5 h. ago US politicians warn Labour that selling Thames Water to a Chinese firm would be a 'national security threat'

Hong Kong 's CK Infrastructure Holdings (CKI) has emerged as a leading contender to take over debt-laden Thames Water.

Events

5 h. ago Ayrshire adolescent mental health facility to open in January

Foxgrove - the National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service - at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine is due to become fully operational in January.

Politics

12 h. ago Photos of the National Guard and federal agents in Washington

After President Donald Trump's announcement that his administration would take over Washington’s police department for at least a month, hundreds of members of the National Guard began to arrive in the capital.

Culture

15 h. ago Trump orders relaxed rules for rocket launches, appearing to benefit Musk and Bezos

Companies like SpaceX and Blue Horizon may be able to forgo reviews required under National Environmental Policy Act Donald Trump is looking to relax environmental rules for commercial spaceship companies. In an executive order titled “enabling competition in the commercial space industry” that he signed on Wednesday, he said it’s imperative to national security that the private rocket-ship industry increase launches “substantially” by 2030.That would mean, according to the executive order, that those companies may be able to forgo the environmental reviews that are required under the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa). Private space companies are required to get launch permits from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). And, as part of that process, companies are subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Jimmy Lai trial: closing arguments begin in Hong Kong trial of pro

Lai has been detained since December 2020, with western nations and rights groups calling for his releaseJailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai’s national security trial, which began in late 2023, will enter its final stages on Thursday as lawyers present closing arguments.The 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s national security law, which Beijing imposed following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Jimmy Lai trial: closing arguments in Hong Kong delayed by aftermath of Typhoon Podul

Lai has been detained since December 2020, with western nations and rights groups calling for his releaseThe closing arguments in the national security trial against jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai were postponed on Thursday after the Asian financial hub issued its highest-level “black” weather warning, stemming from ex-typhoon Podul.Queues had formed outside the court for the public gallery, but torrential rain saw the closing arguments in the trial, which began in late 2023, delayed. Proceedings are expected to resume on Friday. Continue reading...

Politics

29 h. ago Chinese firm a leading contender to buy Thames Water, reports say

Hong Kong’s CKI among those lining up to acquire struggling company if it collapsesA Chinese firm is reportedly a leading contender to buy Thames Water if the heavily indebted company collapses in coming weeks.Hong Kong’s CKI, which invests in power and other utility companies in the UK, is among those lining up to acquire the water and sewerage supplier if it enters a special administration regime (SAR), according to the Times. Continue reading...

Economics

32 h. ago Thames Water could be sold to the Chinese after the Labour government puts it into temporary public ownership to 'wipe' much of its £16.8billion debt

Steve Reed, the environment secretary is understood to be making 'active preparations' to essentially nationalise Britain's largest water utility.

Economics

33 h. ago Chinese firm could take over failing Thames Water marred by £16 billion worth of debts and sewage scandal

Ministers are preparing to take Britain’s biggest water supplier into temporary public ownership

Economics

48 h. ago Government hires advisers to plan for potential Thames Water collapse

The embattled water company has been at threat of both nationalisation and collapse as its investors and creditors scramble to keep the group afloat.

Politics

49 h. ago Thames Water crisis plan drawn up by the Government in case of potential collapse

The environment secretary has signed off the appointment of FTI Consulting to assist with contingency planning for putting Britain's biggest water supplier into a special administration regime amid spiralling debts.

Politics

51 h. ago Concerns for Briton Jimmy Lai’s deteriorating health as landmark trial set to resume in Hong Kong

City court to hear closing arguments in media tycoon’s national security trial from 14 August

Politics

53 h. ago Government lines up insolvency firm in case of Thames Water collapse

Contingency plans could see Britain’s biggest water firm placed into a special administration regime.

Politics

53 h. ago North London flooding: Thames Water warns 'complex' repairs could take days to fix

Some places have been left under 44cm of water and 70 firefighters worked to stop the flooding

Events

3 d. ago Nvidia and AMD agree to pay 15% of China chip export revenues to US

Unprecedented deal, an apparent reversal of security restrictions, is in return for licences to sell to ChinaThe chipmakers Nvidia and AMD have agreed to give the US government 15% of their revenue from advanced chips sold to China in return for export licences to the key market.The unprecedented move, an apparent reversal of US national security restrictions on the chip sales, signalled an easing in the US-China trade war. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Islington burst water main needs complex repair, says Thames Water

Islington burst water main needs complex repair, says Thames Water  BBC

Politics

3 d. ago ‘I don’t expect to live a normal life’: how a Leeds teenager woke up with a Chinese bounty on her head

After speaking out about the suppression of Hong Kong’s protests, Chloe Cheung was targeted by Beijing, followed on the street and abused online. Yet she remains defiantIt was Christmas Eve 2024 and 19-year-old Chloe Cheung was lying in bed at home in Leeds when she found out the Chinese authorities had put a bounty on her head. As she scrolled through Instagram looking at festive songs, a stream of messages from old school friends started coming into her phone. Look at the news, they told her.Media outlets across east Asia were reporting that Cheung, who had just finished her A-levels, had been declared a threat to national security by officials in Hong Kong. There was an offer of HK$1m (£94,000) to anyone who could assist in her arrest or capture. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Former Trump adviser says Putin will walk out of Alaska summit as a 'loser'

Robert O'Brien, who served as a national security adviser in President Donald Trump 's first administration, has claimed that Putin will walk out of his summit with Trump a 'loser.'

Politics

3 d. ago London's disgusting 'wet wipe island' to be removed as work begins to excavate 180 tonnes of congealed waste

Work is under way to excavate the estimated 180 tonnes of congealed waste near Hammersmith Bridge

Economics

4 d. ago Watch: Netanyahu claims government’s plan to take over Gaza City is ‘best way’ to end war

Watch the moment Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares that his government’s plan to take control of Gaza City is the “best way” to end the war — a move that has prompted the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting.

Politics