European Union: Britain Says Go Fish…Somewhere Else
Britain will lock down its exclusive economic fishing waters to its EU step-siblings if no Brexit trade deal is reached by year-end. The nautical ‘gates’ will cut off non-British commercial fishermen who wade within 200 miles of the shore.And they mean business. The Ministry of Defense has plans to position four Royal Navy vessels to protect fishing rights and inspect any EU violators.
Brazil: La Nina Not Playing Nice
Commodity crops continue to feel the sting from a drought made worse by recent La Nina weather effects. Shaky soybean estimates from South America have global market ripple effects and Arabica coffee futures spiked on wind that a 34% drop in yield is possible.But don’t give up hope. Forecasts show rain is on the way. And some soybean experts predict it could still be a record crop as December and January rains will make or break the season.
Japan: Bird Flu Takes Flight
Noting its worst bird flu outbreak since 2016, Japan is on poultry lockdown. 20% of the country’s prefectures, or regions, are now affected and officials have ordered a disinfection protocol plus new netting fixtures to limit wild bird contact.