EJ Insight

On Tuesday, the veteran candidate of France’s far right party announced her candidacy for the presidential election next year, despite a conviction for stealing money from the European Parliament. Marie Le Pen leads the Rassemblement National (National Rally), the country’s most popular party with support from more than 30 per cent of the voters and 123 of the 577 seats in the National Parliament. Her announcement followed a dramatic day in a Paris court.

Britain’s new Prime Minister brings qualities to the job that could turn the country around – charisma, good public speaking, quick wit and success in managing Manchester, the country’s third city. On July 20, Labour politician Andy Burnham will replace Sir Keir Starmer as the nation’s seventh premier since the historic Brexit referendum in June 2016.

“It is time to buy a new electric vehicle to replace this Kia,” said Mohammed Ahmad, a London taxi driver. “To keep our licence, we must have an EV. BYD is the top brand. I am looking at one for 60,000 pounds – expensive but I will get a return over the long term.” This year BYD has overtaken Tesla to become the best-selling EV in Britain, with more than 26,396 sold in the first four months, including fully electric and plug-in hybrids.

Miriam Davis spent eight years studying law in London and working as a pupil in a law firm. She wanted to be a barrister and had to borrow money. Then she started taking cases. “It was a nightmare,” said her father Andrew, a retired professor. “She found a huge backlog of cases, up to three years for rape. Many of the better court buildings had been sold to raise money. Those still in use were in poor condition, not fit for purpose.

Patient Visits Up 94% in Two Years: Tong Ren Tang Healthcare (02667.HK), the First Listed Chain TCM Group, Targets Hong Kong IPO with Pragmatic Pricing On June 26, 2026, Beijing Tong Ren Tang Healthcare Investment Co., Ltd. (“Tong Ren Tang Healthcare”) stands on the eve of its Hong Kong listing. Backed by the 357-year-old time-honored brand “Tong Ren Tang”, this TCM healthcare services provider today announced the launch of its Global Offering under the stock code 02667.HK.

Thursday was a day of triumph for British Labour politician Andy Burnham. He won a by-election in the northwest of England that opens the way for him to become the country’s new Prime Minister. In the constituency of Makerfield, he received 55 per cent of the votes, against 34.5 per cent for the far right Reform UK. During local elections in May, Reform UK won 26 percent, and Labour only 17 per cent -- it lost 1,498 council seats.

For Vladimir Putin, the most precious land he has seized from Ukraine since 2014 is the peninsula of Crimea. Captured in 1783 by Catherine the Great, it was the home of the Black Sea Fleet and the most desirable place in Russia for a holiday. When Putin launched his full-scale war in February 2022, Crimea was already occupied. It has been a critical base for Russian land, sea and air operations. The consensus among foreign military specialists and diplomats was that Ukraine would never recapture it.

Birmingham was a crucible of Europe’s industrial revolution, inventing the steam engine and electroplating and producing the guns, motor vehicles and railway carriages that powered the British Empire. But, since March 11 last year, no city workers have collected the refuse of its 1.2 million people. They have seen the streets full of rotting waste, broken glass, swarms of rats and the constant threat of disease.

At Sotheby’s art auction in Hong Kong in April this year, it put on sale three works by Zhang Daqian ( 張大千). One of them, Sunshine after Rain (雨後斜陽), sold for HK$15.36 million. It was evidence that, more than 40 years after his death, Zhang’s work still commands high prices. Many consider him the greatest Chinese painter for 500 years.

The Hong Kong Ballet’s final programme of the current season is the premiere of a new production of “The Sleeping Beauty”. It is produced by the renowned international star Vladimir Malakhov, who had also staged his production of “La Bayadere” for the company in 2023. Each spring the Hong Kong Ballet invites a few guest stars to feature in its engagement at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre to boost the box office. This year is no exception.