Long Zhou used to work in a secretive cyber cell inside the Chinese Communist Party, helping it wage war against western governments and pump out propaganda.

Multiple activists, journalists and ordinary internet users have already vanished after criticising Beijing's approach to the crisis as the country tries to control the COVID-19 narrative.

The latest public policy intervention to support R&D and start-ups through the worst of the Covid-19 crisis is right. Some will complain the government is slow to react and lags behind Germany.

Many employers are hiring staff on contracts where they are classed as self employed, even if they are full-time employees.

Anyone with a household income of less than £80,000 in England will soon be able to buy a home through shared ownership, which has long been restricted to key workers.

Defying Brexit doomsayers, the deficit came in at £4.3billion in October - below the £6billion expected. The figures emerged on the eve of Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement.

Insurers have slammed the rise which has pushed the tax up to almost double what it was in 2015 and they predict it will lead to an increase in the number of uninsured drivers on the road.

The OBR forecast a £122billion rise in UK debt, with £58.7billion blamed on Brexit. That came as it said the UK would not fall into a recession, but growth would be lower.

Ministers spent £12.6billion more than they received in taxes and other income last month - but economists were pencilling in a figure of £11.6 billion.

The Foreign Office had previously advised against all non-essential global travel until April 16. This meant holidaymakers booked for travel before that date were legally entitled to claim refunds

A £300million buyout of the north-east club, backed by the country's public investment fund, is reportedly close to being finalised.

The UK government have been urged by its own members to take an active role in scrutinising the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United following calls for the deal to be blocked.

The emergency wage payments - similar to those introduced by the UK, Canada and Denmark - are expected to be announced as early as Sunday.

Gold Coast tourist attractions Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World and Wet n Wild all intend to continue operating, despite theme parks elsewhere in the world closing their doors.

Scott Morrison announced the new rules on Sunday which will come into force from midnight aiming to restrict social interactions and lower the risk of widespread outbreak.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and a company spokesperson said that the ride-hailing giant is actively looking to partner with health officials to help deliver test kits, reports Business Insider .

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY SPECIAL: Rugby is still amateur. The supreme professionalism being displayed on the field is not being matched in the corridors of power.

The match has since received a huge amount of scrutiny after a huge crowd of 54,000 - with 3,000 fans arriving from Madrid - were allowed to attend the match, against the advice of the WHO.

The humorous clash between the high-profile siblings took place Monday when Andrew appeared via video link on Chris' CNN program, Cuomo Prime Time.

In an announcement on Friday, he increased the previous rule that 75 percent of the state's workforce had to stay home to 100 percent.

Donald Trump insisted Sunday that it isn't the federal government's fault that states can't get necessary medical equipment to address the coronavirus outbreak.

Chris Cuomo and Andrew Cuomo bantered live on CNN Monday as the governor kidded his brother that he was 'mom's little helper' and wasn't surprised he was working from his basement.

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and his New York governor brother Andrew Cuomo engaged in another round of playful sibling banter during the latter's daily coronavirus press briefing on Thursday.

The governor of Louisiana said Sunday that he wasn't told to cancel the massive Mardi Gras celebrations at the end of February, even though governors were briefed on the coronavirus threat weeks earlier.

Gov. Whitmer, main, argued not 'every claim is equal'. 'I support Joe Biden', she said Sunday on CNN. Tara Reade, bottom inset, alleges Biden, top inset, sexually assaulted her in 1993.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has decried protests staged inside the state's Capitol building last week, saying the event acted as a reminder of some of the most 'awful' parts of US history.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and health officials have said some workplaces, schools and childcare facilities can gradually reopen once the state improves coronavirus testing and contact tracing.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has admitted he feels pressure to lift coronavirus lockdown restrictions following moves from other US states but says he won't bow to it.

Elon Musk on Wednesday quipped on an earnings call that the shutdowns are 'not why people came to America or built this country, excuse me' as Tesla posted its third quarterly profit in a row.

Gov. Newsom had been expected to shutter beaches statewide, after a leaked memo surfaced Wednesday. But he announced Thursday the new order only applies to Orange County.

Harmeet Dhillon, Californian Republican Party vice chairwoman, has described Governor Gavin Newsom as going 'off the deep end' when he closed beaches to enforce social distancing.

California will begin allowing certain 'low risk' retail businesses in the state to reopen as early as Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced at a press conference on Monday.

'This whole thing started in the state of California, the community spread, at a nail salon,' Gov Gavin Newsom said at a press conference on Thursday. 'Let me just remind everyone of that.

The rally was held outside the State Capitol Building in Sacramento Thursday and was organized by The Freedom Angels - a group of anti-vaxxers who are now protesting against lockdowns.

Italy continued their renaissance as they cruised to an impressive 3-0 win away to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday night and made it nine wins out of nine in Euro 2020 Group J.

Google has applied to the US government for permission to continue to provide the Chinese smartphone provider Huawei with its services, along with 'hundreds of other companies'.

Google is reportedly working with the UK government to provide anonymised location data to help identify the parts of the country where social distancing measures aren't being adhered to.

The US government wants to see if private-sector companies could compile the data in a way that would allow them to map the spread of the deadly virus.

The government of Taiwan has banned the popular video conferencing tool Zoom from being used for all official state business, and instead it recommends workers use Google or Microsoft.

France's Les Echos also reports that Breton also pressed Apple to guarantee that the technology would be built with privacy in mind as well as being voluntary and transparent.

Underscoring the need for speed, the Oxford scientist said a fast turnaround could 'make the difference between an epidemic starting to resurge towards the second wave or not'.

Jeremy Corbyn had come to raise an Urgent Question concerning last week's resignation of Home Office mandarin Sir Philip Rutnam. But he might as well have taken the afternoon off.

The goods affected could include everything from hand sanitiser, toilet paper and painkillers to food staples including pasta and rice. The Competition & Markets Authority wants to stop profiteering.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India initiative has helped the defence ministry save more than `1 lakh crore worth of foreign exchange.

The deadline for the linking of Aadhaar to support services such as banking and welfare schemes will be extended till 31 March 2018 from it's original date of 31 December.

'We are keeping a close tab on self-radicalised youth and their activities. We have arrested about 18-20 people in recent months' said UP's top officer.

The statement from the Mehbooba Mufti government on Monday comes as a jolt to Hindus who comprise more than 28 per cent of the state's population.

The Government's decision to establish a National Medical Commission (NMC) to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) has come at the most appropriate juncture.

The lack of such a status has been holding back companies like Infosys from investing, especially given the party's policies on land and industry

Rishi Sunak said the Government will be increasing the taxes on pollution in a bid to cut down on harmful emissions and encourage energy efficiency.