With shutdown hours away, US Republicans mount 3rd bid to fund government
By Reuters
Republicans in the US Congress mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday with only hours to spare, after two previous plans were scuttled by US president-elect Donald Trump and members of their own party.
Republican congressman Ralph Norman told reporters that party leaders planned to hold a vote on a third spending bill, though he did not provide details.
Others said they would not try to win over Democrats whose support is likely to be needed to extend funding past midnight on Friday, when it is due to expire. “We’re not working with Democrats,” Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna said.
If Congress does not pass a spending package, funding for everything from law enforcement to national parks will be disrupted and millions of federal workers will go unpaid.
Authorities warned that travellers during the busy Christmas season could face long lines at airports.
Sources said the White House has alerted government agencies to prepare for an imminent shutdown. The federal government last shut down for 35 days during Trump’s first White House term over a dispute about border security.
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By Reuters
Republicans in the US Congress mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday with only hours to spare, after two previous plans were scuttled by US president-elect Donald Trump and members of their own party.
Republican congressman Ralph Norman told reporters that party leaders planned to hold a vote on a third spending bill, though he did not provide details.
Others said they would not try to win over Democrats whose support is likely to be needed to extend funding past midnight on Friday, when it is due to expire. “We’re not working with Democrats,” Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna said.
If Congress does not pass a spending package, funding for everything from law enforcement to national parks will be disrupted and millions of federal workers will go unpaid.
Authorities warned that travellers during the busy Christmas season could face long lines at airports.
Sources said the White House has alerted government agencies to prepare for an imminent shutdown. The federal government last shut down for 35 days during Trump’s first White House term over a dispute about border security.
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Canada’s Justin Trudeau shakes up cabinet as he faces Trump attacks, pressure to step down
By Agence France-Presse
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday shook up his cabinet, changing one-third of his team as political turmoil threatens his leadership and tensions erupt with incoming US president Donald Trump.
The move comes soon after a key Trudeau ally announced that he would vote to bring the prime minister down.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, said in a statement that his party “will put forward a clear motion of non-confidence in the next sitting of the House of Commons”. If all opposition parties vote against Trudeau’s government, it will have to resign, triggering an election.
Trudeau’s Liberal Party does not have a majority in the House, and it has been relying on NDP votes to pass legislation and keep the government going. Singh and Trudeau had a formal agreement on that until September, when the NDP leader withdrew from the deal.
The developments on Friday come at the end of a chaotic week in Ottawa spurred by the surprise resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland following disagreement with her boss over Trump’s threats to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports.
Her exit, after nearly a decade at Trudeau’s side, marked the first open dissent against the prime minister from within his cabinet and has emboldened critics.
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By Agence France-Presse
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday shook up his cabinet, changing one-third of his team as political turmoil threatens his leadership and tensions erupt with incoming US president Donald Trump.
The move comes soon after a key Trudeau ally announced that he would vote to bring the prime minister down.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, said in a statement that his party “will put forward a clear motion of non-confidence in the next sitting of the House of Commons”. If all opposition parties vote against Trudeau’s government, it will have to resign, triggering an election.
Trudeau’s Liberal Party does not have a majority in the House, and it has been relying on NDP votes to pass legislation and keep the government going. Singh and Trudeau had a formal agreement on that until September, when the NDP leader withdrew from the deal.
The developments on Friday come at the end of a chaotic week in Ottawa spurred by the surprise resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland following disagreement with her boss over Trump’s threats to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports.
Her exit, after nearly a decade at Trudeau’s side, marked the first open dissent against the prime minister from within his cabinet and has emboldened critics.
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For thousands of Jews, Israel still doesn’t feel safe after the October 7 attacks. So they’re leaving
By Associated Press
Leaving Israel is easier, Shira Z. Carmel thinks, by saying it is just for now. But she knows better.
For the Israel-born singer and an increasing number of relatively well-off Israelis, the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety and along with it, Israel’s founding promise: to be the world’s safe haven for Jews.
That day, thousands of Hamas militants blew past the country’s border defences, killed 1,200 Israelis and dragged 250 more into Gaza in a siege that caught the Israeli army by surprise and stunned a nation that prides itself on military prowess.
