Thursday Briefing: France and Britain trade blame after 27 die in migrant tragedy

Thursday, November 25, 2021

by Linda Noakes

Hello

Here's what you need to know.

Traditions return on U.S. Thanksgiving Day, Germany passes a grim COVID milestone, and a sports legend says he will join the war in Ethiopia

Today's biggest stories

A damaged inflatable dinghy, outboard motors, life jackets and sleeping bags abandoned by migrants are seen on the beach in Wimereux, France, November 25, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

WORLD

France and Britain sought answers on how to deter migrants from trying to cross the sea separating them after 27 people died making the attempt in an inflatable dinghy, the worst accident of its kind in the Channel on record. With relations fraught by years of tension over Brexit and immigration, much of the focus was on who should bear responsibility.

At least 11 miners died in an accident at a coal mine in Russia's Siberia and an operation to rescue dozens more people underground was suspended due to the risk of an explosion.

Germany crossed the sombre threshold of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths with a surge in new infections posing a challenge for the new government.

Sweden's first female prime minister, Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, resigned after less than 12 hours in the top job after the Green Party quit their two-party coalition, stoking political uncertainty.

Ethiopian Olympic gold medallist and national hero Haile Gebrselassie pledged to join the fight against rebellious forces in his country, after the prime minister said he had gone to direct the war from the front lines.

People take a selfie in front of the Grogu 'Baby Yoda' balloon as it is inflated the day before the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the Manhattan borough of New York City, November 24, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

U.S.

Americans will pack football stadiums, flock to parades and gather more freely for family feasts, grateful to celebrate Thanksgiving Day traditions again after the pandemic kept many at home last year. An estimated 53.4 million people will travel, up 13% from 2020, according to the American Automobile Association. Air travel is expected to recover to about 91% of pre-pandemic levels.

Three white men were convicted of murder for chasing and shooting Ahmaud Arbery as the Black man ran through their neighborhood, with a Georgia jury rejecting a self-defense claim in a trial that once again probed America's divisive issues of race and guns. Joy and relief energized the crowd outside the courthouse.

A polyp removed during President Joe Biden's colonoscopy last week "is a benign, slow-growing, but thought to be precancerous lesion" for which no more action is required at this time, the White House physician said.

Biden named his choices to run the White House budget office, tapping two women of color to lead the massive government operations agency.

The Manhattan district attorney is not planning to charge Trump Organization Chief Operating Officer Matthew Calamari in a fraud case in which the former U.S. president's firm and its chief financial officer have been charged, Calamari's lawyer said.

BUSINESS

Investors are zeroing in on a number of hot retailers' shares as the U.S. holiday shopping season kicks into high gear this week, weighing the potential for supply chain problems against expected strong consumer demand.

A growing number of Federal Reserve policymakers indicated they would be open to speeding up the elimination of their bond-buying program if high inflation held and move more quickly to raise interest rates, minutes of the U.S. central bank's last policy meeting showed.

China, the world's largest crude importer, was non-committal about whether it will release oil from its reserves as requested by Washington, while OPEC sources said the U.S. action has not made the producer group change course.

High-tech home appliance maker Dyson told Reuters it had cut ties with supplier ATA IMS following an audit of the Malaysian company's labor practices and allegations by a whistleblower, sending ATA shares plunging.

South Korea's mobile and online game producers are luring players with services using non-fungible tokens, jumping on a trend the firms see as the future of the sector and sparking a sharp rally in their shares in recent weeks. In the gaming world, the various characters, weapons, vehicles and other items that players make use of to accomplish their particular tasks can be NFTs.

Quote of the day

"It's never right to joke about or denigrate any group of people, whether it's a country, its leadership, or any part of a society and culture"

Jamie Dimon says he regrets comment on JPMorgan outlasting China Communist Party

Video of the day

Inside an Iraqi workshop for traditional talismans

According to popular Iraqi beliefs, the round talismans pierced with seven holes and sometimes decorated with Quranic verses keep envy away, as well as the evil eye.

And finally…

Italian street artist battles racism by turning swastikas into cupcakes

"I take care of my city by replacing symbols of hate with delicious things to eat," says the 39-year-old artist, whose real name is Pier Paolo Spinazze and whose professional name, Cibo, is the Italian word for food.

More from Reuters

COVID-19 The Great Reboot Disrupted Legal News Breakingviews

Thanks for spending part of your day with us.

Share your thoughts

You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing.

Terms, conditions, and privacy statement

© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.
3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036