Good morning. Information whilst you have been sleeping: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the G7 right here in Hiroshima in individual, officers informed us, in a shock transfer that may guarantee Russia’s battle in opposition to Ukraine dominates proceedings. Late final evening the US and UK introduced new sanctions in opposition to Moscow (although equal EU measures have been conspicuously absent this morning).
At the moment, our Athens correspondent explains why Greeks will most likely have to vote twice to decide on their subsequent authorities, and now we have a dispatch from northern Italy the place local weather change is wreaking destruction.
It’s the economic system, silly
When Greeks head to the polls this Sunday, will probably be the primary time in over a decade the nation isn’t beneath any surveillance by its European companions, writes Eleni Varvitsioti.
Context: After years of bailouts and austerity measures following the debt disaster, Greece’s credit standing is about to succeed in funding grade once more. However excessive inflation weighs on the inhabitants, and the nation nonetheless has one of many highest shares of individuals liable to poverty or social exclusion.
In line with the newest polls, the governing social gathering, centre-right New Democracy, holds a major lead of not less than 5 factors over radical-left Syriza. Centre-left social gathering Pasok sits third.
Owing to a change within the electoral legislation beneath the earlier authorities, the winner wants an unusually excessive proportion, greater than 45 per cent of votes, to type a authorities. Based mostly on the polls, no single social gathering will attain that, and hopes for a coalition have light over the previous few days.
Although the numbers might probably add up if ND and Pasok made a deal, latest statements have made this situation virtually unimaginable.
“The Greek PM has stepped up his criticism of Pasok chief Nikos Androulakis over the previous few days, accusing him of flirting with Syriza, and calling on Pasok voters to show in opposition to him,” stated Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of risk-analysis firm Teneo.
What makes it tougher is that Androulakis can’t appear to neglect that the Greek intelligence providers, beneath the management of premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis, final 12 months tried to wiretap his telephone.
If no authorities is fashioned on Sunday, then the social gathering with probably the most votes will get a three-day mandate to take action, which, if unsuccessful, is adopted by a shot for the second and third-best group.
Ought to all that fail — as is anticipated — a second vote will happen on July 2. However this time a distinct electoral system offers a bonus to the profitable social gathering. This implies the winner wants a decrease proportion, and ND might win extra comfortably.
The deciding issue would be the economic system, which based on polls is voters’ essential concern on this election. Who will deal higher with the excessive costs? And who’s the perfect chief to make sure financial stability? That’s what the Greeks will resolve.
Chart du jour: Affect evaluation
Russia has admitted “issues” with oil and gasoline revenues, which have fallen to their lowest ranges in years because of western sanctions. This comes regardless of Moscow exporting extra oil in April than in any month since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine final 12 months.
Scorched and drenched
Italy’s northern farming heartland, Emilia Romagna, suffered an excessive drought final summer season when its life line, the Po river, was lowered to a trickle.
Now, a lot of the area is underwater after being hit by extreme floods over the previous few days, writes Giuliana Ricozzi.
Context: Italy is experiencing more and more excessive climate because it feels the consequences of local weather change. In 2022, Italy’s north endured the worst drought in a long time as lakes and rivers dried up. In the meantime, elements of the south have been hit by floods and landslides after extreme, unseasonal rains.
This week, between 200 and 500mm of rain — about half of the annual common — fell in simply 36 hours and flooded northern villages and farms. The land, nonetheless dried out following the drought, was not capable of take up it.
No less than 13 folks died and 1000’s have been evacuated. Emilia Romagna’s president, Stefano Bonaccini, has estimated damages of a number of billions of euros. “This catastrophic occasion is placing the area beneath pressure, however we are going to react”, Bonaccini stated.
In line with agricultural commerce physique Coldiretti, floods have hit greater than 5,000 agribusinesses. Livestock has been misplaced and 1000’s of hectares of vineyards and meals crops ended up beneath water. Coldiretti warned that damages might disrupt meals manufacturing price €1.2bn.
The federal government is anticipated to allocate €30mn euros to get Emilia Romagna again on monitor, and tax and mortgage funds of flood victims can be suspended.
However with scientists coming with more and more gloomy predictions, it would to not be the final such occasion.
What to observe right now
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G7 summit kicks off in Hiroshima.
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Czech international minister Jan Lipavský hosts his Slovak counterpart Miroslav Wlachovský in Prague.
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