
Chinese-Canadian tycoon faces trial in China without consular access, embassy says
CNN
The trial in China of a missing Chinese-Canadian tycoon who was abducted from a hotel room in Hong Kong five years ago will take place without consular access, the Canadian Embassy in Beijing told CNN on Tuesday.
Billionaire financier Xiao Jianhua, known for his close connections to some of China's most powerful political families, vanished in 2017 after he was seized by Chinese security agents from his room at the Four Seasons hotel in Hong Kong and taken to mainland China.
The Canadian Embassy said consular officials are monitoring Xiao's case closely and providing consular services to his family, though it did not confirm the trial date.

Trump orders ‘total and complete blockade’ of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving Venezuela
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was ordering a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving from Venezuela, ratcheting up pressure against leader Nicolás Maduro’s regime and suggesting an economic motive to the US’ military campaign in the region.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Thursday that would reschedule marijuana to a lower drug classification — a move that would ease federal restrictions, though it would not mean full legalization, according to a source familiar with the planning and a senior White House official.

The House Judiciary Committee is demanding interviews with four current and former Department of Justice officials who were involved in subpoenaing phone records for several members of Congress around the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, the day before Republicans interview former special counsel Jack Smith.