This time, during what became known as Israel’s 9/11, the army did not come for hours.
Ten days later, a pregnant Carmel, her husband and their toddler boarded a flight to Australia, which was looking for people in her husband’s profession.
And they spun the explanation to friends and family as something other than permanent – “relocation” is the easier-to-swallow term – acutely aware of the familial strain and the shame that have shadowed Israelis who leave for good.
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By Associated Press
Leaving Israel is easier, Shira Z. Carmel thinks, by saying it is just for now. But she knows better.
For the Israel-born singer and an increasing number of relatively well-off Israelis, the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety and along with it, Israel’s founding promise: to be the world’s safe haven for Jews.
That day, thousands of Hamas militants blew past the country’s border defences, killed 1,200 Israelis and dragged 250 more into Gaza in a siege that caught the Israeli army by surprise and stunned a nation that prides itself on military prowess.
This time, during what became known as Israel’s 9/11, the army did not come for hours.
Ten days later, a pregnant Carmel, her husband and their toddler boarded a flight to Australia, which was looking for people in her husband’s profession.
And they spun the explanation to friends and family as something other than permanent – “relocation” is the easier-to-swallow term – acutely aware of the familial strain and the shame that have shadowed Israelis who leave for good.
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How the launch of China’s GuoWang satellites differs from its US Starlink rival
By Ling Xin
The GuoWang internet satellites, launched this week as the first step in China’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, featured notable differences from their US counterpart.
Not only are the Chinese satellites “huge” and “heavyweight”, but they were also arranged inside the launch vehicle in a unique double-decker type of layout, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), which developed the Long March-5B rocket and the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage that delivered the 10 satellites into orbit on Monday.
Unlike the American Starlink satellites, which are stacked vertically within the rocket, the GuoWang satellites were mounted on two concentric tiers around a central support cylinder, optimising the use of vertical and radial space within the payload fairing, CALT said on its social media account.
The arrangement resembled a stationary two-level drop tower at an amusement park, with a load-bearing cylinder at the centre and “seats” evenly distributed radially on each level, according to a mission patch seen by the South China Morning Post.
The deployment process was just as distinctive. The GuoWang satellites were released in two separate groups, with the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage making precise adjustments between releases to minimise the risk of collisions, according to CALT.
“During the separation phase, the ‘passengers’ were divided into two groups to ‘disembark’ one after the other, with each group separating simultaneously,” CALT said. “After the first group disembarked, the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage adjusted its attitude, rotating to a specific angle to create favourable conditions for the separation of the next group.”
By contrast, a typical Starlink launch simultaneously releases dozens of satellites – probably smaller and lighter than the GuoWang satellites – using a spring-loaded mechanism. On-board thrusters are then used to spread out the Starlink satellites to reach their operational orbits.
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By Ling Xin
The GuoWang internet satellites, launched this week as the first step in China’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, featured notable differences from their US counterpart.
Not only are the Chinese satellites “huge” and “heavyweight”, but they were also arranged inside the launch vehicle in a unique double-decker type of layout, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), which developed the Long March-5B rocket and the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage that delivered the 10 satellites into orbit on Monday.
Unlike the American Starlink satellites, which are stacked vertically within the rocket, the GuoWang satellites were mounted on two concentric tiers around a central support cylinder, optimising the use of vertical and radial space within the payload fairing, CALT said on its social media account.
The arrangement resembled a stationary two-level drop tower at an amusement park, with a load-bearing cylinder at the centre and “seats” evenly distributed radially on each level, according to a mission patch seen by the South China Morning Post.
The deployment process was just as distinctive. The GuoWang satellites were released in two separate groups, with the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage making precise adjustments between releases to minimise the risk of collisions, according to CALT.
“During the separation phase, the ‘passengers’ were divided into two groups to ‘disembark’ one after the other, with each group separating simultaneously,” CALT said. “After the first group disembarked, the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage adjusted its attitude, rotating to a specific angle to create favourable conditions for the separation of the next group.”
