When it comes to China, Europe is no longer America’s sidekick December 23, 2020 The largely unnoticed downgrading of US-EU ties is so important. Taken entirely for granted by a Trump administration uninterested in the high art of alliance management, when the US sheriff sets out to corral new rival China, it will do so without Europe unambiguously coming along as part of the posse. A recent series of [...]
The End of the Affair: The EU and UK have very different foreign policy destinies December 21, 2020 As the year draws to an end, City A.M. is looking back at the columns that illuminated the world around us. In The End of the Affair (1951), Graham Greene — to my mind the most underrated novelist of the twentieth century — perfectly encapsulates the chaotic feelings lying behind romantic breakup and emotional calamity. [...]
India will be the big winner of this new world order December 19, 2020 Delhi benefits from the structural fact that though we presently live in an era epitomised by superpower bipolarity, it is a very different type of two-power standoff than was the Cold War. From 1945–1991, America and the Soviet Union so dominated the international scene that they easily lined up much of the rest of the [...]
Lost the plot: City A.M’s pick of the best books of 2020 December 18, 2020 Whether it was a period of furlough, a cancelled trip or endless weekends with no pubs, restaurants, museums or cinemas open: there has definitely been more time for most of us to get stuck into a good book this year. As we turn the last page of 2020, whether you’re looking for a page-turner during [...]
From John le Carré to Chinese communists: Are there still reds under the bed? December 16, 2020 Perhaps it was appropriate that the news of a mass infiltration by insiders of Beijing’s ruling party should break in the same week that John le Carré died. The passing of the master of spy stories reminded us all of times past, when the world was dominated by superpowers who employed tens of thousands to [...]
GPs to begin offering coronavirus vaccines from today December 14, 2020 GPs across England will begin administering coronavirus vaccinations today as the next stage of the vaccine rollout gets under way. The NHS said that GP surgeries in 100 locations would receive doses of the vaccine today, with some expected to begin inoculations this afternoon. A majority, however, are expected to begin offering the treatment from [...]
FTSE100 company disputes could cost £13.8bn December 14, 2020 Tax disputes with tax authorities globally could cost FTSE100 companies £13.8bn, research by Thomson Reuters shows. This figure Includes £11.7bn in extra tax related to disputes that the companies believe they will ultimately win, however, the FTSE100 set aside £2.1bn to cover the costs of these disputes last year. In total FTSE100 companies were involved [...]
Russia says may retaliate after new round of UK sanctions December 12, 2020 MOSCOW (Reuters) – A new round of British sanctions against Russian individuals over alleged human rights abuses in Chechnya is “unfounded” and Moscow may retaliate, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. “Undoubtedly, this politically-charged demarche will have a negative impact on Russian-British interstate relations,” the ministry said, adding Russia “reserves the right to take [...]
UK to stop backing overseas oil and gas projects December 12, 2020 Boris Johnson will pledge to end direct government support for overseas fossil fuel projects at a U.N. summit on Saturday, aiming to spur similar moves by other countries to help tackle climate change, his office said. Britain, which is co-hosting the virtual summit ahead of climate negotiations in Glasgow next year, has faced accusations of [...]
Google to provide Covid vaccine information panels December 11, 2020 Google have announced a new feature on Search to provide users with official information about Covid vaccines.