EU threatens to block vaccine exports to the UK for the second time March 17, 2021 The European Commission has threatened to block vaccine exports to the UK and other countries with high vaccination rates for the second time, as a bitter dispute over the EU’s sluggish jab rollout continues to escalate. European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen announced the bloc was facing “the crisis of this century” amid vaccine [...]
George Osborne hits out at Tory ‘hotheads’ who want UK-China ‘Cold War’ March 17, 2021 George Osborne has praised Boris Johnson for “seeing off the hotheads” in the Tory party who are calling for a more aggressive UK stance toward China. Osborne said he saw “a lot of continuity” between Johnson’s China policy, announced in yesterday’s integrated defence and foreign policy review, and his and David Cameron’s, which built stronger [...]
EU to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses March 17, 2021 The European Union agreed today to sanction Chinese officials for human rights abuses, two diplomats have said, the first penalties against Beijing in over three decades. EU envoys authorised travel bans and asset freezes on four Chinese figures and one entity, whose name has not been made public. The Chinese officials were accused of human [...]
Which countries in Europe have suspended the Astrazeneca vaccine? March 17, 2021 Fifteen countries across Europe have suspended the rollout of the Astrazeneca vaccine while the EU medicines regulators investigates reports of blood clots among patients. Sweden yesterday joined a growing list of countries including Italy, Germany, France and Norway to issue a temporary ban on the jab. State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said the pause was a [...]
Russia for Trump, Iran for Biden: report shows interference in 2020 US election March 16, 2021 Vladimir Putin knew of and likely directed a Russian effort to help former US President Donald Trump win the 2020 presidential campaign, according to US intelligence officials. In a report published today, the officials said the Russian interference included spreading “misleading or unsubstantiated allegations” against challenger – and now President – Joe Biden. The allegations [...]
UK sets out plans to be a ‘meaningful actor’ in new space race March 16, 2021 Boris Johnson has today set out plans to make the UK a “meaningful actor” in the new space race, with the capability to launch satellites from sovereign territory by 2022 a priority. Today’s Integrated Review of the UK’s foreign and defence policy said that space would become one of the key sites of international competition [...]
eToro confirms plans to merge with a Spac at $10bn valuation March 16, 2021 Investment platform eToro has confirmed plans to merge with a special acquisition company after years of speculation about going public. The London-based firm announced it had agreed to merge with Fintech Acquisition Corp. V in a deal which values eToro at around $10.4bn. The companies are raising approximately $650m in equity. Established in 2007 by [...]
UK says Russia is its ‘most acute threat’ as China tensions dialled down March 16, 2021 The UK government has today warned that Russia is its “most acute threat”, while also potentially extending an olive branch to China after escalating tensions over the past year. The government’s long-awaited integrated review of defence, foreign and development policy outlined a plan to pivot away from Europe and toward the Indo-Pacific in a landmark [...]
EU orders more Pfizer vaccine doses as Sweden joins countries halting Astrazeneca jab March 16, 2021 The EU has ordered more doses of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine to plug a shortfall that has arisen from a swathe of countries banning the Astrazeneca jab over safety concerns. European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen announced on Twitter that the EU had agreed an “accelerated delivery of 10m doses” of the Pfizer vaccine to [...]
Britain must define in its place in the world with rich trading relationships March 16, 2021 Today, the government will seek to define the UK’s place in the world as it publishes “Global Britain in a Competitive Age” reviewing foreign and defence policy. Back in 1962, the American statesman, Dean Acheson, famously observed that the UK had “lost an Empire but not yet found a role.” Now, after Britain has left the EU, the [...]