Top story: Europe’s largest carmaker is reportedly prioritising North America over Europe in its electrification plans. Image via Getty
German automotive giant Volkswagen is pausing its plans for a battery plant in eastern Europe and prioritising a cell factory in North America as it seeks to make use of the US’s $369bn green subsidy package.
The multilateral development bank’s outgoing president, David Malpass, said that “public commentary that stokes discrimination, aggression and racist violence is completely unacceptable,” in an internal message seen by the French international news agency Agence France-Presse on March 5.
“Given the situation, management has decided to pause the Country Partnership Framework and withdraw it from Board review,” Mr Malpass told staff in the message.
Mr Saied’s speech to his national security council on February 21 called for urgent action to stem the flow of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries. The president has since denied racism, but repeated his accusation that migration was part of a conspiracy to change the demographics of Tunisia.
Siemens Mobility to invest $220m into North Carolina rail manufacturing hub
German transport solutions giant Siemens Mobility plans to build a $220m advanced manufacturing and rail services facility in the city of Lexington, North Carolina.
The Munich-based company said on March 7 that the planned facility will create more than 500 new jobs and aims to fulfil growing demand for passenger rail in the US.
“America’s investing in rail, and we are investing in America,” said Roland Busch, the CEO of Siemens, who noted that the rail technology built at the facility will help millions of passengers around the country amid a resurgence in public transit and intercity travel.