O19 - 16th June 2021 - Wilson James

o19

      16th June 2021

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES
      Worldwide cases of COVID-19 are at 177,058,825 with deaths totalling 3,828,480 globally as of 15th June
       according to Worldometer. So far, 161,259,669 people have recovered from the virus.
      The compromise of the secure VPN ‘Pulse Secure’ in the US by suspected Chinese threat actors in April
       has been determined to be more far-reaching than initially perceived. Following the release of the Pulse
       Secure Connect Integrity Tool, breaches in a number of ‘critical US entities’ including The New York City
       subway system and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California were identified. The hack has
       been described by some security experts as incredibly sophisticated, explaining ‘never-before-seen
       vulnerabilities’ were exploited to ‘break in’ and great effort taken ‘to cover their tracks once inside’.
       Adrian Nish, head of cyber at BAE Systems added "This is a very targeted attack against a few dozen
       networks that all have national significance in one way or another."1.
      Israel’s parliament approved a new coalition government on Sunday 13th June, ending Benjamin
       Netanyahu’s 12-year reign as the country’s Prime Minister. Israel’s new Prime Minister is Naftali Bennett
       of the right wing Yamina party, as part of the coalition agreement he will hold the seat until 2023 when
       he will be replaced by Yair Lapid of the centrist Yesh Atid party.
      US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met face to face for the first time in Geneva
       on Wednesday 16th June with Biden describing the meeting as ‘good’ and ‘positive’. President Biden had
       detailed his aims for the talk which included addressing the arrest of Alex Navalny and agreeing to co-
       operate on global security (particularly identifying US entities that should be free from ransomware or
       other cyber-attacks). Putin agreed with Biden’s assessment of the discussions saying it was a ’productive
       meeting’ free from hostility.
      US president Joe Biden has described the G7 summit as an “extraordinary, collaborative and productive
       meeting." Speaking in Newquay, England at the end of the summit, Biden addressed issues surrounding
       Ex-US President Donald Trump’s lack of engagement on climate issues saying, climate change is "the
       existential threat" facing humanity and stressed Trump did not recognise it as a problem.
      Northern Ireland’s two main parties have until Monday 21st June to decide on a First Minister after the
       resignation of Arlene Foster in April this year. The ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement set out by
       Ex-First Ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neil in January 2020 included an Irish language and
       cultural package now believed to be in jeopardy since Ms Foster’s resignation.
      A yellow amber warning for thunderstorms is in place for the majority of England and Wales from
       Wednesday 16th June until Saturday 19th June the Met office advises. Heavy rain is expected in some
       areas until with the Met Office advising possible travel disruption and flash flooding.

       BREXIT
      The UK and Australia have, this week, agreed a free trade deal. Australian Trade minister, Dan Than,
       described the deal as
        “a win for jobs, businesses, free trade and highlights what two liberal democracies can achieve while
                                                 working together,” 2.
       UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated

       "Our new free trade agreement opens fantastic opportunities for British businesses and consumers, as
            well as young people wanting the chance to work and live on the other side of the world." 3.

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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

ACTIVISM
      Greenpeace has apologised after an anti-oil demonstration caused injuries to the public at the Euro
       2020 France Vs Germany football match in Munich on Tuesday 15 th June. An activist parachuted
       into the stadium prior to the start of the match. The activist clipped overhead wires as he
       descended causing debris to fall and injure several spectators. The parachute had ‘KICK OUT OIL’
       and Greenpeace written on the canopy, a reference to a UEFA sponsor, Russian energy firm
       Gazprom. This is not the first time Greenpeace has targeted the Russian sponsors at a football
       match. In 2013 Greenpeace activists abseiled from the roof at a champions league football match
       to reveal their banner criticising the sponsors.
      Devon and Cornwall police have thanked G7 activists protesting last weekend for the peaceful
       demonstrations. A number of protest groups made an appearance in Falmouth and St Ives over the
       weekend:
               Surfers Against Sewage staged a protest with hundreds of activists in the water at
               Gyllyngvase beach
               In Falmouth protestors marched to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia
               and Kashmir
               Oxfam marched to highlight the need to help vulnerable countries respond to climate
               change
               Extinction Rebellion held the largest demonstration with thousands marching through the
               streets on Saturday.
      Eight protestors were arrested for blocking the roads in St Ives, five of whom glued themselves to a road
       and three locked themselves to a minibus on a roundabout. A further seven were arrested after a vehicle
       was searched near the security cordon and another arrested after being found in possession of a hoax
       device.

