Full 2023 detailed services trade data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is out today. Unlike goods trade (which fell 7% in current prices between 2022-2023), services trade posted another strong year (growing +17%).

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I’m extremely disappointed that Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office & Department for Business and Trade ministers did not attend our Business and Trade Committee hearings on arms exports today - despite 20 days notice

The Committee has therefore agreed to fresh hearings for ministers & civil society groups to add to the legal evidence…

Breaking: European Parliament votes through forced labour ban by a landslide

555 votes in favour, 6 votes against and 45 abstention

Now needs member states' final approval before entering law

europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-…

UK expected to appoint national security adviser as ambassador to US ft.com/content/07c4d3… via @ft

🏮 #BREAKING former parliamentary researcher Chris Cash and Christopher Berry, have been charged with espionage offences.

This case is now sub judice, so can't comment on it.

Perhaps a time for those who took to the media to downplay the arrests to reflect.…

'Every drone, every missile, every tank has semiconductors in them,' says Secretary Gina Raimondo. The U.S. Commerce Department expanded export controls to stop the sale of products with American semiconductors to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

Tonight on 60 Minutes.

SCOOP - Secretary State Secretary Antony Blinken will warn #China in Beijing trip next week about US punitive action unless it stops sending #weapons technology to #Russia

ft.com/content/0911e9… via @ft

Detailed Chinese trade data came out for Q1 2024 this morning.

Here's a few findings from the EU perspective.

1. Big drops in 🇨🇳 exports to 🇪🇺of headline goods: EVs and solar panels.

EVs down 19.2% to $3.03bn from a year before

Solar PV down 54% from $6.4bn to $2.9bn

China Orders Apple to Remove Popular Messaging Apps

wsj.com/tech/apple-rem…

Xi Jinping tightens grip on China’s military with new information warfare unit on.ft.com/4b4xghl

The Pentagon is preparing to quickly approve a weapons package for Ukraine that includes urgently needed artillery and air defenses as Congress lines up votes to pass additional funding for the country, according to two U.S. officials. W/ Connor O'Brien politico.com/news/2024/04/1…

Boris Johnson says it was a mistake for the UK to pause trade talks with Canada and is backing hormone-treated beef entering Britain.

dailymail.co.uk/debate/article…

Chinese government-linked hackers have burrowed into U.S. critical infrastructure and are waiting 'for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow,' FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Thursday.

reuters.com/technology/cyb…

UK signals potential curbs on Chinese investment amid ‘derisking’ push

Deputy PM Oliver Dowden will take steps to deliver on pledge to Joe Biden to confront China trade quandary.

politico.eu/article/uk-chi…

Has the US exorbitant privilege become a rich world privilege? Rates of return & foreign assets from a global perspective 1970-2022
G Nievas & A Sodano
Please read this great work: it contains key findings showing the need to rethink the governance of the global financial system

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP will begin a multi-stop visit to China and Hong Kong on Friday to further and protect British interests.

gov.uk/government/new…

Sir Walter Raleigh 1552–1618: 'Whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself.'

oxfordreference.com/display/10.109…

Boris Johnson skips the rules and doesn't want to be transparent about it latest ...

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66214c26…