Month: July 2020

They had planned lives, families and careers in Hong Kong

Chief Editor

They had planned lives, families and careers in Hong Kong. Now at a gathering of young professionals, one topic dominated conversation — to stay or to flee. All but one was considering quitting the territory as China imposed sweeping new national security legislation on their homeland. The clampdown, proclaimed without consultation on Tuesday night, was even more draconian than feared. Secret courts, unaccountable police units, worldwide reach and penalties of up to life in prison were among the provisions. ‘We can confirm that The Little Mermaid has been vandalised some time before 9:00 am this morning,’ Copenhagen police said in … Continue reading They had planned lives, families and careers in Hong Kong

China has tried to blame Spain

Chief Editor

China has tried to blame Spain for the new strain of coronavirus while suggesting the deadly disease originated in Europe and not Wuhan. The first cases were detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 – with many involving workers at a wet market – before the virus rapidly spread around the world, killing more than 525,000 people. Protest leaders are struggling to come up with new tactics for opposing the authority of Beijing without risking long prison sentences, and one of Hong Kong’s leading young democrats has joined a growing number of activists leaving the territory. Nathan … Continue reading China has tried to blame Spain

Donald Trump is golfing ahead

Chief Editor

Donald Trump is golfing ahead of his trip to South Dakota for the Mount Rushmore 2020 Fireworks Celebration. The first lady will also attend the controversial event. As the coronavirus cases soar across the south and west of the nation, the president bragged about the Nasdaq having its 23rd record close of the year in an unhinged-looking all-caps tweet. The president also argued that Black Lives Matter protesters angered by the police killings of George Floyd and other black Americans would have wiped out the city of Minneapolis had he not sent in the National Guard to stop the demonstrations, … Continue reading Donald Trump is golfing ahead

The government is preparing to award coronavirus testing

Chief Editor

The government is preparing to award coronavirus testing contracts worth an estimated £5bn to commercial bidders, in what critics fear is a “backdoor” subsidy to the private sector. The vast new budget, which works out at £2.5bn per year and will be managed by Public  Health England (PHE), is equal to the entire annual spend on English NHS laboratories. It came as the US Senate approved a bill imposing sanctions on Chinese officials and any Hong Kong police units clashing with protesters. China’s foreign ministry warned of “strong countermeasures” against the US if the bill becomes law. China has said … Continue reading The government is preparing to award coronavirus testing