   UPCOMING PROTESTS
      Friday 18th June – Protest outside your MP’s home.
            Activists are encourage to target Keir Starmer’s constituency offices.
            This is a regular Friday event, next Friday reports suggest Matt Hancock will be targeted.
            t.me/astandatyourmp

          Saturday 19th June – Freedom Protest – Children’s March
            Location likely to be Parliament Square or Downing Street
            Telegram link: @t.me/fightingforourfreedom

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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

       Sunday 20th and Monday 21st June – Freedom Protest
            Locations across the country
            Sunday 20th – Streatham Common, London @ 1pm
            Monday 21st - Hyde Park, London @ 8am
            @t.me/M1L2B3M7

   COVID – 19
      The total confirmed UK COVID-19 cases as of Monday 14th June is 4,573,419 with 127,907 deaths
       according to GOV.UK.

      As of Monday 14th over 41,698,429 people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in the
       UK and 29,973,779 have received their second dose according to GOV.UK.

      UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson announced on Monday 14th of June the extension of lockdown
       restrictions in England for an extra four weeks. Delaying ‘Freedom Day’ until Monday 19th July. The fear
       of the exponential growth of the Indian variant and the adverse effect it will have on the NHS together
       with an increase in deaths has led the UK PM to insist on an extension of controls with the aim of
       vaccinating as many UK citizens as possible in that time.

       o   The following additions to the guidelines are in force from June 21st.

                  Wedding guest numbers in public venues and private gardens will be guided by covid risk
                   assessment, but guests must be seated at tables of no more than 6, receptions in private
                   homes are still guided by the rule of six or two households. Dance floors are not to be used
                   beyond the weddings couple’s first dance,

                  Care home residents will not have to self-isolate after an exterior trip unless it is deemed high
                   risk, such as an overnight stay in hospital

                  Children can enjoy overnight trips in groups of 30 (such as guides or scouts)

                  Large events will continue to pilot attendance schemes including Euro 2020 and Wimbledon.

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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

   Downing Street has confirmed all over 18s in England will be able to book their vaccine jab from next
       week. Boris Johnson stated on Monday’s UK Coronavirus briefing that by July 19th hopefully two-thirds
       of adults will have had their two jabs and all adults in the UK will have had an opportunity to receive at
       least one jab by July 21st.

      The Irish Government announced on Tuesday 15th June, travellers arriving from the UK will have to self-
       isolate for a minimum of five days, regardless if they have been vaccinated Travellers will have to
       quarantine at home/place of residence and take a free test at least five days after their arrival.
       Quarantine is ten days or earlier if an individual receives a negative test result.

                   Useful 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

    INSIGHTS
   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.

   This report does not represent any political stance towards any of the activism groups mentioned below from
   Wilson James or its Client Partners. All Wilson James policies can be viewed on our internal IMS platform.
   https://internal.wilsonjames.co.uk/

   COP26

   Glasgow, Scotland will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) on 1-12
   November 2021. Its aim is to ‘accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the
   UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’. Attendees are expected to be representatives of
   Parties to the Convention and Observer States, members of the press and media, and representatives
   of observer organisations.1.

   Prior to the commencement of the conference proper, two events will take place:

       1. The Youth Summit – ‘YOUTH4CLIMATE: Driving Ambition’ 2.
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     Held in Milan on 28-30 September 2021

              Its aim is to ‘offer young people from all over the world the opportunity to develop concrete
               proposals for Pre-COP26 in Milan and COP26 in Glasgow’.

