‘The Invisible Spy' Review: Manhattan Project
As Thomas Maier writes in 'The Invisible Spy: Churchill's Rockefeller Center Spy Ring and America's First Secret Agent of World War II,' the British operation was unconventional, too, opaquely labeled the British Security Coordination Office and tucked away on an upper floor of Rockefeller Center, behind a door bearing the bland sign 'British Passport Control.'
The spy operation's mission—to get America's mighty armed forces into the war against the rampaging Axis powers—was vital to Britain's struggle for survival. 'The propaganda war,' Mr. Maier quotes Cuneo as saying, 'was fought with deadly ferocity, like a battle with thousands of tanks on each side locked in fierce, lethal combat, firing at point blank range. The moral hatred hung over the field like poison gas. No chivalry, no Geneva Convention, no code of military honor governed the war of words.' At its peak, the author tells us, Britain's spy operations in wartime America were more extensive than those of Germany or Russia.
Mr. Maier, a journalist and the author of 'Masters of Sex' (2009), 'When Lions Roar' (2014) and 'Mafia Spies' (2019), plunges the reader back into the dark, early days of World War II, when ultimate victory over the fascist onslaught seemed precarious at best.
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Macao police arrest former pro-democracy lawmaker for colluding with foreign forces
HONG KONG -- Police in Macao detained a man believed to be a prominent pro-democracy advocate on suspicion of colluding with outside forces in breach of the national security law. Local media outlets reported former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was the suspect. A police statement Thursday said the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad. The man, whose full name was not disclosed in the statement, also was accused of maintaining long-term contact with multiple anti-China entities outside of Macao and repeatedly providing unfounded information to them or their media outlets for dissemination. 'This was intended to incite hatred against China's central government and Macao's government among Macao residents and even people from other countries who may not understand the truth," police said. The authorities added that the acts aimed to undermine Macao's 2024 chief executive election and trigger hostile actions by foreign countries against Macao. Au was taken from his home Wednesday afternoon for investigation, they said. Local media outlets in Hong Kong and Macao reported the man was Au. Online outlet All About Macao said it was the first publicly known arrest under the national security law after the legislation was enacted in 2009 and revised in 2023. Au's wife arrived at the prosecution's office on Thursday and was listed as a 'witness," the outlet added. The Associated Press could not reach Au by phone Thursday afternoon. Au served as a pro-democracy lawmaker in Macao's legislature dominated by Beijing loyalists before stepping down in 2021. He remained a rare voice in the city who still regularly criticized government measures and political development on Facebook and in media interviews. Since the former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, Macao has grown from a monopoly-driven gambling enclave into the world's biggest gaming hub. Under Beijing's grip, its pro-democracy camp was never as influential as the one in neighboring city Hong Kong, which is a former British colony that returned to China in 1997. Its government also faced far less massive protests challenging its rule when compared to Hong Kong. More intrusive political controls were introduced to the casino hub in recent years, especially after huge anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019 that led Beijing to crack down on virtually all public dissent. A vigil commemorating China's bloody 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was banned. Pro-democracy figures were barred from running in Macao's 2021 legislative elections. Earlier this month, an incumbent lawmaker known for his centrist stance was also disqualified from running in this year's legislative election.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Macao police arrest former pro-democracy lawmaker for colluding with foreign forces
HONG KONG (AP) — Police in Macao detained a man believed to be a prominent pro-democracy advocate on suspicion of colluding with outside forces in breach of the national security law. Local media outlets reported former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was the suspect. A police statement Thursday said the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad. The man, whose full name was not disclosed in the statement, also was accused of maintaining long-term contact with multiple anti-China entities outside of Macao and repeatedly providing unfounded information to them or their media outlets for dissemination. 'This was intended to incite hatred against China's central government and Macao's government among Macao residents and even people from other countries who may not understand the truth,' police said. The authorities added that the acts aimed to undermine Macao's 2024 chief executive election and trigger hostile actions by foreign countries against Macao. Au was taken from his home Wednesday afternoon for investigation, they said. Local media outlets in Hong Kong and Macao reported the man was Au. Online outlet All About Macao said it was the first publicly known arrest under the national security law after the legislation was enacted in 2009 and revised in 2023. Au's wife arrived at the prosecution's office on Thursday and was listed as a 'witness,' the outlet added. The Associated Press could not reach Au by phone Thursday afternoon. Au served as a pro-democracy lawmaker in Macao's legislature dominated by Beijing loyalists before stepping down in 2021. He remained a rare voice in the city who still regularly criticized government measures and political development on Facebook and in media interviews. Since the former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, Macao has grown from a monopoly-driven gambling enclave into the world's biggest gaming hub. Under Beijing's grip, its pro-democracy camp was never as influential as the one in neighboring city Hong Kong, which is a former British colony that returned to China in 1997. Its government also faced far less massive protests challenging its rule when compared to Hong Kong. More intrusive political controls were introduced to the casino hub in recent years, especially after huge anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019 that led Beijing to crack down on virtually all public dissent. A vigil commemorating China's bloody 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was banned. Pro-democracy figures were barred from running in Macao's 2021 legislative elections. Earlier this month, an incumbent lawmaker known for his centrist stance was also disqualified from running in this year's legislative election. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Wealthy Americans Buy Up London Mansions Amid Price Slump
