Heavy fighting as Taliban seek to secure new areas after Western forces leave Afghanistan August 3, 2021 Fighting has escalated across Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US troops emboldened Taliban militants to close in on major cities.
China sets ‘buy Chinese’ targets for state companies against US trade deal August 3, 2021 The Chinese government has issued new procurement guidelines for state-owned companies and organisations that require up to 100 per cent local content on over 300 items, setting new obstacles for foreign suppliers. Document 551, titled “Auditing guidelines for government procurement of imported products”, was issued in May by the Chinese Ministry of Finance and the [...]
Rishi Sunak renews call for City workers to get back to the office August 2, 2021 Rishi Sunak has renewed calls for young City workers to get back to the office now the government’s work from home order has been dropped. The chancellor recalled how his career as a young investment banker was helped by making relationships in the office with older colleagues. Speaking about a recent visit to Scotland where [...]
Belarus athlete granted Polish visa after refusing to return home August 2, 2021 Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who refused her team’s orders to board a flight home from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has been granted a humanitarian visa by the Polish government. The sprinter, 24, entered the Polish embassy in Tokyo earlier today after spending a night in secure accommodation at Haneda airport under Japanese police protection. Tsimanouskaya [...]
Westminster election results three times more ‘disproportionate’ than for London Assembly, says study August 2, 2021 Results for Westminster elections are three times more “disproportionate” than results for the London Assembly election results, according to a new study from a pro-electoral reform group. The Electoral Reform Society claims that across the past seven UK elections that the largest party has won 66 per cent of London seats on the basis of [...]
Boris Johnson tells Iran to ‘face up to consequences’ of its drone attack August 2, 2021 Boris Johnson has called for Iran to “face up to the consequences” of its drone attack on an oil tanker that killed two people. It comes after Iran’s ambassador to the UK was today summoned to the Foreign Office in the wake of the attack, which saw a British national killed. The UK has said [...]
Scottish police decide not to use codename ‘Operation Bunter’ for Johnson visit August 2, 2021 Scottish police have U-turned on a plan to codename Boris Johnson’s trip north of the border as “Operation Bunter” out of fears that it would offend the Prime Minister. The name was a homage to chubby fictional schoolboy Billy Bunter who appeared in novels, television series’, stage plays and comic strips throughout the 20th century. [...]
Treasury appoints Unilever veteran to chair UK Government Investments August 2, 2021 The Treasury has appointed a Unilever veteran as its new chair of UK Government Investments, who will join the board in September. Vindi Banga is set to join UK Government Investments (UKGI), an arm of the Treasury, alongside his current role of chair at charity Marie Curie. The incoming chair is also a senior non-executive [...]
Tory row erupts over government plans to start amber watchlist for travel August 2, 2021 A government plan to bring in a watchlist for countries at threat of being put on the red travel list has been heavily criticised a growing group of Tory MPs. The government is expected to make the announcement later this week in a move that some say will cripple the aviation and travel industry. The [...]
Hong Kong singer Anthony Wong arrested over election rally performance August 2, 2021 Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested Cantonpop singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming and former lawmaker Au Nok-hin for breaching electoral law by singing at a pro-democracy campaign rally three years ago. Wong, 59, and Au, 34, are both charged with engaging in corrupt conduct by providing entertainment to induce others to vote at the Legislative Council [...]