         2. Pre-COP26 2.

              Held in Milan on 30 September-2 October 2021
              Its aim is to ‘provide a selected group of countries with an informal setting to discuss and
               exchange views on some key political aspects of the negotiations and offer political
               guidance for subsequent negotiations’.

   This year’s COP goals are:1.
    1.       Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
    2.       Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
    3.       Mobilise finance
    4.       Work together to deliver

   Previous Summits
   COP25 was held in Madrid, Spain in 2019 (after Brazil and Chile stepped down from hosting duties).
   Its aim was to finalise guidelines (‘Katowice rulebook’) governing the Paris Agreement of 2015. This
   was to establish rules on how governments implement their Nationally Determined Contributions
   (NDCs) 3.

   Previous Protests
   The change of country and continent shortly prior to COP25 meant that a number of activists, who
   set sail across the Atlantic Ocean in the hope of travelling as carbon neutrally as possible to South
   America in advance of the conference, were late to the event having to sail back to Europe. Youth
   activist Greta Thunberg (Greta is now 18 years old) was amongst those caught up in the scramble
   back across the Atlantic but made the conference on time. Greta Thunberg delivered her speech
   ‘How dare you’ which received large press coverage. Those that could not make it back staged their
   own COP named ‘Forest COP’ in the Amazonian rainforest.5.

   The conference drew protests Europe-wide with marches reported in Spain, Brussels, Paris and the
   UK (where access was blocked to Heathrow airport).6.

   Youth climate activists were particularly prevalent in the COP25 protests. ‘Fridays for Future’ the
   global movement motivated after Greta Thunberg’s school strikes called for action in protest at the
   lack of movement by COP25 stating the summit ‘has failed us’. Former UN High Commissioner for
   Human Rights and President of Ireland, Mary Robinson stated,

   “This is about people and people’s livelihoods. Gender and social justice have an enormous impact
   on what people face from climate [breakdown]. If we don’t have these issues included we are going
                                    to make enormous mistakes.”7.

   ‘Fridays for Future’ recorded 115,910 individuals conducting strikes in March 21, under their banner,
   in the March of 2019 this was significantly higher with 2,280,959. In November 19 this halved to
   1,192,120. It is evitable youth climate activists will have a significantly high volume of individuals
   conducting demonstrations in the upcoming months. They will have a strong intent to influence the
   debates in the lead up to the COP26.
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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

COP26 Potential Protests

   XR Scotland are already making plans for protests in November stating:
   Saturday 6th November, Glasgow and across the UK. The COP26 Coalition and their international allies
   are planning a decentralised day of action for Saturday 6th November, the middle weekend of COP26.
   As there are likely to be significant travel restrictions, we will show our movement’s strength and the
   need for urgent action for climate justice by coming together in our city, town or village across the
   world for a coordinated day of action.
   https://xrscotland.org/cop-26/

   Friends of the Earth are also planning action in advance.

   Friends of the Earth have been working within the COP26 Coalition – an umbrella coalition made up
   of environmental and climate organisations, trade unions, racial and migrant justice networks, faith
   and youth groups – to help build momentum around COP26 and grow the climate justice movement.
   The Coalition is planning a series of moments building towards COP26 over the coming months, and
   during Climate Week in September.

   A day of action for climate justice will take place on Saturday 6th November with protests in Glasgow,
   across the UK and around the world. From Sunday 7th to Wednesday 10th, there will also be a
   Peoples’ Summit with events and workshops organised by civil society groups.8

   News stories about police response and protestor behaviour at COP26

   https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/extinction-rebellion-protesters-warned-to-behave-at-cop26-
   w87d97ddk

   https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/police-scotland-cop26-tactics-will-be-the-same-as-at-
   recent-protests-40472901.html

   https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19188207.anarchists-intent-violence-descend-glasgow-
   cop26/

   https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/police-scotland-rangers-cop26-glasgow-scotland-
   b937410.html

   Other useful websites
   https://www.iied.org/uk-aid-cuts-threaten-climate-leadership-role-cop26-president
   https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/cop26

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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

This years’ location

   Map of COP26 location (SEC Centre)   Map of Scotland

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WORLD NEWS/RAS/16th June 2021

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