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Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Could Putin attack Britain by blocking the SUN? Fears hostile actors might deploy 'weather weapons' as ministers order probe into 'risks'
Foreign states could 'create chaos' by dimming Britain's sun and orchestrating a natural disaster, ministers have been warned. There are fears hostile actors such as Russia could make use of solar engineering technology to reflect light away from the earth and back into space. The concept - using techniques such as deploying aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect light back into space - has been mooted as a way of limiting global warming. However, experts say that comes with major risks - and concerns have been raised within government that it could be abused by 'an independent or third-party actor'. Net Zero minister Kerry McCarthy wrote in a letter: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. 'The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor.' In the letter seen by The Telegraph, she added: 'Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' Aria - the government's advanced research and invention agency - has allocated £50million in funding for outdoor field trials, which include brightening clouds to reflect sunshine Matt Ince, associate director at Dragonfly Intelligence, said Vladimir Putin's Russia was 'increasingly expanding its use of hybrid warfare activities'. He cautioned geoengineering may be seen as a desirable option due to its 'relative affordability' and the 'feasibility of conducting it' and added some sort of intentionally orchestrated environmental disaster' is an 'avenue that Russia may pursue'. Such tactics could 'create chaos and a sense of discord, and force countries to become more inward focussed'. It comes as more than 560 academics have signed an open letter calling for an 'international non-use agreement' on solar geoenginering. The letter states that without the limits the resulting geopolitics could be 'frightening and inequitable'. Aria - the government's advanced research and invention agency - has allocated £50million in funding for outdoor field trials, which include brightening clouds to reflect sunshine. However, the government is not proposing to deploy it for 'climate cooling'. An Aria spokesman said: 'In line with the Government's position on SRM deployment, Aria is not funding deployment, and does not support, the deployment of any climate cooling approaches.' The agency aims to 'unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone'. 'We empower scientists and engineers to pursue research that is too speculative, too hard, or too interdisciplinary to pursue elsewhere,' it says on its website. The research agency was originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's former chief aide, and was set up in 2021 by ex-Tory business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. The body, based in London, has been given a staggering £800million budget – of taxpayers' cash – to go towards 'high-risk, high-reward' scientific research. A Government spokesman said: 'The government is not in favour of using solar radiation modification, but we support cautious, controlled research aimed at improving our understanding of its risks and impacts.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Hostile foreign powers could dim the SUN and weaponise weather to attack the West, UK fears
British minister are preparing for a dire scenario in which foreign actors could weaponise sun dimming technology. According to a ministerial letter, whose details were reported by the Telegraph, the Government is looking to understand the risks and implications of an 'independent or third party actor' using advanced technology to reflect light away from specific parts of the planet. While this technology is being developed with the aim of drastically reducing global warming in a last ditch effort, experts fear hostile nations like Russia could use solar engineering to put their enemies into an environmental disaster. Kerry McCarthy, the UK's climate minister, wrote in the letter: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. 'The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. 'Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' Most, though not all, methods of solar radiation modification involve shooting reflective aerosols into the atmosphere. Reflective particles then bounce the sun's light out of the atmosphere, before it has a chance to get trapped and heat it up. Though these technologies are being developed for climate adjusting purposes, Matt Ince, the associate director at Dragonfly Intelligence, told the Telegraph that rogue nations could use them to create 'novel' problems for their enemies. He said: 'In a context where we've had, for example, Russia increasingly expanding its use of hybrid warfare activities, it's possible – not immediately, but down the line – that they may look to broaden and diversify the types of activities that they're conducting, to include more novel types of activity of which solar geoengineering may be one. 'Not least because of its relative affordability and the feasibility of conducting it, but also because it would allow a relative degree of plausible deniability. 'We've seen migration patterns being intentionally influenced by the Russian state as a way of trying to push more pressure on to European countries.' But other experts were less certain that states would use the technology for nefarious purposes. Lt Gen Richard Nugee, an MoD expert on climate change and sustainability, said: 'No country has yet tried to weaponise the technology, quite possibly for a couple of reasons. 'It is seen to be very expensive for no defined and guaranteed output, and also it is not possible to predict the outcome – there are too many variables.'
