China court rejects Canadian citizen’s death sentence appeal August 10, 2021 A Chinese court has upheld today a death sentence against Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg for drug smuggling. Schellenberg has been detained in China since 2014 after he was accused of drug smuggling. In December 2018, he was sentenced to 15 years in jail and he appealed for a retrial. But the Dalian intermediate people’s court [...]
US Democrats want more EV charging point funding to lower emissions in $1 trillion spending bill August 10, 2021 A group of 28 US House Democrats says the $1 trillion (£725bn) infrastructure bill poised for vote in the Senate falls short in electric vehicle (EV) funding. The current one trillion dollar bipartisan bill includes $7.5bn in electric vehicle infrastructure funding. The 28 Representatives have asked congressional leaders to add $85 billion towards an EV [...]
David Cameron was paid £7.2m by Greensill Capital before collapse August 9, 2021 David Cameron was paid a total of £7.2m over a number of years by failed supply chain finance firm Greensill Capital before it went bust in March. Documents, uncovered by the BBC Panorama, have revealed this included £3.3m he received after selling his Greensill share options in 2019. Cameron has said in the past that [...]
Chinese spies ‘try to enter UK’ via Hong Kong visa scheme August 9, 2021 UK security officials are reportedly concerned China is sending spies to enter the UK through the British National (Overseas) visa scheme designed for Hong Kong residents. Chinese spies are trying to take advantage of the scheme and posing as refugees in an attempt to enter Britain, according to a report in the Times. Government sources [...]
Tech firm NetEase pulls $1bn Cloud Village IPO after Beijing’s attack on gaming August 9, 2021 Chinese technology firm NetEase has put a pin in its $1bn Hong Kong listing for its music streaming service Cloud Village due to recent volatility in the tech market, according to reports. The initial public offering (IPO) had already been approved by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s listing committee, according to filings lodged with the exchange. [...]
China blasts US over ‘safe haven’ scheme for Hong Kong residents August 9, 2021 China has condemned the Biden administration for offering temporary “safe haven” status to Hong Kong residents in the US. China’s foreign ministry and the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office both issued statements on Sunday, which was the second time Beijing has criticised the move in two days. US President Joe Biden signed a memorandum [...]
Sajid Javid calls for CMA investigation into ‘exploitative’ PCR test costs August 8, 2021 Sajid Javid has asked the UK’s competition watchdog to investigate PCR Covid test firms that are selling tests at “excessive” prices and engaging in “exploitative practices”. The health secretary wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to call for a “high-level review” in a bid to protect holidaymakers requiring private PCR tests before and [...]
Boris Johnson: Team GB has ‘shown us the very best of this country’ August 8, 2021 Boris Johnson has praised Team GB’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics, hailing the group as showing “the very best of this country” as the Closing Ceremony begins. The games will close this afternoon, with Team GB picking up 22 gold medals and 65 medals in total. This put the UK and Northern Ireland in fourth [...]
Cop26 chief Alok Sharma: World on the brink of climate ‘catastrophe’ August 8, 2021 The world will soon face “catastrophe” from climate change if urgent action is not taken, according to Cop26 chief Alok Sharma. Sharma, who is managing preparations for the Glasgow climate summit, said the he world “can’t afford” to wait another two years to take serious action. The government wants to use the UN summit to [...]
Boris Johnson reportedly threatens to demote Rishi Sunak August 8, 2021 Boris Johnson reportedly threatened to demote Rishi Sunak earlier this week in a fiery Downing Street meeting. Johnson was said by officials in attendance to be “apoplectic” about the leaking of a letter from Sunak that criticised the Prime Minister’s borders policy. Johnson is said to have only found out about the letter from last [...]