By contrast, a typical Starlink launch simultaneously releases dozens of satellites – probably smaller and lighter than the GuoWang satellites – using a spring-loaded mechanism. On-board thrusters are then used to spread out the Starlink satellites to reach their operational orbits.
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Xi’s speech tasks Macau and Hong Kong with ‘one country, two systems’ mission
By Willa Wu
The key takeaways from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech in Macau on Friday were that Beijing was committed to maintaining the “one country, two systems” governing principle, but the city and Hong Kong must reposition themselves to better implement the policy given challenges in the new era, political observers have said.
That repositioning included intensifying the cities’ industrial transformation and increasing their international influence to help the country better tap into the world market, they said.
Xi officiated at the inauguration of Macau’s sixth-term administration led by Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai at the Macau East Asian Games Dome, hours before he wrapped up his three-day visit to the city to mark its 25th anniversary of returning to Chinese administration.
In his 30-minute speech, the president stressed the one country, two systems principle was “a good policy” to maintain stability and prosperity, contribute to national rejuvenation and achieve coexistence among different social systems.
The principle should be safeguarded by the world since its core tenets of “peace, tolerance, openness and sharing” corresponded not only to China’s core values but also the world’s, he said.
“The current and coming period is a crucial time for comprehensively promoting the great endeavours of building a powerful country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernisation,” Xi told the attendees.
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By Willa Wu
The key takeaways from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech in Macau on Friday were that Beijing was committed to maintaining the “one country, two systems” governing principle, but the city and Hong Kong must reposition themselves to better implement the policy given challenges in the new era, political observers have said.
That repositioning included intensifying the cities’ industrial transformation and increasing their international influence to help the country better tap into the world market, they said.
Xi officiated at the inauguration of Macau’s sixth-term administration led by Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai at the Macau East Asian Games Dome, hours before he wrapped up his three-day visit to the city to mark its 25th anniversary of returning to Chinese administration.
In his 30-minute speech, the president stressed the one country, two systems principle was “a good policy” to maintain stability and prosperity, contribute to national rejuvenation and achieve coexistence among different social systems.
The principle should be safeguarded by the world since its core tenets of “peace, tolerance, openness and sharing” corresponded not only to China’s core values but also the world’s, he said.
“The current and coming period is a crucial time for comprehensively promoting the great endeavours of building a powerful country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernisation,” Xi told the attendees.
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Xi Jinping stresses projects in Hengqin zone must align with Beijing policies
By Kahon Chan
Chinese President Xi Jinping said projects in the Hengqin cooperation zone in Zhuhai must not be inconsistent with Beijing’s policy goals in an unusual warning made during his speech at the inauguration of Macau’s new leader on Friday.
In his speech conveying his hopes for the incoming Sam Hou-fai administration on Friday, Xi urged Macau to “pinpoint its focus” on creating a more diversified economy, improve industrial development planning, increase policy support and capital investment, while also striving to cultivate new industries that were competitive on a global scale.
Singling out the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone, which covers Hengqin island across from the gaming hub, Xi called on authorities to ensure its development was aligned with Macau’s economic goals and for “iconic” projects that supported diversification be included.
Xi also urged the government to help direct capital into businesses and industries that were scalable and could compete on an international level.
“The central government decided to develop Hengqin in order to promote the appropriately diversified development of Macau’s economy and bring convenience to the life and employment of Macau residents,” he said.
“This positioning must be grasped well, and projects that are inconsistent with this positioning cannot be developed.”
Newly sworn in economy minister Tai Kin-ip told reporters after meeting the president that the government was studying the advice on Hengqin development carefully.
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By Kahon Chan
Chinese President Xi Jinping said projects in the Hengqin cooperation zone in Zhuhai must not be inconsistent with Beijing’s policy goals in an unusual warning made during his speech at the inauguration of Macau’s new leader on Friday.
In his speech conveying his hopes for the incoming Sam Hou-fai administration on Friday, Xi urged Macau to “pinpoint its focus” on creating a more diversified economy, improve industrial development planning, increase policy support and capital investment, while also striving to cultivate new industries that were competitive on a global scale.
Singling out the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone, which covers Hengqin island across from the gaming hub, Xi called on authorities to ensure its development was aligned with Macau’s economic goals and for “iconic” projects that supported diversification be included.
