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‘Illegal migration is not fair’: says UK PM Rishi Sunak

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Rishi Sunak
  • Sunak made the promise as the UK deals with a constant stream of migrants entering the country from Europe.
  • Legal immigrants may apply for asylum in the UK after crossing the border illegally.
  • The new legislation would stop such individuals from requesting asylum in the first place.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a warning to illegal immigrants on Sunday (local time) that the country will start deporting anyone who crossed its borders without authorization and would not be granted refuge.

In a Sunday interview, Sunak made the promise as the UK deals with a constant stream of migrants entering the country from Europe.

Later this week, Sunak’s government is anticipated to introduce legislation aimed at reducing illegal immigration, with a focus on those who enter the country over the English Channel by boat.

According to the new legislation, the home secretary would be required to permanently bartend anyone entering on a small boat from returning to Rwanda or another “safe” third nation.

Make no mistake, if you enter this country illegally, you will not be permitted to stay, warned Sunak, who has made “stopping the boats” one of his major goals.

“Illegal immigration is unfair to British taxpayers, individuals who enter the country legally, and it is unfair to allow criminal gangs to go on their immoral business. I’m adamant about keeping my word and stopping the vessels,” he said.

Legal immigrants may apply for asylum in the UK after crossing the border illegally. The new legislation would stop such individuals from requesting asylum in the first place. Normally, the migrants are permitted to remain while their case is being heard.

The increase in the number of asylum seekers making the perilous journey from France to the UK has long been a concern of the administration.

Yet it’s unclear exactly how the administration wants to restrict asylum applicants’ rights.

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Britain to unveil new immigration law as King Charles condemns?

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King Charles

Britain is set to unveil a new law to crack down on migrants. According to reports King Charles have all condemned the policy. The number of migrants arriving on the English coast has more than doubled in the last two years. Britain is set to unveil a new law to crack down on migrants arriving in … Read more

As Venice’s canals run dry, Italy faces a fresh drought alert

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Italy
  • Italy will face another drought after last summer’s disaster.
  • Italy’s rivers and lakes are severely depleted of water.
  • An anticyclone has dominated the weather in Western Europe.

Weeks of dry winter weather have increased fears that Italy will face another drought after last summer’s disaster, with the Alps receiving less than half of their average snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups.

The warning comes as Venice, where flooding is ordinarily a major problem, experiences extremely low tides that make it hard for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances to navigate parts of its iconic canals.

A mixture of reasons is being blamed for the troubles in Venice, including a lack of rain, a high-pressure system, a full moon, and sea currents.

The Legambiente environmental group stated on Monday that Italy’s rivers and lakes are severely depleted of water, with the north of the nation receiving special attention.

The Po, Italy’s longest river that flows from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has 61% less water than usual this time of year, according to a statement.

Last July, Italy announced a state of emergency for the areas surrounding the Po, which accounts for nearly one-third of the country’s agricultural output and was experiencing its worst drought in 70 years.

Water deficit situation

“We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021,” climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui from the Italian scientific research institute CNR was quoted as saying by the daily Corriere della Sera.

“We need to recover 500 millimeters in the north-western regions: we need 50 days of rain,” he added.

Water levels on Lake Garda in northern Italy have reached record lows, allowing access to the lake’s small island of San Biagio through an exposed footpath.

For the past 15 days, an anticyclone has dominated the weather in Western Europe, delivering moderate temperatures more typical of late April.

The latest weather projections, however, indicate that much-needed precipitation and snow will arrive in the Alps in the coming days.

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Spain approves Europe’s first paid ‘menstrual leave’

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menstrual leave
  • Only a few nations around the world grant menstrual leave.
  • Menstrual leave was included in a larger bill that improves access to abortion services.
  • The new law also abolishes a condition put in place by a previous conservative administration in 2015.

The Spanish parliament approved a law on Thursday offering paid medical leave to women experiencing extreme period pain, making Spain the first nation in Europe to do so.

The measure, which was approved by 185 votes to 154 votes against, is intended to end a taboo on the matter, according to Spain’s left-wing government.

Only a few nations around the world, including Japan, Indonesia, and Zambia, already grant menstrual leave.

Irene Montero, the minister for equality, tweeted that “it is a historic day for feminist development.” She claims that the decision is a step towards addressing a health issue that has mainly gone unaddressed.