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Wealthy Americans are taking advantage of the ongoing slump in London's luxury home market to snap up properties in the city for a significantly lower price than these mansions would have fetched a few years ago. According to data from Beauchamp Estates, a luxury real-estate agent in the U.K. capital, U.S. nationals accounted for 25 percent of prime purchases in the city last year, up from 18 percent in 2023. In the first six months of the year, American and Middle Eastern buyers together were behind 50 percent of all high-value transactions in London, up from 45 percent in 2024, which include deals totaling more than £15 million ($20 million). Swimming Against the Tide American buyers are flocking to the London luxury home market at the same time as many so-called non-doms—U.K. residents whose permanent home, for tax purposes, is outside the U.K.—are leaving the capital. The Labour government, which has led the U.K. since last year's general elections, has announced plans to abolish the non-dom tax status. Under current laws, non-doms pay taxes in the U.K. only on the money they earn in the country. They do not pay taxes made anywhere else in the world. This offers an incredible advantage to wealthy individuals who can choose to pay duties in states with lower taxes than the U.K. while effectively still living in the U.K. According to the latest data by the country's HM Revenue & Customs, some 74,000 people claimed non-dom status in 2022-2023. A general view of large residential town houses in Green Street, Mayfair, in London on January 9. A general view of large residential town houses in Green Street, Mayfair, in London on January changes announced by the British government, the non-dom status would be abolished and replaced with a residence-based regime. Non-doms living in the U.K. have been given a three-year period of transition to bring their foreign wealth onshore. Non-doms' recent exodus from the U.K. has caused London's luxury home market to wobble, with sales and prices falling in recent months. According to Beauchamp Estates, there has been a 13 percent drop in the number of deals for the sale of $20 million-plus homes in the capital between January and June compared to a year earlier. The company said 70 percent of the vendors of these high-end homes were non-doms moving overseas to places such as Miami, Dubai, Milan and Monaco. "The top of the market has lost momentum—and much of that comes down to the government's stance on non-doms," Becky Fatemi, the executive partner at Sotheby's International Realty U.K., told Newsweek. "The message couldn't be clearer: International wealth isn't as welcome as it once was. Predictably, some of the biggest global buyers have backed off, pulling out of deals or funneling their money into more tax-friendly markets like Italy, Monaco, and Dubai," she added. That's left a noticeable hole in the high-end home market. "Trophy homes that once sparked bidding wars are now sitting—not because the appetite has vanished completely, but because buyers are more selective, price-sensitive, and wary," Fatemi said. "Deals are still happening, but they're slower, tougher, and take serious effort to get over the line. Behind every sale, there's a lot heavier lifting." But as the superrich leave London and slash prices on the properties they are leaving behind to attract new buyers, wealthy individuals who previously could not have afforded these luxury homes are finally swooping in—including many Americans. Why Are Wealthy Americans Seeking Properties in London? "Americans were never eligible for non-dom perks—the IRS taxes them globally, wherever they live—so the U.K.'s reforms are largely irrelevant," Fatemi said. "While other international buyers reassess, Americans are charging in. With Trump back in the White House, we're seeing a spike in U.S. clients who want out—not just for political reasons, but for lifestyle ones, too," she added. "London offers everything they want: relative stability, culture, top schools, and prime property that still looks like a bargain thanks to the strong dollar. These aren't speculative purchases; they're buying real homes, with real intent," Fatemi said. The London properties that wealthy Americans are buying are concentrated in some of the most expensive and exclusive neighborhoods in the city—such as Chelsea, Mayfair, Kensington, Notting Hill, Belgravia, St. John's Wood and Hampstead—according to data from Beauchamp Estates. They include homes averaging 9,230 square feet and apartments spreading over an average 5,397 square feet—notably bigger properties than those purchased in 2024. For Beauchamp Estates, this means that buyers are looking at these homes as primary residences "with lateral space and long-term livability." Rising living costs and growing crime rates in the U.S., combined with political uncertainty and tax-driven wealth increases, are behind the surge in interest for London's luxury homes among American buyers, according to Beauchamp Estates. Even with a softer dollar, "the pound is still weak compared to pre-Brexit days, and prime prices haven't rebounded to 2014 levels, so there's value on the table" for American homebuyers, Fatemi said. "But the bigger driver is mindset. When someone's ready to leave the U.S.—for politics, lifestyle, or a sense of security—they're not waiting for the perfect exchange rate. They want somewhere livable, stable, and globally connected. London ticks every box," she said. "Currency helps, but it's not the full story. What we're seeing is a deeper, more personal shift, and it's not going anywhere."