Xi also urged the government to help direct capital into businesses and industries that were scalable and could compete on an international level.
“The central government decided to develop Hengqin in order to promote the appropriately diversified development of Macau’s economy and bring convenience to the life and employment of Macau residents,” he said.
“This positioning must be grasped well, and projects that are inconsistent with this positioning cannot be developed.”
Newly sworn in economy minister Tai Kin-ip told reporters after meeting the president that the government was studying the advice on Hengqin development carefully.
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8 dead off Greek island of Rhodes as speedboat carrying migrants capsizes
By Associated Press
A speedboat carrying migrants capsized Friday morning off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes, leaving eight dead, Greek authorities said.
The coast guard said the incident occurred while the speedboat was carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” to try and evade a patrol vessel, causing migrants to fall into the sea. Eighteen of the migrants were rescued.
Rescue workers on three coastguard vessels and a helicopter were working near the resort area of Afantou Beach in the northeast of the island.
It was unclear whether other passengers were missing, authorities said.
Eight of the survivors were hospitalised, local officials said, with one of them in critical condition, according to state-run television.
Rhodes, one of several large Greek islands located near the coast of Turkey, is on a busy illegal smuggling route in the eastern Mediterranean.
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By Associated Press
A speedboat carrying migrants capsized Friday morning off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes, leaving eight dead, Greek authorities said.
The coast guard said the incident occurred while the speedboat was carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” to try and evade a patrol vessel, causing migrants to fall into the sea. Eighteen of the migrants were rescued.
Rescue workers on three coastguard vessels and a helicopter were working near the resort area of Afantou Beach in the northeast of the island.
It was unclear whether other passengers were missing, authorities said.
Eight of the survivors were hospitalised, local officials said, with one of them in critical condition, according to state-run television.
Rhodes, one of several large Greek islands located near the coast of Turkey, is on a busy illegal smuggling route in the eastern Mediterranean.
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British finance minister’s China trip may ‘test the waters’ for pragmatic approach
By Zhao Ziwen
The British finance minister’s plans to visit China next month may be the latest signal that the Labour Party wants to take a pragmatic approach that balances economic ties with concerns over security and human rights, analysts have said.
One said it may also be a way of “testing the waters” about whether this approach towards Beijing will work.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s delegation will also include leading financial figures, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The visit is also expected to restart a platform for economic and financial dialogue between the two countries which last met in 2019, and the talks are likely to cover issues such as capital markets, financial regulation, connectivity between financial and bond markets as well as clean energy.
Reeves will be the most senior British government figure to visit China since Foreign Secretary David Lammy in October. The following month Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to be “a predictable and pragmatic partner” when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Brazil.
Starmer said his approach would be rooted in Britain’s national interest but he wanted to deepen the trade relationship between the two countries.
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By Zhao Ziwen
The British finance minister’s plans to visit China next month may be the latest signal that the Labour Party wants to take a pragmatic approach that balances economic ties with concerns over security and human rights, analysts have said.
One said it may also be a way of “testing the waters” about whether this approach towards Beijing will work.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s delegation will also include leading financial figures, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The visit is also expected to restart a platform for economic and financial dialogue between the two countries which last met in 2019, and the talks are likely to cover issues such as capital markets, financial regulation, connectivity between financial and bond markets as well as clean energy.
Reeves will be the most senior British government figure to visit China since Foreign Secretary David Lammy in October. The following month Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to be “a predictable and pragmatic partner” when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Brazil.
Starmer said his approach would be rooted in Britain’s national interest but he wanted to deepen the trade relationship between the two countries.
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Hong Kong hospitals brace for surge in flu and Covid-19 cases
By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong is expected to see a surge in flu and Covid-19 cases next month, health authorities have said, with public hospitals launching special measures to brace for the rise in demand for services.
The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that a slight increase in the number of flu and coronavirus cases had been recorded this month.
“Although the number of seasonal flu and Covid-19 cases remains at a low level, we have observed signs of a gradual increase,” the centre’s principle medical and health officer Dr Kung Kin-hang said. “With reference to past experience, seasonal flu and Covid-19 infections may become more active in January.
