O19 - 28th April 2021 - Wilson James
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
o19
28th April 2021
HIGHLIGHTS
Worldwide cases of COVID-19 are at 149,494,966 with deaths totalling 3,152,100 as of 28th April
according to Worldometer. So far, 127,132,995 people have recovered from the virus.
The UK economy is expecting to grow at its fastest rate since the Second World War. Accountancy firm
EY has upgraded its growth forecast and expects GDP to grow by 6.8% in 2021, the groups previous
forecast was 5%. Post lockdown spending and businesses better adapting to Covid-19 restrictions have
prompted the change.
Iran has sentenced British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to one year in jail and for the
year after she will be unable to leave the country. Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe received her sentenced for
attending a demonstration outside the Iranian Embassy in 2009 and for conversing with BBC Persia.
The British government have stated that they will do all they can to secure her release.
The EU is suing vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca over vaccine deliveries. AstraZeneca only delivered
30 million of the doses to the EU in the first quarter of 2021, the firm had promised to deliver 180
million doses. EU Commission Spokesman, Stefan De Keersmaecker said the bloc has started legal
action against the company “on the basis of breaches of the advance purchase agreement.” The
company has further stated that of the 180 million doses ordered for the second quarter of 2021, it
will only be able to supply 70 million doses.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron has come under further scrutiny over his role in the supply of
Covid-19 testing kits to the United Kingdom Government. Mr Cameron introduced an old Etonian
school friend, Hugh Warrander to Andrew Feldman who at the time was a senior advisor in the
Department of Health. Mr Warrander was reportedly representing an Asian Covid-19 test kit
manufacturer that wanted to make contact with senior government decision makers.
EU president Ursula von der Leyen has said that the EU will welcome American holidaymakers this
year. The EU and the USA are in advanced talks over mutually recognising vaccine passports.
BREXIT
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has admitted because of Brexit a hard border between England
and Scotland would be required if Scotland ever gain independence. Under EU rules, should Scotland
wish to become a member of the bloc the process would take 10 years. The SNP claims that Scotland
left the EU against its will.
Major French trade unions are threatening to block the port of Calais within two weeks if fishermen
do not receive licenses from the United Kingdom to operate in British fishing waters. A blockade on
the port of Calais would result in extensive disruption to UK exporters
2
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021
COVID – 19
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES TOTAL DEATHS PATIENTS RECOVERED
149,494,966 3,152,100 127,132,995
28.04.2021 Worldometer
COVID-19 – UK
Seven–day rolling rate of new cases by Seven–day rolling rate of new cases by
specimen date ending on 15th April 2021 specimen date ending on 22nd April 2021
Patients’ weekly admission data as
of 21/04/2021
3
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021COVID-19 – UK
The total confirmed UK COVID-19 cases as of 28th April is 4,409,631 with 127,451 deaths according to
GOV.UK.
As of 26th April, over 33,843,580 people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in the
UK and 13,201,811 have received their second dose according to GOV.UK.
Eight police officers were injured at an anti-lockdown protest on 24 April. Objects including bottles were
thrown as the Metropolitan Police attempted to disperse crowds in Hyde Park at the end of the
demonstration on Saturday evening. Five arrests were made for offences including assaults on police.
10,000 people attended the March in London’s Hyde Park.
91 year old Margret Keenan, the first person in the world to receive the vaccine, has urged people to
“go and get it now” in response to being asked about her feelings on those hesitant to have the vaccine.
Ms Keenan made history in December 2020 by receiving the vaccine; she has described receiving the
vaccination as “the best thing I have ever done”.
Driving tests have recommenced in England under Boris Johnson’s roadmap to coming out of lockdown.
Most centres are booked up until August with a backlog of 420,000 tests. Drivers who fail their test may
have to wait up to nine months before being able to retake it.
Rapid Covid-19 testing kits will be available free in Scotland, even to those who do not have any
symptoms. The Scottish Government have said that the scheme will assist in finding cases that would
otherwise be undetected.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated that the UK will send 600 items of medical supplies, including
ventilators to India. 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators
left the UK by air on 25 April and arrived in New Delhi on 27 April.
People in Wales will be able to have a drink inside a pub or restaurant from 17 May. All tourist
accommodation, indoor entertainment and attractions in Wales will reopen on the 17th in time for the
spring bank holiday. Indoor children's activities and groups of up to 15 adults, such as gym classes will
open two weeks earlier than planned on 3 May. First Minister Mark Drakeford described it as a "major
reopening of Wales" and that the relaxation of a number of lockdown rules moving forward has happen
because of falling Covid rates.