According to the law, employees who are having period pain are entitled to take as much time off as they require, with the state social security system—not employers—covering the cost of the sick time.

Although the period of sick leave is not set in the law, it requires a doctor’s clearance, just as paid leave for other medical reasons.

According to the Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics Society, a third of women experience extremely painful periods.

Once the law was initially adopted by the cabinet in May 2022, Montero declared that “periods will no longer be taboo.”

“No more hiding the reality that we are in agony that prevents us from working, no more arriving at work on time and taking medicines,”

Unions and politicians disagree

Nonetheless, the act sowed discord among unions and politicians alike.

One of Spain’s largest unions, the CCOO, hailed the action as a significant “legislative advance” in recognising a problem that had previously been “ignored.”

However, the UGT, Spain’s other major union, cautioned that it might stigmatise women in the workplace and impede their “access to the labour market” indirectly. The Popular Party, the largest right-wing opposition party, shared this view (PP).

Menstrual leave was included in a larger bill that improves access to abortion services in public hospitals, a right that faces challenges in a nation with a strong Catholic heritage.

Fewer than 15% of abortions carried out in the nation take place in public institutions, primarily due to medical professionals’ moral objections.

The new law also abolishes a condition put in place by a previous conservative administration in 2015 and permits adolescents aged 16 and 17 to obtain an abortion without parental consent.

Spain, a pioneer in women’s rights in Europe, decriminalised abortion in 1985, and it approved a law in 2010 allowing most women to choose an abortion freely within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.

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ECB to keep raising interest rates to control inflation

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ECB inflation

Christine Lagarde reiterated the ECB’s policy guidance. Inflation in the 20-nation Eurozone decreased to 8.5% in January. Wage rise is a potential source of long-term inflation. President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde reiterated the bank’s most recent policy guidance on Wednesday, stating that the euro-inflation zone’s rate is still far too high … Read more

Two MEPs loses immunity in corruption case

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MEPs

Qatargate is a corruption scandal that has shaken the European Parliament. A series of raids in Brussels and Italy netted over €1.5 million (£1.3 million) in cash. Marc Tarabella, a Belgian, and Andrea Cozzolino, an Italian, both deny involvement. Following a request from Belgian authorities looking into a corruption scandal that has shaken the European … Read more

CBD is prohibited in Hong Kong, where it ranks with heroin and cocaine

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Hong Kong
  • Importing, exporting, or producing CBD is forbidden in Hong Kong now.
  • Possession or consumption might result in a seven-year prison sentence.
  • CBD is legal in the United States, sections of Europe, and certain Asian countries, including Japan and Thailand.

HONG KONG – A new law in Hong Kong that criminalizes the possession, consumption, and sale of cannabidiol (CBD) went into force on Wednesday, putting the substance on par with heroin in terms of legal classification.

Users of CBD, a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, claim that it relieves pain, tension, anxiety, and inflammation.

Hong Kong officials, on the other hand, have stated that the claims “lack authoritative scientific support” and have justified their ban by claiming that the items might be transformed into the psychoactive component THC, which is already outlawed in the city.

Importing, exporting, or producing CBD, which joins more than 200 other “dangerous medicines” forbidden in the territory, is punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of up to HK$5 million ($638,000).

Possession or consumption might result in a seven-year prison sentence and a HK$1 million ($128,000) fine.

CBD-infused goods have grown in popularity in recent years, with gummies, coffee, beers, and cosmetic creams all contributing to a sector that is estimated to be worth $47 billion by 2028, up from $4.9 billion in 2021.

CBD is legal in the United States, sections of Europe, and certain Asian countries, including Japan and Thailand.

Authorities in Hong Kong gave businesses and residents three months to dispose of any possible contraband before the stringent penalties went into force on Wednesday.

Take a step back

According to official data, around 77,400 things have been offloaded at government bins as of Sunday.

Customs officials warned shoppers last week to be wary of products emblazoned with hemp leaves, and on Wednesday, full-page newspaper advertisements stated: “Is there anything with CBD in it? No way!”

The new laws have had an impact on vendors in the recession-hit financial hub, pushing some to close completely.

