Suriname ex-dictator and fugitive Desi Bouterse dead at 79
By Agence France-Presse
Desi Bouterse, the former dictator and later elected president of Suriname, who became a fugitive from justice for the killing of political opponents, has died at 79, the government said on Wednesday.
Still popular with the poor and working class of the South American nation, Bouterse – who died on Tuesday – rose to power after a 1980 coup as a young sergeant major in the army. He stepped down in 1987 under international pressure in the wake of political violence he was accused of orchestrating.
He returned to power in 1990 after a second coup, this time without bloodshed. Bouterse left a year later, then was elected president of the former Dutch colony in 2010 and ruled for a decade.
Current President Chan Santokhi offered condolences to Bouterse’s loved ones and urged people to “maintain calm”. He said citizens were awaiting “more detailed and definitive information from official channels” on the late leader’s passing.
Rumours began to spread around midnight about the former strongman’s sudden death after a short illness at his hideout.
His body was transferred by unknown people to his residence in the capital Paramaribo, where his family and National Democratic Party (NDP) supporters gathered early on Christmas Day to bid farewell.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
Desi Bouterse, the former dictator and later elected president of Suriname, who became a fugitive from justice for the killing of political opponents, has died at 79, the government said on Wednesday.
Still popular with the poor and working class of the South American nation, Bouterse – who died on Tuesday – rose to power after a 1980 coup as a young sergeant major in the army. He stepped down in 1987 under international pressure in the wake of political violence he was accused of orchestrating.
He returned to power in 1990 after a second coup, this time without bloodshed. Bouterse left a year later, then was elected president of the former Dutch colony in 2010 and ruled for a decade.
Current President Chan Santokhi offered condolences to Bouterse’s loved ones and urged people to “maintain calm”. He said citizens were awaiting “more detailed and definitive information from official channels” on the late leader’s passing.
Rumours began to spread around midnight about the former strongman’s sudden death after a short illness at his hideout.
His body was transferred by unknown people to his residence in the capital Paramaribo, where his family and National Democratic Party (NDP) supporters gathered early on Christmas Day to bid farewell.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Finland investigates outage of undersea power link to Estonia
By ReutersAgence France-Presse
Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Wednesday authorities in his country were investigating an undersea power cable outage on a line connecting Finland and Estonia.
An unplanned break in service on the Estlink 2 interconnector occurred at 1026 GMT, operator Fingrid said in a statement on the Nordpool regulatory website, reducing its available capacity to 358 megawatts (MW) from an installed capacity of 1,016MW.
“Even at Christmas the authorities are on standby to investigate the matter,” Orpo said in a post on X.
The interruption did not affect Finland’s electricity supply, he added.
Authorities in the region have been on high alert for potential acts of sabotage following a string of outages of power cables, gas pipelines and telecom links in the Baltic Sea in recent years, although subsea cables are also subject to technical malfunctions and outages caused by accidents.
“An investigation into the incident has been initiated,” Fingrid control room manager Arto Pahki said in a statement. Pahki also told public broadcaster Yle that “the possibility of sabotage cannot be ruled out”.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By ReutersAgence France-Presse
Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Wednesday authorities in his country were investigating an undersea power cable outage on a line connecting Finland and Estonia.
An unplanned break in service on the Estlink 2 interconnector occurred at 1026 GMT, operator Fingrid said in a statement on the Nordpool regulatory website, reducing its available capacity to 358 megawatts (MW) from an installed capacity of 1,016MW.
“Even at Christmas the authorities are on standby to investigate the matter,” Orpo said in a post on X.
The interruption did not affect Finland’s electricity supply, he added.
Authorities in the region have been on high alert for potential acts of sabotage following a string of outages of power cables, gas pipelines and telecom links in the Baltic Sea in recent years, although subsea cables are also subject to technical malfunctions and outages caused by accidents.
“An investigation into the incident has been initiated,” Fingrid control room manager Arto Pahki said in a statement. Pahki also told public broadcaster Yle that “the possibility of sabotage cannot be ruled out”.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Art adviser investigating after Hong Kong lawsuit says US$1 million painting is fake
By Fiona Chow
A Britain-based art adviser has said he is investigating claims by a South Korean woman that a painting she bought from him for US$920,000 was fake after she demanded compensation in a lawsuit filed in Hong Kong.
Plaintiff Choi Eun-ha said she bought Dialogue, a 2014 canvas painting by renowned Korean artist Lee Ufan, from exhibition curator Lawrence Van Hagen.
Van Hagen, founder of independent advisory service LVH Art, has been described by some art magazines as “highly knowledgeable” about fine arts. He previously launched his “What’s Up” exhibition in Hong Kong, London and New York.
He told the Post this month that he and his legal team had been investigating Choi’s allegations.
“Our position in respect of Ms Choi’s claim is that the painting is authentic,” he said.