“In recent weeks, the weather has become cooler, and maybe this is associated with increased activity of both Covid-19 and also the flu.
“For Covid-19 … we have waves every four to six months, and the last peak was around July. It is not unexpected to have a recent increase.”
According to the centre, 1.09 per cent of 8,173 respiratory specimens collected by its laboratory tested positive for flu last week, compared with 0.52 per cent in the week of November 10.
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By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong is expected to see a surge in flu and Covid-19 cases next month, health authorities have said, with public hospitals launching special measures to brace for the rise in demand for services.
The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that a slight increase in the number of flu and coronavirus cases had been recorded this month.
“Although the number of seasonal flu and Covid-19 cases remains at a low level, we have observed signs of a gradual increase,” the centre’s principle medical and health officer Dr Kung Kin-hang said. “With reference to past experience, seasonal flu and Covid-19 infections may become more active in January.
“In recent weeks, the weather has become cooler, and maybe this is associated with increased activity of both Covid-19 and also the flu.
“For Covid-19 … we have waves every four to six months, and the last peak was around July. It is not unexpected to have a recent increase.”
According to the centre, 1.09 per cent of 8,173 respiratory specimens collected by its laboratory tested positive for flu last week, compared with 0.52 per cent in the week of November 10.
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40 million in West and Central Africa struggling to feed themselves: UN
By Associated Press
More than 40 million people are now struggling to feed themselves across West and Central Africa with that number set to rise to 52 million by the middle of next year, the United Nations food agency said Friday.
According to a new report released Friday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said 3.4 million people are currently facing “emergency levels of hunger” in the region, representing a 70 per cent increase in such cases since the summer.
The report said conflict, displacement, economic instability and severe climate shocks are driving food insecurity. The ongoing conflict in the Sahel, as well as the Sudanese civil war, have forcibly displaced over 10 million people across the region.
Massive flooding in Nigeria and Chad earlier this year has made the situation acute.
Although the numbers are staggering, the new report reduces last year’s estimate of the number of people facing food insecurity by 7.7 million.
The WFP attributes the drop to better-than-average rainfall and marginal security improvements, which are unlikely to continue improving.
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By Associated Press
More than 40 million people are now struggling to feed themselves across West and Central Africa with that number set to rise to 52 million by the middle of next year, the United Nations food agency said Friday.
According to a new report released Friday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said 3.4 million people are currently facing “emergency levels of hunger” in the region, representing a 70 per cent increase in such cases since the summer.
The report said conflict, displacement, economic instability and severe climate shocks are driving food insecurity. The ongoing conflict in the Sahel, as well as the Sudanese civil war, have forcibly displaced over 10 million people across the region.
Massive flooding in Nigeria and Chad earlier this year has made the situation acute.
Although the numbers are staggering, the new report reduces last year’s estimate of the number of people facing food insecurity by 7.7 million.
The WFP attributes the drop to better-than-average rainfall and marginal security improvements, which are unlikely to continue improving.
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Syria’s new de facto leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani takes conciliatory tone in interview
By Cynthia H. W. Chan
The de facto leader of Syria’s new administration took a conciliatory approach when speaking about his country’s future in a wide-ranging interview with BBC News on Wednesday.
Abu Mohammad al-Golani said Syria’s numerous sects would work together to move the country forward. But he said success would depend on the West lifting sanctions imposed on the country during the rule of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.
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By Cynthia H. W. Chan
The de facto leader of Syria’s new administration took a conciliatory approach when speaking about his country’s future in a wide-ranging interview with BBC News on Wednesday.
Abu Mohammad al-Golani said Syria’s numerous sects would work together to move the country forward. But he said success would depend on the West lifting sanctions imposed on the country during the rule of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.
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Chinese-owned Character.ai rival vanishes from US App Store
By Wency Chen
Talkie, the popular personalised artificial intelligence (AI) app developed by Chinese start-up MiniMax, has been removed from Apple’s US App Store due to unspecified “technical reasons”.
