Canadian scientists accused of transferring data to China

In 2021, Canada dismissed two scientists who worked in an infectious disease laboratory for transferring confidential information to China. The transferred data could have posed a threat to the country's national security, according to Reuters.

Canadian officials concluded during the investigation that the family was a realistic and credible threat to Canada's economic security. Canadian Health Minister Mark Holland called the security breaches at the lab unacceptable.

Canadian police said in 2019 they were launching a probe into the matter but Wednesday's revelation was the first time that details of the sackings were revealed.

The documents show the Canadian Security Intelligence Service concluded Qiu had intentionally transferred scientific knowledge and materials to China.

The news is likely to worsen already chilly ties with Beijing, especially since Ottawa has set up an investigation into alleged Chinese interference in domestic Canadian affairs.

Cases of espionage in favor of China

Earlier, it was reported that a US Navy serviceman was sentenced to 27 months in prison for accepting a bribe of nearly $15,000 from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for photographs of US military information.

European Commission allocates €1.4 billion to Polish farmers

In the European Union, legal acts have been adopted allowing the transfer of 1.4 billion euros to Poland to support its farmers, according to the European Commission.

"Today, the European Commission has adopted two legal acts that will pave the way for Poland to access up to €137 billion in EU funding," the announcement said.

It is noted that these actions are related to the rule of law reforms adopted by Poland, as well as recent and immediate steps taken to address the main tasks of strengthening the independence of the judicial system.

Support for Polish farmers

The European Commission clarified that Poland's payment request also covers important steps in implementing 25 ambitious reforms and five key investments.

"These measures aim at improving the resilience and competitiveness of its economy, advancing the green energy and digital transitions, as well as supporting health and clean mobility," the EC said.

Additionally, the European Commission will provide Poland with 1.4 billion euros for investments in the agricultural sector. This will involve supporting thousands of farmers and fishermen, as well as the sector itself, to help expand and modernize their production and enter new markets.

Ukrainian border blockade

In February, protests at the Polish-Ukrainian border resumed. Checkpoints are being blocked by farmers, and recently, they started dumping Ukrainian grain.

India seeking alternative to Russian oil amid US sanctions

Due to the sanctions imposed by the United States and pressure from the Russian Federation to pay in yuan, India is gradually refraining from buying Russian oil, writes Bloomberg.

Although Russia is still the dominant supplier to India, there is currently a tendency in the country to increase imports from elsewhere.

In particular, deliveries from Saudi Arabia this month increased by 22% compared to January. So, the largest private Indian refinery Reliance Industries Ltd. bought the largest amount of Saudi oil since May 2020, according to Kpler.

Difficulties in purchasing Russian oil

It is noted that Indian refiners would not mind taking more Russian oil, but to increase the purchase again, US approval for the purchase is needed.

Currently, the price of Russian oil is only cheaper by $2-4 per barrel. Previously, discounts on Russian oil exceeded $30, but such significant discounts are unlikely to return due to competition from China.

India's import of Russian oil surged after the full-scale invasion, as refineries took advantage of cheaper barrels that other buyers were avoiding.

Last year, at the peak of oil production, OPEC+ accounted for nearly half of the country's purchases, but new US sanctions recently halted some shipments.

EU intends to increase defense production

The European Union will aim to have half of its defense systems purchased within the bloc by 2035, reversing a trend where most military equipment is purchased from third countries, according to Bloomberg.

This goal is part of the European Defense Industrial Strategy developed by the EU executive, which also describes joint investments, measures to ensure the security of critical supplies and changes in the European Investment Bank's lending policy, according to a draft document seen by Bloomberg.

The European Commission is expected to present the strategy, which is still subject to change, in the coming weeks.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has exposed the limitations of EU industry and its dependence on other countries for key supplies and defense capabilities, leaving the bloc struggling to increase production capacity and spending after decades of underinvestment.

"The geopolitical developments point to a compelling need for Europe to take increased responsibility for its own security and to get ready to effectively address the full spectrum of the threats it faces," the draft says.

The proposals in the defense strategy include:

• A minimum floor for joint procurement of defense equipment and reversal of the trend toward purchasing military systems from non-EU suppliers, so that one-third to one-half of the value of the EU defense market is accounted for by intra-EU trade
• Mechanisms to ensure that critical supplies can be immediately ramped up in the event of a shortage or crisis and that critical dependence on third countries can be quickly identified
• Expanding the industry's access to EU funding and programs and creating new partnerships in defense and security
• Identifying flagship projects on which to focus efforts and resources.