MSC Signs Buckingham Palace Declaration Against Wildlife Trafficking
Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), a leading global transportation company, confirmed a pledge to combat illegal wildlife trafficking by signing the Buckingham Palace Declaration at a ceremony in London with HRH Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge. “As a responsible, sustainable company, MSC is proud to be a signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration. We play an active role in the crackdown on the illicit trade of wildlife and we will work with conservation organisations and governments to dismantle the connections between buyers and sellers,” said Diego Aponte, President and CEO of MSC. The Buckingham Palace Declaration is an initiative of United for Wildlife…
UK Families ask U.S. to Resume Search for Sailors
The families of four British sailors missing since their yacht capsized in the Atlantic Ocean three days ago appealed to the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday to resume its search. Last contact with the missing yacht, Cheeki Rafiki, was on Friday after it ran into difficulties about 1,000 miles (1,600 kms) off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, while returning to Britain from a sailing event in Antigua in the Caribbean. A search was called off on Sunday after two days as the U.S. Coast Guard said it did not have the capability to support a large-scale search. The missing men were named as 21-year-old captain Andrew Bridge along with Steve Warren, 52, Paul Goslin, 56 and James Male, 23. All four were described as experienced sailors.
EU Adds Putin Aide, 2 Crimea Energy Firms To Sanctions List
The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday on a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the commander of Russian paratroopers as well as two confiscated Crimean energy companies, raising pressure on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine. Putin's first deputy chief of staff, Vyacheslav Volodin, and Vladimir Shamanov, the commander of Russian airborne troops that took part in Russia's occupation ofUkraine's Crimea region in March, were among 13 people added to the EU's sanctions list. Volodin, a wealthy former lawyer and veteran political strategist, is already on the U.S. sanctions list. The latest additions bring to 61 the number of Russians and Ukrainians the EU has targeted with asset freezes and visa bans.
Port-Evo Proposes Hefty Bangladesh Port Development Investment
British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Northern Ireland William Hague made the proposal when he met the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite. She is in London to attend the Olympics. The proposal was made to develop the Mongla port under joint venture with Mongla Port Authorities. Port-Evo wants to invest for river dredging, procurement of new harbour cranes, container terminals, oil tank storage and water treatment plant. They also proposed establishing an oil and gas-fired power station costing $ 450 million and a special economic zone. Sheikh Hasina said the UK, the third largest destination of Bangladesh’s exports, is a time-tested friend and major development partner of Bangladesh.
