Bloomberg China has detained an employee of the UK consulate in Hong Kong during a trip to the mainland, according to his friend, in a case that threatens to further strain ties between Beijing and London. Simon Cheng, 28, was reported missing after failing to return from a meeting in the adjacent city of Shenzhen. The Hong Kong police said ...

Bloomberg Hong Kong protesters rejected leader Carrie Lam’s attempt to meet one of their key demands, raising questions about whether a compromise can be reached even as both sides seek to lower tensions. Lam pledged to immediately establish a platform for dialogue, investigate complaints against police and institute a wide-ranging fact-finding study into the demonstrations. While details remained scarce, she ...

Bloomberg The European Union (EU) poured cold water on Boris Johnson’s attempt to renegotiate the Brexit deal, saying the so-called backstop to prevent a hard Irish border — which the British prime minister wants scrapped — was a vital part of the divorce agreement. It means that with just over two months to go until Johnson has said the UK ...