“We had to cease selling a best-selling beer, and we still receive customers phoning to ask about the product on a regular basis,” said Chris Wong, co-founder of the HK Brewcraft store.

When it launched in 2020, Cafe Found advertised itself as the first in the city to provide a variety of CBD-infused dishes and drinks, while Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery stated it was compelled to discontinue a popular line.

“It feels like a step backward for HK,” the company’s founder, Luke Yardley, told.

While many countries have legalized the substance, mainland China will outlaw it in 2021.

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Trees could reduce urban heatwave mortality by one-third

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Trees
  • Increasing tree cover to 30% would save 0.4 degrees Celsius.
  • Foliage covers somewhat less than 15% of urban areas in Europe on average.
  • This increased heat is mostly produced by a lack of greenery.

PARIS: Researchers suggested Wednesday that planting more trees in metropolitan areas to reduce summertime temperatures could reduce mortality directly attributable to hot weather and heatwaves by one-third.

According to their findings in The Lancet, increasing tree cover to 30% would save 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.7 degrees Fahrenheit) locally on average during the hot summer months.

According to the data, one-third of the 6,700 premature deaths caused by higher temperatures in 93 European towns in 2015 may have been avoided.

Currently, foliage covers somewhat less than 15% of urban areas in Europe on average.

According to lead author Tamar Iungman, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, the study is the first to forecast the number of early deaths caused by higher temperatures in cities that could be avoided with more tree cover.

“We already know that high temperatures in urban environments are associated with negative health outcomes, such as cardiorespiratory failure, hospital admission, and premature death,” he said in a statement.

“Our goal is to inform local policy and decision-makers about the benefits of strategically integrating green infrastructure into urban planning in order to promote more sustainable, resilient, and healthy urban environments.”

The so-called urban heat island effect causes cities to have greater temperatures than surrounding suburbs or countryside.

This increased heat is mostly produced by a lack of greenery, air conditioning system exhaust, and dark-colored asphalt and building materials that absorb and trap heat.
Climate change has already exacerbated the situation. Last year was Europe’s hottest summer on record, and the second warmest year on record.

Health benefits

Heatwaves are reaching new highs and lasting longer in recent decades all around the planet.

Cold weather still kills more people in Europe than hot weather. However, climate models predict that heat-related disease and death will place a greater load on healthcare systems within a decade.

“This is getting more critical as Europe faces more dramatic temperature changes as a result of climate change,” Iungman added.

Between June and August 2015, the researchers calculated mortality rates for persons over the age of 20, accounting for 57 million people in total.

In two modeling scenarios, this data was analyzed in relation to daily average city temperatures.

The first contrasted the temperature of the city with and without urban heat islands. The second simulation simulated a 30% increase in tree cover, resulting in a temperature decrease.

During the summer of 2015, cities were 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding countryside. Cluj-Napoca, Romania, had the greatest temperature differential (4.1 degrees Celsius).

Across all cities, 75% of the total population lived in places that were at least one degree warmer, while 20% lived in locations that were at least two degrees warmer.

Overall, cities in southern and eastern Europe had the greatest temperature-related mortality rates.

“This is an important piece of research,” commented Laurence Wainwright, a lecturer at the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

“Urban tree planting — on the right scale, in the right places, and under certain other conditions — likely leads to a modest-yet-real reduction in heat-related deaths in many urban areas.”

Previous research has shown that green areas can improve cognitive functioning in youngsters and the elderly, as well as reduce cardiovascular disease, dementia, and poor mental health.

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Norway’s enormous national wealth fund suffers losses

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Norway
  • Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, among the world’s largest investors, returned -14.1% last year.
  • War in Europe, high inflation and rising interest rates were behind the poor performance.
  • This negatively impacted both the equity market and bond market at the same time.

Due to “extremely unusual” market conditions, Norway’s national wealth fund on Tuesday revealed a record loss for the entire year of 2022 of 1.64 trillion Norwegian kroner ($164 billion).

One of the biggest investors in the world, the so-called Government Pension Fund Global, reported a -14.1% return last year, which it said was 0.88 percentage points more than the return on its benchmark index.

“The European conflict, soaring inflation, and rising interest rates all had an effect on the market. This had an unfavorable influence on the bond market and equities markets simultaneously, which is quite unusual, according to a statement from Norges Bank Investment Management CEO Nicolai Tangen.

