Golf President Battles Extradition to US for ‘selling batteries for Iran missiles’

(Helen Pidd — The Guardian)

Christopher Tappin, 63, made £320 from freight deal which he says was unlawful sting by US agents posing as exporters

A retired businessman from London is battling extradition to the US over claims he sold batteries for missiles to Iran in a deal that he says netted him £320 profit.

Christopher Tappin, 63, from Orpington, is the latest Briton to become caught up in the controversial extradition agreement with the US. He could face 35 years in jail if convicted in an American court.

At a press conference today, the Kent county golf union president insisted he was innocent and said he had been the victim of a sting carried out by US agents posing as exporters.

Tappin, who ran a freight forwarding company for 35 years, is accused of “knowingly” plotting to export five batteries for surface-to-air missiles to Tehran. Read more here.

Harper Greets G8 Leaders

(CBC News)

PM hails U.K. budget cuts ahead of dual summit talks

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has formally welcomed G8 leaders at the organization's annual summit in Huntsville, Ont., where they are expected to discuss global security, and Canada's key initiative on maternal and child health.

The leaders of the seven other Group of Eight leading economic powers — France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States and Russia — are gathering in the exclusive Deerhurst Resort near Huntsville before they join other G20 delegates in Toronto on Saturday.

Ahead of the formal talks, Harper praised Britain's new government for its recent spending cuts, saying British Prime Minister David Cameron's budget “highlighted the very fiscal consolidation” Canada was trying to steer the G20 toward at this weekend's summit in Toronto.

Read more here. Comprehensive information on the G8/G20 Summits at CBC’s In-Depth Coverage website.

Related: UK’s budget vs Japanese experience (BBC Newsnight)