The disposable vape ban has changed nothing
In the next few days, a third emotion started to creep in: fear. I can't be the only one to have noticed that the new vapes are just as delicious and, in practice, as disposable as the old ones. I can already picture the shock, horror and outrage of the anti-vape coalition as they realise it too. Now instead of claiming victory and moving on to their next target, they will double down and push for a total ban.
That is the state of play in China, birthplace of the Elf Bar. These vapes, launched in 2018 by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Shengwei's Shenzhen iMiracle, are banned in the country that makes them. Not that this has held the company back: 2.5 million are sold each week in Britain alone.
The second battle in the war on vapes is already under way. Proposals for bland, flavourless, sludge-coloured vapes, bereft of the joy and pleasure of their predecessors, are being considered by the government.
If the anti-vape coalition wins this round, I fear I'll be forced back to cigarettes.
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Reuters
8 hours ago
- Reuters
Former UK PM Johnson rejects China's bullying of Taiwan, calls for deeper ties with West
TAIPEI, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Former British prime minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that Taiwan did not deserve to be bullied by China and urged the West to build economic and political relations with Taipei in the face of Beijing's campaign against the democratic island. Johnson is the third former British prime minister to visit Taiwan, after Liz Truss in 2023 and Margaret Thatcher in the 1990s, and his trip comes at a time when Britain and China are seeking to further stabilise ties as Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Beijing later this year. Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but the two governments have close economic and culture exchanges. Beijing has in recent years ramped up military and diplomatic pressure campaigns against Taiwan, including daily military activities near the island, to assert territorial claims the government in Taipei strongly rejects. "In very difficult and intense times, this is the moment for all western countries to build economic and political relations with Taiwan, not to tiptoe away from Taiwan at the pressure from any other country," Johnson told Taiwan President Lai Ching-te in the presidential office in Taipei. "There's absolutely no case for the current Chinese bullying of Taiwan. This is a free, peaceful society. It does not deserve to be intimidated in this way. There's no point in it and I hope it stops as soon as possible," Johnson said in video footage by Lai's office. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Beijing has previously condemned visits by British lawmakers to Taiwan for what it calls interference in China's internal affairs. Johnson was invited to deliver a speech at a security forum by Taipei-based think tank, the Prospect Foundation, which was also attended by Lai earlier on Tuesday. At the forum, Lai vowed to build a "democratic supply chain" with allies by deepening economic cooperation and said he would boost Taiwan's defence spending to more than 3% of its GDP next year. "I'm confident that if democracies can join hands in creating more robust, more resilient global democratic supply chains, we can spur even more economic prosperity and further consolidate our democracy," Lai said. A British Royal Navy patrol vessel sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait in June.
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Chinese students at UK universities are being 'pressured to spy on classmates'
Chinese students at universities in the UK are being pressured to spy on their classmates, according to a new report. The UK-China Transparency (UKCT) think tank said results from a survey of academics in China studies said the system was subject to 'widespread CCP (Chinese Communist Party) influence, interference and harassment' in order to suppress discussion of issues sensitive to the Chinese government. The report claimed students had told their lecturers that they had been asked by Chinese officials to spy on their peers, while lecturers said they had instructed to not discuss certain topics in their classes The Chinese embassy in London has denied the allegations, describing the report as 'groundless and absurd', according to the BBC. It comes days after the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 was introduced. The law is designed to stop universities from censoring controversial or unpopular ideas. The law's regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), says freedom of speech and academic freedom are 'fundamental' to higher education. If UK universities fail to abide by the law they could be fined millions, said OfS. However, according the UKCT, some universities are reluctant to tackle CCP's interference due to universities' reliance on the revenue Chinese students bring in tuition fees. The report says some of those surveyed claim the Chinese government have denied UK visas to academics involved in sensitive research, while others allege family members in China have been harassed or threatened because of their relative's work in the UK. Among sensitive topics mentioned are politics and humanities, including the alleged ethnic cleaning in China's Xinjiang region and science and tech, including Covid-19. According to the report, some academics at UK universities have been intimidated by Chinese officials and scholars while on visits to the campuses. The universities allegedly include those involved with the Confucius Institute, a partnership programme funded by the Chinese government that offers cultural and language exchanges between China and countries across the world. More Trending The programme has previously been accused of spreading Chinese propaganda under the guise of teaching, with some universities around the world withdrawing from the initiative as a result. OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth previously said Confucius Institutes should be looked into under the new free speech laws due to concerns they don't meet the rules. A Chinese embassy spokesperson told the BBC it always adhered to its policy of not interfering with other countries' internal affairs. The Metro has contacted the Chinese embassy for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Children left in pools of blood after knifeman rampages through school in Hunan, China MORE: How 8.8-magnitude earthquake and tsunamis are causing major flight disruption worldwide MORE: Map shows where tsunami warnings are in place after 8.8-magnitude earthquake
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Russia and China begin massive war games in Sea of Japan after Trump sends two nuclear submarines to face down Putin