The Market Online
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Market Online
Protests in Los Angeles over immigration policy set to continue, intelligence firm warns
Protests in central Los Angeles are expected to persist for at least several more days, according to a recent intelligence assessment by FiscalNote subsidiary Dragonfly Intelligence Dragonfly's report indicates that while the protests in LA have been among the most intense, similar—though less violent—demonstrations are likely to erupt in other U.S. cities with large immigrant populations The report also highlights the political dimension of the unrest, noting that California's resistance to President Donald Trump's immigration policies has made it a focal point for federal enforcement FiscalNote Holdings stock (NYSE:NOTE) last traded at $0.53 Protests in central Los Angeles are expected to persist for at least several more days, according to a recent intelligence assessment by Dragonfly Intelligence, a subsidiary of FiscalNote Holdings (NYSE:NOTE). The demonstrations, sparked by the federal government's aggressive immigration enforcement policies, have already led to hundreds of arrests and prompted a strong response from both local and federal authorities. Despite the deployment of 700 U.S. Marines and the imposition of a nighttime curfew by Mayor Karen Bass, activists remain undeterred. The protests, which began in response to expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across California on June 10, have been concentrated around downtown LA, particularly near the Civic Center, ICE detention facilities, and hotels housing federal agents. Dragonfly's report indicates that while the protests in LA have been among the most intense, similar—though less violent—demonstrations are likely to erupt in other U.S. cities with large immigrant populations. These include so-called 'sanctuary jurisdictions' where local law enforcement has not entered into agreements with federal agencies to assist in deportation efforts. 'Activists appear highly intent on continuing to protest against immigration raids by federal agents,' the report states. 'This is despite the mobilisation of 700 marines by the national government, which Governor Gavin Newsom has strongly rejected.' The situation in LA has already resulted in over 300 arrests, including 25 for curfew violations. While the protests have largely remained confined to a few blocks downtown, sporadic demonstrations have also been reported in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods such as Paramount and Westlake, as well as in Pasadena. Elsewhere in the country, protests have been reported in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas, Austin, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. While most of these demonstrations have remained peaceful, Dragonfly warns that sporadic clashes with police and isolated incidents of vandalism or looting are possible. The report also highlights the political dimension of the unrest, noting that California's resistance to President Donald Trump's immigration policies has made it a focal point for federal enforcement. 'The federal government appears to be trying to make an example of California,' the report notes, citing the state's refusal to cooperate with ICE and its large undocumented immigrant population. Looking ahead, Dragonfly anticipates that the unrest in LA will likely fuel broader anti-government sentiment and contribute to high turnout at nationwide protests planned for June 14. These demonstrations are set to coincide with a military parade in Washington, D.C., commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Organizers from the 'No Kings' movement have called for mass mobilizations in multiple cities, and Dragonfly expects the events to be 'charged,' particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions. While the scale of unrest seen in LA is not expected to be replicated elsewhere, the intelligence firm cautions that tensions remain high and the potential for escalation cannot be ruled out. About Dragonfly Intelligence and FiscalNote Holdings Dragonfly Intelligence is a provider of visual security intelligence and forward-looking geopolitical risk assessments. A subsidiary of FiscalNote Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NOTE), Dragonfly delivers actionable insights to help organizations navigate complex global security environments and anticipate emerging threats. FiscalNote Holdings Inc. offers AI-driven policy and regulatory intelligence solutions. Join the discussion: Find out what everybody's saying about this stock on the FiscalNote Bullboard, and check out the rest of Stockhouse's stock forums and message boards. FiscalNote Holdings stock (NYSE:NOTE) last traded at $0.53 and has lost 50.44 per cent since the year began. The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.
