Britain

UK consulate staffer returns to Hong Kong after China detention: family

3:22 pm August 24, 2019

Hong Kong: A British consulate employee detained in China has returned to Hong Kong, his family said Saturday. Simon Cheng disappeared after visiting the neighbouring city of Shenzhen on August 8 and was placed in administrative detention by police. “Simon has returned to Hong Kong,” his family said in a Facebook post, adding he would […]

Iran gives final green light for British-flagged tanker to leave

Aus to join US in Gulf maritime security mission: Morrison

2:21 pm August 21, 2019

Sydney: Australia will join the US-led mission to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Wednesday. Morrison said Australia would provide a frigate, a P8 maritime surveillance aircraft and support staff to the mission, which will also involve British forces. US Secretary of State Mike […]

Johnson Brexit letter offers no alternatives to Irish backstop: EU

7:07 pm August 20, 2019

Brussels: The EU on Tuesday gave a chilly response to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s letter demanding the scrapping of the Irish border backstop plan to achieve a Brexit deal, saying he had offered no workable alternative. “The letter does not provide a legal operational solution to prevent the return of a hard border on […]

Johnson tells EU he wants Brexit deal but without backstop

2:42 pm August 20, 2019

London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written to EU President Donald Tusk reaffirming his desire to conclude a Brexit deal as well as his opposition to the controversial “backstop” on Ireland. The so-called backstop is a mechanism that would keep the UK in EU customs arrangements to prevent a hard border between the British […]

Hong Kong steps up response to mystery disease from China

Hong Kong leader hopes peaceful rally presages ‘return to calm’

2:40 pm August 20, 2019

Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday said she hoped “calm” will prevail after a massive weekend march passed without clashes between police and demonstrators, but again refused to give ground to protester demands. Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the heart of the city on Sunday in a show of […]