More than one third of England’s NHS trusts have no longer have any patients in intensive care. As of
the 20th April patients suffering from Covid-19 only occupied 6.6% of intensive care beds.
Professor Sarah Walker who is one of the UK’s leading scientists studying the track of Covid-19 has said
that thanks to the UK’s vaccine programme the country is no longer in a pandemic. Ms Walker has said
that the country has moved into a new phase meaning the UK is now in an endemic.
A new campaign launched earlier this month to encourage younger people to have their Covid-19
vaccine when it is their turn. The Department of Health has released a collection of images documenting
the NHS's largest-ever vaccination programme. More than half the entire UK population - 33.5 million
people - have now received a first dose, while more than 12 million people have had two doses.
4
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021COVID-19- OTHER COUNTRIES
Canada
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has faced criticism as the Canadian province tackles its third wave of COVID-19. Both
Doug Ford and the Premier of Quebec have urged Prime Minister Trudeau to reduce international travel,
particularly from hard hit countries such as India and Pakistan.
Ecuador
On 21st April, Ecuador introduced a night-time curfew, alongside other mobility restrictions, in an attempt to stop
hospitals in the country from becoming overwhelmed after a spike in COVID-19 cases. As of 26th April, the Country
had 373,362 confirmed cases and 18,177 deaths.
Germany
On 21st April, protesters attending an anti-lockdown demonstration in Berlin clashed with police. Demonstrators
attended the rally to protest against new powers given to Angela Merkel by Parliament to fight the third wave of
COVID-19 sweeping across the country. On 22nd April, Germany recorded 23,000 new cases in 24 hours.
Iraq
At least 82 people have died and over 100 injured in a Baghdad hospital after a fire broke out Saturday 24th April.
The fire broke out in the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the Ibn al-Khatib Hospital, the source of the blaze is
believed to have been an exploding oxygen cylinder.
Israel
In Israel, zero Covid-19 deaths were recorded for the first time in 10 months on 22nd April with 60% of the
population fully vaccinated. Israel has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions allowing schools to reopen, masks are no
longer required outdoors and fully vaccinated people can dine indoors and go to concerts.
Japan
The Japanese government are planning for a third state of emergency to help tackle COVID-19 infections in
Tokyo, alongside three other prefectures. Japan has an approximate 9,800 deaths and 500,000 reported cases
of the virus. Seiko Hashimoto president of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee has stated the cancellation
of the Olympics is currently not an option.
New Zealand
More than 50,000 people have packed into the Eden Park stadium to attend a rock concert. The event took
place on 25 April has been billed as the largest concert in the world since the pandemic took hold. No masks
or social distancing restrictions were necessary at the event.
Singapore
Roughly, 1,200 migrant workers are now in quarantine in Singapore after multiple cases of COVID-19
identified in dormitories housing the workers on 22nd April. One Bangladeshi worker contracted the virus
despite receiving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Slovakia
From 26th April, Slovakia further eased their lockdown restrictions allowing for restaurant terraces and gyms
to reopen. The move came after the country saw its 7-day average cases fall from 3,000 to 642 recently with
hospital admissions also falling.
Thailand
Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Awareness announced on Monday 26th April the extension –by a
month- of the nationwide lockdown due to end on April 30th. There were 2,931 confirmed cases and 52 deaths
on Monday.
5
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021Useful Information Sources
UK wide – Public Health England
Scotland – Scottish Government
Northern Ireland – NISRA
COVID-19 deaths in England & Wales – ONS
COVID-19 Statistics – Worldometer – Johns Hopkins University
WORLD NEWS
Armenia
On 24th April, President Biden recognised the 1915 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as an act
of genocide, in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Whilst heavily criticised by the Turkish
government, America is home to a large Armenian diaspora who have celebrated the decision.
Canada
Canada’s Conservative Party leader, Erin O’Toole announced on Wednesday 21st April a new carbon-pricing
plan to replace the federal carbon tax brought in by the previous liberal government in 2019. The consumer
carbon price, predictions were as high as C$170 (US$130)/tonne under the liberal leadership however now
have a reduced maximum of C$50 (US$40)/tonne.
