By Chung Li-hua and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has proposed amendments to laws governing cross-strait relations that would require all public servants to obtain prior approval to visit China, Hong Kong or Macau. The proposed changes are part of efforts to implement President William Lai’s…
If fares do not fall and services do not improve, it could undermine the case for public ownership for a long time to come By Sarah Nankivell / The Guardian A historic journey took place this week in England, when the first renationalized South Western Railway (SWR) service departed from Woking for Waterloo. Yet unfortunately,…
Why would Trump stop his reign of tariffs if he can get world leaders to satisfy his ego any time he wants by threatening their economies? By Gaby Hinsliff / The Guardian Hang out the bunting and let the church bells ring. A Victory in Europe (V-E) Day trade deal with US President Donald Trump…
By Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNA The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the leaders of the UK and New Zealand for reaffirming in a joint statement earlier this week the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed their support…
China is no longer welcome in Britain’s steel sector after the government had to pass emergency legislation on Saturday to ensure control of Chinese-owned British Steel, British Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds said on Sunday. Reynolds said the refusal of China’s Jingye Group (敬業集團) to accept a roughly 500 million pound…
UPCOMING ELECTIONS : The last major opposition party was told by Chinese officials or people close to Beijing that it should be ‘gone’ before December Five senior members of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, the territory’s biggest and last remaining major opposition party, said that Chinese officials or intermediaries have warned the party to disband or…
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at…
In a shake-up of long-standing travel rules, European nationals heading to the UK would from tomorrow need a mandatory entry permit, which the British government says would strengthen border security. The electronic travel authorization (ETA) can be bought online in the next few days for ￡10 (US$13), but the price is to rise swiftly from…
Britain’s Labour Party government on Tuesday announced an overhaul of the welfare system that it says would save the cash-strapped administration ￡5 billion (US$6.5 billion). The government said that the shakeup would help people to find jobs who are currently “written off.” British Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall told lawmakers in…
At first glance, the office desk could belong to any Chinese executive — an ashtray, mini-flags, a golden sculpture inscribed with the character for “integrity” and a picture of a local celebrity. Instead, it is part of a defiant art show challenging Hong Kong’s stuffy power structures, held in an office tower at the heart…