An open letter to the PM: Britain must build Sizewell C — nuclear sits at the heart of a green recovery July 12, 2020 An open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, business secretary Alok Sharma, and chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak We are writing as engineers, nuclear experts, scientists and concerned citizens to applaud your commitment to fighting climate change through energy policy, in particular the commitment to proceed with new nuclear construction at the same time [...]
IEA raises oil demand forecast but warns of coronavirus threat July 10, 2020 The International Energy Agency (IEA) raised its 2020 oil demand forecast today but warned the ongoing spread of coronavirus could cause more disruption. The organisation raised its oil demand forecast to 92.1m barrels per day, 400,000 higher than its prediction last month as the virus-struck second quarter suffered a smaller decline than expected. But the [...]
With its own Magnitsky Act, Britain can make it clear that international wrongdoers are not welcome here July 10, 2020 The new government sanctions regime, which has seen restrictions imposed on around 50 individuals accused of orchestrating human rights abuses, is a major step in Britain’s post-Brexit place in the world. Dubbed the “Magnitsky Act”, after the Moscow lawyer murdered after uncovering a massive tax fraud, this approach allows the UK to pursue a new [...]
UK quarantine ends for 59 countries July 10, 2020 Passengers from abroad landing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks as the government relaxed quarantine rules. Travellers from 59 countries and 14 overseas British territories are now exempt from the ban, although people from the US – where cases are still spiking – and Canada must still [...]
Wirecard executive ‘touted Russian nerve gas documents’ July 9, 2020 Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek reportedly touted documents about the use of a Russian chemical weapon in the UK and bragged about ties to the intelligence services. Documents, which have been reviewed by the Financial Times and used in meetings in the summer of 2018, include the formula for the world’s deadliest nerve agent, novichok. The [...]
Magnistky Act: Who’s on the Foreign Office’s sanctions list? July 7, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab yesterday unveiled the first 49 foreign citizens facing sanctions for alleged human rights abuses under the UK’s new Magnitsky Act. The new sanctions include visa bans and asset freezes on individuals from Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar who are suspected of “serious” human rights abuses, including murder, torture, massacre [...]
Brazil’s President Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus July 7, 2020 President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus, the leader said today. The Brazilian president said he began feeling unwell on Sunday, and later tested positive for Covid-19. He had cleared his public agenda earlier today as he awaited the result of a coronavirus test, with his office saying the far-right leader — [...]
Magnitsky Act: Dominic Raab unveils first foreign citizens facing visa restrictions July 6, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has unveiled the first 49 foreign citizens facing sanctions for alleged human rights abuses under the UK’s new Magnitsky Act. Speaking in the Commons today, the foreign secretary said the UK was taking action against the “thugs of despots and henchmen of dictators” and those trying to launder their “blood-stained ill-gotten [...]
Russia remains dangerous, but don’t confuse it for a superpower July 6, 2020 It is one of those news stories where the incident perfectly fits the larger political risk profile. During the past week, the New York Times reported that a Russian military intelligence unit paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants in 2019 to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. One imagines the reasoning for this was to decisively derail [...]
Up to 75 countries to be exempt from quarantine rules as ‘air bridges’ thrown out July 2, 2020 As many as 75 countries will be exempt from the UK’s blanket quarantine rules, it is reported, suggesting the government has effectively thrown out plans for individual air bridges. The initial list of countries exempt from the restrictions is due to be published before the end of the week, according to the Daily Telegraph. And [...]