Biden pledges to cut emissions by 52 per cent by 2030 April 22, 2021 US President Joe Biden administration has today pledged to slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent – 52 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. The new target was unveiled ahead of a two-day climate summit featuring the world’s biggest economies. Before the summit began, Biden tweeted: “No nation can solve this crisis on its [...]
UK no longer in group of 20 worst-hit countries for Covid-19 death rate April 22, 2021 The UK has fallen off the list of the 20 countires worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, as measured by excess deaths. Since the pandemic took hold in March 2020, the UK has recorded 121,000 more deaths in its population than would normally occur in a year. That’s a rate of 183 excess deaths per [...]
Navalny allies arrested as Russia braces for nationwide protests April 21, 2021 Two of Alexei Navalny’s closest allies were arrested on Wednesday at the start of a planned day of mass protests in support of the jailed Kremlin critic. Lyubov Sobol, one of the faces of Navalny’s popular YouTube channel, and Kira Yarmysh, his spokeswoman, were both detained in Moscow, according to their lawyers. Navalny, Russia’s leading [...]
Top lawyers in House of Lords rail against disclosing foreign interests April 21, 2021 Members of the House of Lords have criticised stricter rules on disclosing payments from foreign governments. The upper chamber decided without a vote there should be no exemptions from the tougher transparency regime, despite concerns expressed by senior members of the legal profession sitting on the red benches, due to the duty of confidentiality. One [...]
Ramsbury Estate beats Russia and the US to win top vodka prize April 20, 2021 North-east Wiltshire had just been crowned the UK’s vodka capital, and one of the best vodka-making regions in the world. Ramsbury Estate, at Aldbourne near Marlborough, won Spirit of the Year, Vodka Of the Year and a gold medal at last week’s prestigious London Spirits Competition. “It was international recognition for our cosmopolitan team,” says [...]
Russia anxiously awaits Navalny’s fate as life hangs in the balance April 20, 2021 Tension is building in Russia after jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was transferred to a prison hospital amid concerns that he is dangerously ill following a three-week hunger strike. Navalny’s transfer came after his doctors warned at the weekend that he was in danger of a heart attack or kidney failure. The Russian opposition leader’s [...]
The Green Party candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as Chancellor could control a fiercely left-wing German Government April 20, 2021 For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Green Party has nominated a candidate in the race to be Chancellor and succeed Angela Merkel. This morning, the party announced 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock to stand in the September 27 election. After Merkel’s Christian Democrats, the Greens are polling in second [...]
New standards for equal opportunities could pave way for a better working future April 20, 2021 Firms across the world have been attempting to codify their efforts on equal opportunities, and a new set of global standards may do just that. Christiane Bisanzio writes why her firm has signed up. Last week, the World Economic Forum released its eagerly awaited report into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on gender pay. [...]
Donald Tusk: Stop Russian aggression by cancelling Nord Stream 2 April 19, 2021 The former President of the European Council has called for the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to be cancelled in response to a build-up of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. Writing on Twitter, Donald Tusk said: “If you really want to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine, you have to stop Nord Stream 2. [...]
Russia expels 20 Czech diplomats over explosion allegations April 19, 2021 Moscow expelled 20 Czech diplomats on Sunday amid allegations that two Russian spies were behind an explosion that killed two people at a Czech ammunition depot. The same two spies are also accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018. Prague had ordered out 18 Russian diplomats on Saturday, prompting the country to [...]