With the exception of energy, all equities market sectors experienced negative returns, according to Tangen.

The previous highest loss for the fund was 633 billion kroner in 2008, during the height of the world financial crisis.

The $1.3 trillion fund was set up in the 1990s to invest the extra money generated by the oil and gas industry in Norway. The fund has so far made investments in over 9,300 businesses across 70 nations.

The fund’s fortune is based on Norway’s enormous North Sea oil and gas deposits. Indeed, a passionate discussion about international justice has been sparked by the nation’s soaring fossil fuel profits in the midst of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

The government has been urged to set an example for the rest of the world by investing its record petroleum revenues in a new worldwide solidarity fund by opposition politicians, well-known economists in Norway, and even giants of the nation’s energy sector.

According to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, Norway is well conscious of the responsibility that comes with having access to such resources.

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Higher rates benefit UBS, but fewer clients mean reduced revenues

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UBS
  • Swiss bank UBS reported $1.7 billion of net income for the fourth quarter of last year.
  • Bringing its full-year profit to $7.6 billion in 2022.
  • The rate environment is helping the business on one side, and that offsets some of the lower activity.

Although UBS’ fourth-quarter profit above market forecasts, the Swiss banking behemoth reported a decline in sales due to decreased client activity and issued a “uncertain” outlook for the next year.

The bank announced net income of $1.7 billion for the fourth quarter of 2018, increasing the full-year profit in 2022 to $7.6 billion. According to Refinitiv statistics, analysts had predicted UBS would report net profits of $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter and $7.3 billion for the entire year.

However, the company’s investment banking and asset management divisions were impacted by the market uncertainties. Revenues in the former declined by 24% annually, while those in asset management fell by 31% annually as a result of “poor market performance and foreign currency implications.”

CEO Ralph Hamers said to CNBC’s Geoff Cutmore on Tuesday, “The rate environment is supporting the business on one side, and that offsets some of the decreased activity that we see on the investment side.”

A change in the markets, he continued, had put pressure on the bank’s investment division.

He stated, “We observed a trend from what we would call micro emphasis, which is equity-focused, to macro focus, which is rates oriented.” He added that the Swiss bank was less able to profit from this change than some of its competitors due to its smaller position in the U.S.

Here are some other highlights from the results:

  • CET 1 capital ratio, a measure of bank solvency, stood at 14.2%, down from 14.4% in the previous quarter;
  • Total revenues dropped to $8 billion from $8.7 billion a year ago;
  • Return on tangible equity, a measure of banks’ performance, rose to 13.2% at the end of the quarter, up from 10% a year ago.

Uncertain’ outlook

The Swiss lender predicted that increased customer activity, higher interest rates, the relaxation of Covid-19 limitations in Asia, and other factors would “positively influence” first-quarter income in 2023.

In contrast, it expressed caution about the overall economic outlook, pointing to central bank activity as a potential driver of market volatility.

The outlook for economic growth, asset valuations, and market volatility remain highly uncertain, and central bank tightening may have an impact on market liquidity, the bank stated in its earnings release. “While inflation may have peaked in the second half of 2022, and an energy crisis in Europe seems likely to be avoided, the outlook for economic growth, asset valuations, and market volatility remains highly uncertain.”

This year, UBS announced it will increase its stock purchases.

In a statement released along with the findings, Hamers stated, “We remain committed to a progressive dividend and expect to repurchase more than $5 billion of shares in 2023.

In early European trading, the bank’s shares decreased by more than 2%.

UBS reported what analysts at Jefferies considered to be mixed fourth-quarter earnings, they said in a note on Tuesday.

When we look at the specifics, our initial enthusiasm is somewhat dampened because the greater earnings are actually the result of some one-time revenue sources and a low tax rate. Overall trends are more inconsistent, they claimed.

