by the Biden administration on Thursday as part of a strategy to boost renewable energy to fight climate change. The Interior Department’s U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) last year…

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Biden gets backing of leading environmental groups for re-election

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A collection of the nation’s leading and biggest spending environmental groups endorsed President Joe Biden’s re-election bid on Wednesday, an early sign that he has consolidated their support despite some recent policy moves that angered climate activists. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, billionaire…

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U.S. House Republicans target deeper spending cuts, raising shutdown threat

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S House of Representatives on Thursday adopted government spending targets for the next fiscal year below the level agreed by Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Democratic President Joe Biden, setting up a fight with the Democratic-led Senate that could again risk a government shutdown. The House Appropriations…

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Cyclone Biparjoy damages power lines, uproots trees as it makes India landfall

By Francis Mascarenhas, Sumit Khanna and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam MANDVI, India/KARACHI (Reuters) – Strong winds, heavy rain and high tides lashed India’s Gujarat coast late on Thursday as cyclone Biparjoy made landfall after authorities there and in neighbouring Pakistan had evacuated more than 180,000 people to safety. Deserted coastal towns were battered in the dark…

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US House Judiciary leader subpoenas documents from climate groups

By Ross Kerber (Reuters) – A U.S. congressional leader on Wednesday issued a subpoena seeking information from climate activists over antitrust issues, joining other Republicans who have criticized companies’ growing concern for environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote in a letter to a lawyer for Boston-based…

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Peru’s GDP grows 0.31% in April, misses expectations

LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 0.31% in April compared with the same month last year, the government’s INEI statistics agency said on Thursday, nevertheless landing below analysts’ expectations. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast growth of 1.5% increase, after a 0.22% rise recorded in March. The increase marks the second consecutive…

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World Bank’s new chief wants ‘better bank’ before pushing for bigger bank

By David Lawder MANDEVILLE, Jamaica (Reuters) -World Bank President Ajay Banga wants to focus on improving the development lender so that he can earn the right to press member countries for more capital, as the new chief looks to expand its role in fighting climate change, pandemics and other crises. Banga said in an interview…

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Exclusive-Palau seeks more U.S. patrols of its waters after Chinese incursions

By Sakura Murakami and John Geddie TOKYO (Reuters) -The Pacific island nation of Palau has asked the United States to step up patrols of its waters after several incursions by Chinese vessels into its exclusive economic zone, President Surangel Whipps Jr. told Reuters in an interview. Whipps Jr. said he would also welcome a bigger…

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