US citizen arrest stokes Biden’s fresh Hong Kong business caution July 16, 2021 A US citizen has been arrested in Hong Kong, according to local reports, just hours after the US issued a fresh advisory warning for US businesses in the region. The US citizen, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by Southern China media, has been detained under Beijing’s controversial national security law. The national security [...]
Flood death toll in Germany hits 110 with dozens trapped and hundreds still unaccounted for July 16, 2021 Rescue operations and the search for hundreds still unaccounted for continue across Germany, Belgium and Holland, with at least 110 people having died in devastating floods. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was “stunned” by the devastation and pledged support to the families of those killed and to cities and towns facing significant damage. “In [...]
Day three: Belarusian police raid homes of journalists and rights activists July 16, 2021 Police in Belarus have raided the offices and homes of journalists and human rights activists for a third consecutive day today. The so-far three-day search came as the UK’s ambassador to the United Nations and World Health Organisation in Geneva, Simon Manley, said the UK was still “deeply concerned by the human rights situation in [...]
‘Stable-coins’: Japan to join race to regulate digital currency July 16, 2021 Japan is gearing up its efforts to regulate digital currencies internationally, according to reports, as other economic powers race to push out their own, ‘more stable’, tech-based currency. It is a sign that the Japanese government, alongside other G7 states, fear that the growing popularity of digital currency could rattle current financial systems beyond repair, [...]
Ireland holds position against global corporate tax deal July 16, 2021 Ireland said it is pushing to keep its lower tax rates, denying a report that the country would abandon its 12.5 per cent rate for the proposed global rate of 15 per cent. The country’s finance minister, Paschal Donohoe, told RTE yesterday he was “committed” to maintaining his country’s low tax rate as it has [...]
India’s tech startup scene takes off as Paytm files for $2.2bn IPO July 16, 2021 Indian fintech startup Paytm has tabled plans to raise up to $2.2bn in an initial public offering, as the pandemic has stoked India’s digital economy. The Alibaba, Berkshire Hathaway, and SoftBank-backed firm said it will issue new shares worth $1.1bn and an offer for sale worth another $1.1bn. The startup, which competes with Google Pay [...]
Just Eat acquires Slovakian food delivery as global expansion continues July 16, 2021 Just Eat Takeaway has announced it will acquire Bistro.sk, a food delivery company in Slovakia, as it expands its global footprint. The deal, approximately valued at €50m, is expected to close later in the year. The Slovakian business operates in a similar format to Just Eat. Its 400,000 customers choose food, from the 2,000 or [...]
Watch: Four charged in bizarre journalist kidnap plot July 15, 2021 U.S. prosecutors have charged four Iranians, alleged to be intelligence operatives for Tehran, with plotting to kidnap a New York journalist and human rights activist who was critical of Iran, according to a Justice Department indictment. Watch the full report.
Watch: Deadly floods kill 40 people in Germany, Belgium and Holland July 15, 2021 Two days of heavy rain have bought chaos to western Europe, killing over 40 people and bringing down houses. Watch the full report.
Dutch crime journalist Peter R de Vries dies following assassination attempt July 15, 2021 Dutch crime journalist Peter R de Vries has died after an assassination attempt in Amsterdam nine days ago, according to reports. The well-known investigative journalist was shot in Lange Leidsedwarsstraat, an Amsterdam street close to a public square minutes after he left a TV studio on 6 July. “Peter fought to the end but was [...]