China
China has unveiled new advanced radars that could detect aircraft flying in stealth mode along with drones
and cruise missiles. One device that has been unveiled is the country’s first portable radar.
France
A female police officer died after a stab wound to the neck received outside a police station in the South
West of Paris. Anti-terror prosecutors have taken over the inquiry, due to the event classed as a possible
terrorist attack. The knifeman, who reportedly came to France from Tunisia several years ago, was shot dead
by police.
Indonesia
53 Indonesian Navy sailors have perished after their submarine sank 60 miles north of Bali. A scan of the
ocean detected the submarine 850m below the surface, well beyond the vessels limits, which are built to
withstand depths of up to 500m.
Libya
More than 120 asylum seekers are lost at sea because of their rubber boat capsizing in a storm off the coast
of Libya while they were attempting to reach Europe, charities and the UN migration agency say. Waves in
the area were reaching heights of over 6 meters. Vessels in the area went to help but found no sign of
survivors.
Russia
Alexei Navalny has said he is ending his hunger strike after receiving medical attention and being told by his
doctors that continuing it would be life threatening. The Russian opposition leader who is in prison said he
would continue to demand a visit from his doctor to address a loss of sensation in his limbs.
Syria
On 24 April firefighters had to extinguish a blaze on an oil tanker anchored of the coast of the Baniyas
refinery. Syrian authorities believe the cause was a drone strike that came from the direction of Lebanese
waters. Syrian authorities have been rationing fuel supplies under UN sanctions.
6
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021Ukraine
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered a number of military units in the area back to their bases
after weeks of tension on the border with Ukraine. Over 100,000 soldiers reportedly gathered at the border
between the two countries.
United States
Ghislaine Maxwell makes first US court appearance in New York. Ms Maxwell has appeared in court on new
charges of sex trafficking. The two new charges relate to allegations that Maxwell recruited a 14-year-old girl
to provide Epstein with sexualised massages between 2001 and 2004
7
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021INSIGHTS
Our Risk Advisory Service regularly publish articles and advisories covering a myriad of subjects. These
publications can be found within the Risk Advisory Services section on the Wilson James website.
MI6 monitoring of large polluting countries
A recent interview on Times Radio with the new MI6/SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) boss, Richard Moore,
revealed MI6 had started to spy on large polluting countries to monitor their carbon emissions. Moore
described this shift in policy as the “foremost international foreign policy item for this country and for the
planet,”1. Social media users referred to it as ‘Green Spying’.
Almost 200 countries and rising signed up to the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, a plan to tackle climate
change on a global level. The aim is to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the rise in global
temperatures. It also expects wealthier countries to assist those struggling to meet their commitments due to
economic and logistical disadvantages. The agreement sets out mandatory measures to ensure compliance
and transparency “requiring reporting on greenhouse gas inventories and projections that are subject to a
technical expert review and a multilateral examination”.2.
The Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee (PAICC) now exists to assist member
countries and help them meet their targets. As non-punitive and non-adversarial, the PAICC “builds trust. This
trust ensures that each Party honours its commitments to fight climate change in accordance with the Paris
Agreement. And this, in turn, helps boost the climate ambition of Parties which is what we need in 2020 and
well into the future” said Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. 3.
Moore’s admission to already spying on large industrialised countries supports the Paris Agreement’s ethos of
trust and commitment but affirms, "Climate change - where you need everyone to come on board and to play
fair, then occasionally just check to make sure they are." 1. Moore considers MI6’s role pivotal in this respect
stating, “Our job is to shine a light in places where people might not want it shone. And so clearly we are going
to support what is the foremost international foreign policy agenda item for this country and for the planet,
which is around the climate emergency, and of course we have a role in that space.” 4.
US President Joe Biden hosted a virtual summit this week to encourage more action with many of the big
polluters attending and making promises to reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030 or to be Net Zero by
2050. China has already hit back at accusations it is not fulfilling its goals; the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated
China’s effectiveness at tackling climate change was “obvious to all”5.
Moore’s approach to monitoring and holding countries to account will likely be highly influential in assisting
with the Paris Agreement objective of ‘an international treaty for the termination of fossil fuel production’. 6.
8
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021(NRDC, 2015)
9
WORLD NEWS/RAS/28th April 2021COVID19@wilsonjames.co.uk / riskadvisory@wilsonjames.co.uk @WJltd @WJ_Ltd www.linkedin.com/company/wilson-james
You can also read
