Boom Bust: Germany suspends Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Germany has suspended certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying it can only certify companies organized under German law. The announcement means gas will not begin flowing through the pipeline for at least another several months. This comes amid recent tensions between Moscow and Europe over issues surrounding Belarus and Ukraine. The news caused a jump in European natural gas prices. A virtual summit was held between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, and Taiwan topped the agenda, among other topics that have caused tensions between the two nations. And Chinese authorities have vowed once again to crack down on crypto mining, calling the process a threat to efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The move had an impact on crypto markets, with bitcoin dropping below $60,000 during morning trading in Europe.