Talkie has been unavailable in the US App Store for about six days. However, Talkie remains downloadable on Google Play, where the app was last updated on Thursday. Users in the US who previously downloaded Talkie from Apple’s store can still access the app.
Talkie’s official TikTok account, which has 29,800 followers, has not published any updates this week after previously posting daily. In response to a series of user inquiries regarding its removal from the App Store, Talkie attributed the situation to “technical reasons”.
“We will get it fixed soon for you,” the team said, without providing a clear timeline for when the app would become available again. Shanghai-based MiniMax declined to comment on Friday.
Launched in June 2023, Talkie allows users to create and converse with personalised virtual characters through generative AI technology. It was the fourth-most downloaded app in the US in the first half of 2024, surpassing Google-backed rival Character.ai, which ranked 10th, according to data research firm Sensor Tower.
Globally, Talkie recorded 17 million downloads in the first eight months of the year, trailing Character.ai with nearly 19 million downloads, according to a Sensor Tower report in September. Talkie’s monthly active users reached 11 million in July, with over half living in the US.
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By Wency Chen
Talkie, the popular personalised artificial intelligence (AI) app developed by Chinese start-up MiniMax, has been removed from Apple’s US App Store due to unspecified “technical reasons”.
Talkie has been unavailable in the US App Store for about six days. However, Talkie remains downloadable on Google Play, where the app was last updated on Thursday. Users in the US who previously downloaded Talkie from Apple’s store can still access the app.
Talkie’s official TikTok account, which has 29,800 followers, has not published any updates this week after previously posting daily. In response to a series of user inquiries regarding its removal from the App Store, Talkie attributed the situation to “technical reasons”.
“We will get it fixed soon for you,” the team said, without providing a clear timeline for when the app would become available again. Shanghai-based MiniMax declined to comment on Friday.
Launched in June 2023, Talkie allows users to create and converse with personalised virtual characters through generative AI technology. It was the fourth-most downloaded app in the US in the first half of 2024, surpassing Google-backed rival Character.ai, which ranked 10th, according to data research firm Sensor Tower.
Globally, Talkie recorded 17 million downloads in the first eight months of the year, trailing Character.ai with nearly 19 million downloads, according to a Sensor Tower report in September. Talkie’s monthly active users reached 11 million in July, with over half living in the US.
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China lets Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark board ship in Baltic cable breach case
By Reuters
China has allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark to board a Chinese bulk carrier at the centre of an investigation into Baltic Sea cable breaches, according to the Danish foreign minister.
The Yi Peng 3 is wanted in Sweden for questioning over a breach of two undersea fibre-optic cables in November, and has been stationary in waters nearby for a month while diplomats in Stockholm and Beijing discussed the matter.
Investigators quickly zeroed in on the ship, which left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15, and a Reuters analysis of MarineTraffic data showed that the vessel’s coordinates corresponded to the time and place of the breaches.
The Baltic Sea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged on November 17 and 18, with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius saying he assumed it was sabotage.
On Thursday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country had facilitated a meeting earlier this week between representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and China, helping to break a month-long stand-off.
“It is our expectation that once the inspection has been completed by this group of people from the four countries, the ship will be able to sail towards its destination,” Lokke Rasmussen said.
LSEG data showed Yi Peng 3 remained anchored in the same spot in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden.
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By Reuters
China has allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark to board a Chinese bulk carrier at the centre of an investigation into Baltic Sea cable breaches, according to the Danish foreign minister.
The Yi Peng 3 is wanted in Sweden for questioning over a breach of two undersea fibre-optic cables in November, and has been stationary in waters nearby for a month while diplomats in Stockholm and Beijing discussed the matter.
Investigators quickly zeroed in on the ship, which left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15, and a Reuters analysis of MarineTraffic data showed that the vessel’s coordinates corresponded to the time and place of the breaches.
The Baltic Sea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged on November 17 and 18, with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius saying he assumed it was sabotage.
On Thursday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country had facilitated a meeting earlier this week between representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and China, helping to break a month-long stand-off.
“It is our expectation that once the inspection has been completed by this group of people from the four countries, the ship will be able to sail towards its destination,” Lokke Rasmussen said.
