FirstFT: US and Germany ship tanks to Ukraine

The US and Germany will ship essential battle tanks to Kyiv, a major improve of western army support that was condemned by Russia and prompted cheers all through Ukraine.

The US will likely be sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine — or the equal of 1 Ukrainian tank battalion, senior Biden administration officers confirmed on Wednesday. Earlier within the day, Germany introduced it will ship 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks from shares held by its military.

Berlin additionally introduced plans to group up with different European nations to create two tank battalions of the German-made Leopard 2s, which equates to about 90 tanks.

Each the Abrams and the Leopard are among the many best-rated trendy essential battle tanks on the planet and Kyiv has argued it wants them to interrupt by means of a entrance line that has barely budged in latest weeks and reconquer occupied territory. It additionally says it wants western tanks to discourage a renewed Russian offensive that’s anticipated within the early spring.

Are the US and Germany proper to produce tanks to Ukraine or does the transfer threat additional escalating Ukraine’s conflict with Russia? Inform us in our newest ballot.

5 extra tales within the information

1. Adani shares take $10.8bn hit Shares in listed firms tied to India’s sprawling Adani Group shed $10.8bn in worth after brief vendor Hindenburg Analysis launched a report concentrating on the conglomerate managed by billionaire enterprise magnate Gautam Adani. Shares in seven listed Adani Group firms fell greater than 5 per cent on common.

2. Taiwan’s Tsai names new premier to shore up assist President Tsai Ing-wen has chosen former vice-president Chen Chien-jen as her new premier, handing the soft-spoken epidemiologist accountability for tackling an financial downturn amid sliding assist for the ruling Democratic Progressive social gathering. The DPP is in search of to stem falling assist forward of presidential and parliamentary elections subsequent January.

3. Chinese language migrant employees face crackdown over wage protests Chinese language migrant employees demanding overdue wages from their employers are dealing with a crackdown by native governments over alleged “malicious” labour activism. Greater than a dozen cities throughout China have in latest weeks threatened to punish employees who take “extremist” measures, resembling protests blocking visitors or outdoors authorities workplaces, to get the cash they’re owed.

• Extra information from China: Weaker worldwide demand for Chinese language items has led to an increase in transport cancellations on the nation’s greatest ports. Get the newest information and evaluation on Asia’s greatest economic system with our China hub.

4. Apple beefs up smartphone companies Apple is taking steps to separate its cellular working system from options supplied by Google father or mother Alphabet, making advances in maps, search and promoting. The 2 Silicon Valley firms have been rivals within the smartphone market since Google acquired the Android working system within the 2000s, which Apple co-founder Steve Jobs referred to as “a stolen product”.

5. Murdoch scraps Fox and Information Corp merger Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch has scrapped a proposal to mix Fox and Information Corp after his try and carry the 2 halves of his media empire again collectively was resisted by shareholders. Information Corp can be in superior talks to promote its 80 per cent share of digital property group Transfer to rival CoStar, valued within the “low billions” of {dollars}.

The day forward

India’s Republic Day India marks its 74th Republic Day, commemorating the nation’s structure coming into impact. Home inventory markets will likely be closed. (Occasions of India)

Australia Day nationwide vacation Australia at present marks the date when Britain’s First Fleet landed in Australia in 1788. In recent times, nevertheless, there was elevated opposition to celebrating the date, which is when the period of colonisation started. (BBC Information)

US financial knowledge The US at present will publish shopper spending figures together with its first estimate for gross home product motion within the fourth quarter. GDP is anticipated to have grown by 2.6 per cent within the three months to December 31, in accordance with a Bloomberg ballot of economists.

The FT will likely be holding its second annual Way forward for Enterprise Training Sequence in February. This digital one-day occasion will present the chance for bold people trying to improve their ability set, speed up their careers, and talk about what life after an MBA may appear like. Register at present.

What else we’re studying

How will the brand new machine studying period have an effect on you? ChatGPT, a query-answering and text-generating system launched on the finish of November, has burst into the general public consciousness in a method seldom seen outdoors the realm of science fiction. It’s the most seen of a brand new wave of “generative” synthetic intelligence methods that may produce content material to order, threatening not simply jobs however a surge of misinformation.

India’s electrical automobile market glides into focus Boosted by state subsidies, some early gross sales of supply automobiles and buses and paranoia amongst companies and politicians about China’s high-tech dominance, a “Made in India” EV business is beginning to take form.

China’s palace politics: Xi loyalists compete for energy Chinese language chief Xi Jinping will use the March lianghui — the joint periods of China’s rubber-stamp parliament and political advisory physique — to verify a batch of appointments to important roles. The promotions will mark the completion of Xi’s consolidation of energy but in addition sign the emergence of a brand new set of factions amongst his acolytes and loyalists.

• 🎧 Pay attention: Shanghai correspondent Tom Hale and International China Editor James Kynge break down President Xi Jinping’s essential targets and whether or not they’re sufficient to jump-start the nation’s economic system on this episode of the Behind the Cash podcast.

West grapples with dilemma over Iran nuclear talks At the same time as relations between Iran and the west contact new lows, US and European officers are maintaining the door open to diplomacy. However that’s not as a result of they’re optimistic. Quite, it’s a reflection of the restricted choices western powers face as they try and cease Iran from increasing its aggressive nuclear programme.

Slimmer revenue margins are right here for some time With constructive information on inflation and enhancing development prospects within the US and eurozone there was rising optimism amongst buyers in shopper items firms. However, writes Brooke Masters, Procter & Gamble was fast to throw chilly water on the concept of a straightforward restoration.

Take a break from the information

Cult favorite The whole lot In every single place All at As soon as has been nominated for 11 Oscars, maxing out the record for this 12 months’s awards. Right here is the total record of nominations introduced in Los Angeles.