[embedpost slug=”/pierin-vincenz-swiss-banker-claimed-costs-for-strip-club-visits/”]

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German man detained for allegedly passing intelligence to Russia

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Russia

The FBI assisted in the arrest of the individual, who was only given the name Arthur E. He is apparently connected to a member of the German BND. Who was detained in December on suspicion of spying for Russia. A German national has been detained on treason charges after being implicated in a plot to … Read more

Elon Musk says Chinese rival work “hardest, smartest”

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk predicts that China will be Tesla’s biggest rival in the electric vehicle market. In 2022, China will account for nearly two-thirds of all sales of electric vehicles worldwide. Tesla just appointed its China head Tom Zhu to oversee US and European plants and sales. Detroit? Nope. No, Germany. Elon Musk believes that China, … Read more

Turkey’s Baykar will send drones to Kuwait under a $370 million deal

by
Baykar
  • Turkey is set to deliver armed drones to Kuwait.
  • The number of drones isn’t specified.
  • Baykar’s TB2 drones grew after they were used in worldwide conflicts.

Ankara: Turkey is set to deliver an unspecified number of armed drones to Kuwait under a $370 million contract, Turkish defence firm Baykar announced on Wednesday.

International interest in Baykar’s TB2 drones grew after they were used in conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Azerbaijan, and it grew even more after they were used by Ukraine’s military to thwart Russian forces.

“A contract worth $370 million was signed with Kuwait Defence Ministry to export Bayraktar TB2 drones,” Baykar said in a statement

The statement did not specify how many drones would be delivered to Kuwait or when they would arrive.

“Baykar won out in competition with significant firms from America, Europe, and China, in the (bidding) process going on since 2019,” the statement stated.

It added that with Kuwait the number of countries that signed contracts for the Bayraktar TB2 had increased to 28.

[embedpost slug=”/turkey-erdogan-indicates-may-14-date-for-his-biggest-election-test/”]

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Japan, US and Europe must act together on China, says Kishida

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Kishida

Fumio Kishida spoke at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Japan this month declared its largest military build-up since World War II. Biden commended Tokyo’s “historic” defense build up. During a visit to strengthen Tokyo’s alliance with the US in the face of mounting challenges from Beijing, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated in … Read more

Japan, US and Europe Must Join Forces to Confront China

by
PM Kishida

Japanese Prime Minister in Washington to strengthen alliance against China. Kishida calls for Japan, US, and Europe to act in unison against China. China’s vision for world order is a challenge for Japan and US. During a visit to strengthen Tokyo’s alliance with the US in the face of mounting challenges from Beijing, Japanese Prime … Read more

Paris: Six people wounded in knife attack

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Paris

Authorities are attempting to determine whether the attack had a purpose. Paris Gare du Nord is one of the busiest international train terminals in Europe. One border force officer was among the injured. A knife attack occurred early on Wednesday at Paris’s international Gare du Nord station, leaving six people hurt, including one who is … Read more

Europe and the polar areas will experience the brunt of the warming

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Europe

The Polar Regions and Europe experienced the most effects of global warming in 2022. The third consecutive year of the La Nia weather event helped to cool the waters. Temperatures in Europe have risen more than twice as much as the rest of the world. The Polar Regions and Europe experienced the most effects of … Read more

UK’s attempt to launch satellites into space is thwarted by an “anomaly”

by
anomaly
  • Due to an “anomaly” European satellite launches appears to fail.
  • The converted jumbo jet took off from the coastal town of Newquay.
  • More than 2,000 space fans had gathered to cheer.

The first Western European satellite launch appears to have failed due to an “anomaly” that stopped the rocket from reaching orbit.

Virgin Orbit, a consortium led by the UK Orbit Agency and British airline tycoon Richard Branson, was attempting to launch nine tiny satellites into space from a 70-foot (21-meter) rocket fitted to the wing of a modified Boeing 747.

The converted jumbo jet took off from the coastal town of Newquay in southwest England at 22:02 GMT on Monday.

After detaching from the airplane, the rocket ignited about an hour and a half later, over the Atlantic Ocean at a height of 10,670 meters (35,000 feet).

But Virgin Orbit later said there had been an “anomaly that has prevented us from reaching orbit”; it said it would provide more information when it could.

The UK space industry employs 47,000 people and ranks second only to the US in terms of satellite production.

More than 2,000 space fans had gathered to cheer when the aircraft took off from the runway in Newquay.

Following the mission, the huge jet, according to Virgin Orbit, safely landed in Newquay. The country is second only to the United States in the number of satellites it produces.

An investigation could take some time, depending on the cause and gravity of the problem. Last month, Europe’s Vega-C midsized rocket failed and is expected to be grounded for several months while an inquiry is carried out.

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