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Spanish farmers have begun disrupting traffic on the main AP-7 motorway connecting Spain and France as part of a series of continent-wide protests.
For the past two days, farmers have parked on the road to show their anger at what they perceive as unfair competition stemming from non-EU imports, particularly from Ukraine, and various EU agricultural policies.
A farmer sits atop a tractor during a protest outside the European Parliament offices in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Bernat Armangue/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.
Their action coincides with numerous protests across Spain, with hundreds of tractors converging in Madrid last Wednesday for the largest demonstration yet.
Angry french farmers greet President Emmanuel Macron at Paris agriculture fair
Similar demonstrations have spread across Europe from Poland to France and beyond as unions and organisers galvanise farmers into collective action.
The European Commission has responded to the grievances with concessions, including delaying a planned reduction in pesticide usage until after this year's European Parliament elections.
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President Vladimir Putin has used his state-of-the-nation address to hail Russian national unity and warn the West against deeper involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
His speech comes ahead of an election he’s all but certain to win, with serious contenders legally excluded from the race.
Addressing an audience of top officials in a speech broadcast live nationwide, Putin said that Russia was “defending its sovereignty and security and protecting our compatriots.”
Putin hailed Russian soldiers and honoured those who were killed in fighting with a moment of silence. He insisted that the so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine enjoyed the support of most Russian citizens – this even as new polling shows Russians' support for the war in Ukraine is collapsing.
International estimates are that the country has already lost more than 400,000 troops since it invaded its neighbour in February 2022, and it is reportedly on course to hit the half-million mark by the end of this year.
Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden on Defender of the Fatherland Day.Alexander Kazakov/Copyright 2024 Sputnik
Putin also reiterated that any Western "threats" against Russia would meet with catastrophic consequences, a clear reference to Russia's nuclear weapons capability.
In an apparent reference to French President Emmanuel Macron's statement earlier this week that the future deployment of Western ground troops to Ukraine should not be “ruled out”, Putin warned that it would lead to “tragic” consequences for the countries who decide to do that.
Putin noted that while accusing Russia of plans to attack NATO allies in Europe, Western allies were “selecting targets for striking our territory and selecting the most efficient as they think striking assets and talking about the possibility of sending a NATO contingent to Ukraine.”
“Don't they understand it?” he said, alleging that Western leaders are playing with options of deeper involvement in the conflict, as in a simulation. “Those people haven't been through any tough challenges and they have forgotten what war means.”
Putin has repeatedly said that he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to protect Russian interests and prevent Ukraine from posing a major security threat to Russia by joining NATO. Kyiv and its allies have denounced it as an unprovoked act of aggression.
The Russian leader has repeatedly signalled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting, but has warned that Russia will hold onto its gains.
Officially unopposed
Putin, 71, is running as an independent candidate in the March 15-17 presidential election, from which all noteworthy opposition figures have been barred.
His rule depends on tight control over Russia’s political system. Prominent critics who could challenge him have either been imprisoned or are living abroad, while most independent media have been banned.
Putin currently faces only token opposition from three other candidates nominated by Kremlin-friendly parties represented in parliament.
Russia’s best-known opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, died suddenly in an Arctic prison colony earlier this month, while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges. Navalny’s funeral is set for Friday.
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The US Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it's giving aircraft company Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality problems and meet safety standards for building planes after a panel blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max jet last month.
The agency said the directive followed all-day meetings on Tuesday with top Boeing officials at FAA headquarters in Washington.
“Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing’s leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way.”
The FAA did not indicate what action it might take if Boeing fails to meet the 90-day deadline.
This week, a panel of industry, government and academic experts issued a report that found shortcomings in the company's safety culture, which the company says it has been working to improve.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun insisted that “we have a clear picture of what needs to be done” thanks to both internal and independent reviews of the company's procedures and structures.
“Boeing will develop the comprehensive action plan with measurable criteria that demonstrates the profound change that Administrator Whitaker and the FAA demand.”
The FAA is currently completing an audit of assembly lines at its factory near Seattle, where it builds planes including the 737 Max – one of which suffered a door-panel blowout during an Alaska Airlines flight on 5 January.
Investigators say bolts that help keep the panel in place were missing after repair work at the Boeing factory.
The incident has raised scrutiny of Boeing to its highest level since two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed a total of 346 people.
Earlier this month, Boeing replaced the executive who had overseen the 737 program since early 2021 and said it was increasing inspections at the 737 plant in Renton, Washington.