LSEG data showed Yi Peng 3 remained anchored in the same spot in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden.
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Suspected pufferfish poisoning leaves 2 Hong Kong men in hospital
By Fiona Sun
Two men in Hong Kong are suspected to have been poisoned after eating a pufferfish they caught themselves, with one in a critical condition.
The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that the two men, aged 44 and 50, developed limb and peroral weakness and shortness of breath about four hours after consuming the cooked pufferfish on Thursday.
Initial investigations found that the pair had previously eaten pufferfish they had caught, and the consumption of poisonous pufferfish handled improperly was believed to have caused the latest incident, according to the centre.
The men attended the accident and emergency department of Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam on Thursday before being admitted for treatment.
One was in a critical condition, and the other was stable, the centre said.
“Consumption of pufferfish is the main cause of food poisoning from tetrodotoxin, which is a potent water-soluble neurotoxin that can affect the central nervous system,” a spokesman of the centre said.
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By Fiona Sun
Two men in Hong Kong are suspected to have been poisoned after eating a pufferfish they caught themselves, with one in a critical condition.
The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that the two men, aged 44 and 50, developed limb and peroral weakness and shortness of breath about four hours after consuming the cooked pufferfish on Thursday.
Initial investigations found that the pair had previously eaten pufferfish they had caught, and the consumption of poisonous pufferfish handled improperly was believed to have caused the latest incident, according to the centre.
The men attended the accident and emergency department of Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam on Thursday before being admitted for treatment.
One was in a critical condition, and the other was stable, the centre said.
“Consumption of pufferfish is the main cause of food poisoning from tetrodotoxin, which is a potent water-soluble neurotoxin that can affect the central nervous system,” a spokesman of the centre said.
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Dried fruits have highest sulphite levels, Hong Kong survey finds
By Fiona Sun
A citywide survey in Hong Kong has found that dried fruits have the highest level of sulphites, a common type of food preservative, but researchers have said the risks are minimal given the population’s low dietary intake of the chemical substance.
The Centre for Food Safety on Friday released the results of a study conducted between February 2023 and January this year to assess residents’ dietary exposure to selected chemical substances of potential food safety concern.
Long-term excessive exposure to sulphites was found to cause stomach irritation and affect the central nervous system in experimental animals. For those sensitive to the substance, exposure could result in reactions such as constriction of the airways.
The study tested levels of sulphites in a total of 185 food items, and found 17 of them, or 9 per cent, contained detectable levels of the substance.
Among the items, dried fruits were found to contain the highest mean concentration of sulphites, at 240mg/kg, followed by 30mg/kg in button mushrooms, 27mg/kg in wine, and 23mg/kg in preserved vegetables.
The other food items that were also detected with the substance, such as bamboo fungus, shrimps and prawns and beef, were found to contain a mean concentration of 10mg/kg or below, according to the findings.
“Sulphites were not detected in the majority of the food items tested,” said Terence Cheung Yung-yan, a consultant of the centre.
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By Fiona Sun
A citywide survey in Hong Kong has found that dried fruits have the highest level of sulphites, a common type of food preservative, but researchers have said the risks are minimal given the population’s low dietary intake of the chemical substance.
The Centre for Food Safety on Friday released the results of a study conducted between February 2023 and January this year to assess residents’ dietary exposure to selected chemical substances of potential food safety concern.
Long-term excessive exposure to sulphites was found to cause stomach irritation and affect the central nervous system in experimental animals. For those sensitive to the substance, exposure could result in reactions such as constriction of the airways.
The study tested levels of sulphites in a total of 185 food items, and found 17 of them, or 9 per cent, contained detectable levels of the substance.
Among the items, dried fruits were found to contain the highest mean concentration of sulphites, at 240mg/kg, followed by 30mg/kg in button mushrooms, 27mg/kg in wine, and 23mg/kg in preserved vegetables.
The other food items that were also detected with the substance, such as bamboo fungus, shrimps and prawns and beef, were found to contain a mean concentration of 10mg/kg or below, according to the findings.
“Sulphites were not detected in the majority of the food items tested,” said Terence Cheung Yung-yan, a consultant of the centre.
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