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSIA and China kicked off chilling war games in the Sea of Japan in a show of force just a day after Donald Trump's blistering nuclear warning. The US commander-in-chief ordered that two nuclear submarines be positioned near Russia before warning America is "totally prepared" for a nuclear war. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Russian warships, including Alexander Obukhov destroyer during a navy drill 9 Arrival of Chinese military vessels in Vladivostok, Russia on July 31, 2025 Credit: Reuters 9 The two sides will hold a number of naval operations involving submarines Credit: East2West 9 A fleet of ships sails out at sea in a previous China and Russia's naval joint drill Credit: Reuters The extraordinary escalation by Trump followed a slew of "inflammatory" threats against America from Kremlin comrade Dmitry Medvedev. And just one day after, China and Russia began joint naval drills on Sunday as they seek to reinforce their partnership and counterbalance what they see as a US-led global order. Dubbed "Joint Sea-2025", the exercises - although pre-planned - kicked off on Sunday in waters near the Russian port of Vladivostok and would last for three days. The two sides will hold a number of naval operations, including "submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine, air defence and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat", China's defence ministry said. read more in Geopolitics DON'S WARNING Trump says US 'totally prepared' for attacks after moving subs towards Russia Four Chinese vessels, including guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, are participating in the exercises alongside Russian warships. And after the drills, the two countries will conduct naval patrols in "relevant waters of the Pacific", the ministry said. It added that the war games were aimed at "further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership" of the two countries. China and Russia have carried out annual drills for several years, with the "Joint Sea" exercises beginning in 2012. Last year's drills were held along China's southern coast. Footage showed Russian warships firing during joint anti-submarine exercises with the Chinese Navy. Donald Trump orders nuclear submarines to be moved near Russia as he blasts 'foolish' nuke threat from Putin crony Alongside economic and political ties, Moscow and Beijing have strengthened their military cooperation in recent years. And their relations have deepened since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. China has never denounced Russia's more than three-year war nor called for it to withdraw its troops. Although it insists it is a neutral party regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine. Many of Ukraine's allies, including the US, believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow. 9 Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with China's Xi Jinping at Kremlin Credit: Reuters WAR OF WORDS The nuclear sabre-rattling by Trump comes after Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's security council, made an ominous threat and warned that the US is taking drastic steps towards war with Moscow. Trump slammed Medvedev's words as "foolish and inflammatory" before ordering the placement of nuclear submarines near Russian territory. He said: "Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions. Medvedev, who was the former Russian president from 2008 to 2012, seemed to threaten America with nuclear annihilation in the tit-for-tat row with Trump. 9 Don slammed former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev's comments as 'highly provocative' Credit: The Mega Agency 9 Russia's Security Council's Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev seemed to threaten America with nuclear annihilation in the tit-for-tat row with Trump Credit: He said: "If some words of the former Russian president [Medvedev] cause such a nervous reaction in the entire, formidable US president, then Russia is right in everything and will continue to go its own way. "Let him remember his favorite films about the "walking dead", as well as how dangerous a "dead hand" that does not exist in nature can be." Medvedev may have referred to Moscow's "Dead Hand" nuclear weapons system, which is designed to launch a doomsday retaliation attack with full nuclear force - even if the Kremlin leadership is wiped out. He also warned that Russia "isn't Israel or even Iran." Trump v Medvedev July 2025: Donald Trump announced a 50-day deadline for Russia to move toward ending the war in Ukraine or face "severe" tariffs. Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, dismissed this as a "theatrical ultimatum" that Russia "didn't care" about. Late July 2025: President Trump reduced his deadline for Russia to secure a peace deal to just "10 or 12 days," threatening sanctions and secondary tariffs on countries that do business with Russia. In response, Medvedev wrote on X that Trump was "playing the ultimatum game" and warned that each new ultimatum was a step toward war, not between Russia and Ukraine, but with the United States. July 30, 2025 In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump publicly targeted Medvedev, calling him a "failed former President of Russia" who was "entering very dangerous territory" with his remarks. This statement came as Trump also announced a 25% tariff on India, criticizing its "dead economy" and continued defense and energy ties with Moscow. July 31, 2025" Medvedev retaliated on social media by referencing the "Dead Hand," a Cold War-era Soviet nuclear retaliation system, in a veiled threat to the US. He also stated that Trump's "jittery reaction" proved Russia was "completely in the right" and would continue on its own path. August 1, 2025 In a further escalation, President Trump announced he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned near Russia in response to Medvedev's "foolish and inflammatory statements." This move highlights the dangerous rhetorical turn the conflict has taken, now including nuclear threats from both sides. "Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war," the former Russian president wrote in an X post. The MAGA prez hit back saying: "Just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump did not say in his post whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the exact deployment locations, which are kept secret by the US military. But in an interview with Newsmax that aired Friday night, Trump said the submarines were "closer to Russia." 9 The US Navy's USS Minnesota (SSN-783), a Virginia-class fast attack submarine Credit: AFP "We always want to be ready. And so I have sent to the region two nuclear submarines," he said. "I just want to make sure that his words are only words and nothing more than that." The US has the largest nuclear-powered submarine fleet in the world, including its lead ship the USS Virginia - a 377-feet long sub, equipped with cruise missiles. The US has nuclear-powered attack submarines that can search for targets. Several of the US Navy's vessels are specifically designed for stealth and are able to precisely strike targets with nuclear warheads. The Western superpower also has larger, nuclear-armed submarines, which do not need to be repositioned as they can reach targets thousands of miles away. It's unclear which nuclear submarines will be deployed.
