Starmer Navigates Complex Issues in First Weeks as Prime Minister
Keir Starmer, who assumed the role of British Prime Minister in July 2024, has been actively engaged on multiple fronts, from international relations to domestic policy, during his initial months in office. Starmer's early actions included scrapping a controversial migrant deal with Rwanda and addressing evolving relationships with key global players like China and France.
One of Starmer's first major decisions was to terminate the agreement brokered by his predecessor, Boris Johnson, in 2022, which would have seen the UK deport migrants to Rwanda. According to Euronews, Starmer declared the deal "dead and buried" upon taking office. This decision led to Rwanda taking legal action against the British government for its refusal to disburse payments under the agreement, despite London having already paid Kigali £240 million.
On the international stage, Starmer is preparing to address complex issues in UK-China relations. Sky News reported that a lot has changed since the "golden era" of UK-China relations, exemplified by former Prime Minister David Cameron taking Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a pint in a UK pub. The current state of affairs involves sensitive topics such as espionage and trade.
Starmer also engaged in a lighthearted exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron. Sky News reported that Starmer poked fun at Macron's viral wearing of Top Gun-style aviator sunglasses at the World Economic Forum in Davos by donning a pair himself and saying "bonjour." He then uploaded a video of the joke to his TikTok account, tagging Macron.
Domestically, the United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will have a security role at the Winter Olympics in Italy, Sky News reported. This announcement comes after a change in tone from the White House regarding the situation in Minneapolis, including from Donald Trump himself, amid mounting public backlash.
In other news, Indian logistics firm Shadowfax experienced a rocky market debut, with shares falling as investors weighed concerns about the company's heavy reliance on a few large e-commerce clients, according to TechCrunch. The company raised about $208.24 million in its initial public offering, but shares fell about 9% from the offer price.
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