According to the court document which emerged in September, Van Hagen was the director of Smart Fine Art Asia, an art trading business registered in Hong Kong.
Choi said she met the art collector at Hong Kong’s Art Basel in March 2023, where he held the “What’s Up” show. The two reconnected after Van Hagen brought the show to Seoul in September and showcased works from renowned artists.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Fiona Chow
A Britain-based art adviser has said he is investigating claims by a South Korean woman that a painting she bought from him for US$920,000 was fake after she demanded compensation in a lawsuit filed in Hong Kong.
Plaintiff Choi Eun-ha said she bought Dialogue, a 2014 canvas painting by renowned Korean artist Lee Ufan, from exhibition curator Lawrence Van Hagen.
Van Hagen, founder of independent advisory service LVH Art, has been described by some art magazines as “highly knowledgeable” about fine arts. He previously launched his “What’s Up” exhibition in Hong Kong, London and New York.
He told the Post this month that he and his legal team had been investigating Choi’s allegations.
“Our position in respect of Ms Choi’s claim is that the painting is authentic,” he said.
According to the court document which emerged in September, Van Hagen was the director of Smart Fine Art Asia, an art trading business registered in Hong Kong.
Choi said she met the art collector at Hong Kong’s Art Basel in March 2023, where he held the “What’s Up” show. The two reconnected after Van Hagen brought the show to Seoul in September and showcased works from renowned artists.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Japan offers to ease visa rules for Chinese tourists as foreign minister visits Beijing
By Alyssa Chen
Japan has offered to ease visa rules for Chinese visitors as the two sides seek to step up engagements.
Japan will extend the maximum length of multiple-entry visas from five years to 10 years, while the maximum stay for groups of tourists will also be increased from 15 days to 30 days, Japanese media reported.
It follows China’s decision to add Japan to its visa-free entry scheme last month, allowing visitors to stay for up to 30 days.
The measure was announced by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on a visit to Beijing on Wednesday, where he met Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and invited the latter to visit Japan when it is mutually convenient for economic talks.
The two sides also confirmed that dialogue mechanisms covering areas such as security and diplomacy would be restarted while talks on allowing Japanese beef and more milled rice imports into China would also resume.
Iwaya’s visit comes amid a drive to improve ties before Donald Trump returns to the White House next month.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Alyssa Chen
Japan has offered to ease visa rules for Chinese visitors as the two sides seek to step up engagements.
Japan will extend the maximum length of multiple-entry visas from five years to 10 years, while the maximum stay for groups of tourists will also be increased from 15 days to 30 days, Japanese media reported.
It follows China’s decision to add Japan to its visa-free entry scheme last month, allowing visitors to stay for up to 30 days.
The measure was announced by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on a visit to Beijing on Wednesday, where he met Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and invited the latter to visit Japan when it is mutually convenient for economic talks.
The two sides also confirmed that dialogue mechanisms covering areas such as security and diplomacy would be restarted while talks on allowing Japanese beef and more milled rice imports into China would also resume.
Iwaya’s visit comes amid a drive to improve ties before Donald Trump returns to the White House next month.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Pakistan stunned by US fears over its missiles, assesses impact on South Asia
By Tom Hussain
Pakistan has been blindsided by Washington’s designation of the entity overseeing the South Asian country’s ballistic missile development as a prospective threat to US national security, officials and analysts say.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said the US move to impose economic sanctions over the Rawalpindi-based National Development Complex on December 16 was an attempt by Washington to tilt the balance of power in South Asia in favour of India. The two South Asian countries have fought several wars since partition in 1947.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said last Thursday that Pakistan’s missile capabilities were an “emerging threat … fundamentally focused on us”, triggering concerns in Islamabad about Washington’s intentions.
Noting that Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 ballistic missiles have the range to hit India’s most distant military facilities in the Bay of Bengal and Israel, veteran political commentator Nusrat Javed said Pakistan could only be considered a threat by the US “if it counts Israel as its 51st state”.
The US and its allies “think Muslim countries should not possess nuclear weapons technology because we Muslims are crazy”, Javed said in a television programme.
Other Pakistani analysts have drawn parallels between Washington’s surprise move and Israel’s recent attacks on the air defences of Syria and Iran and raised the possibility of twin air strikes by Israel and India against Pakistan.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Tom Hussain
Pakistan has been blindsided by Washington’s designation of the entity overseeing the South Asian country’s ballistic missile development as a prospective threat to US national security, officials and analysts say.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said the US move to impose economic sanctions over the Rawalpindi-based National Development Complex on December 16 was an attempt by Washington to tilt the balance of power in South Asia in favour of India. The two South Asian countries have fought several wars since partition in 1947.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said last Thursday that Pakistan’s missile capabilities were an “emerging threat … fundamentally focused on us”, triggering concerns in Islamabad about Washington’s intentions.
Noting that Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 ballistic missiles have the range to hit India’s most distant military facilities in the Bay of Bengal and Israel, veteran political commentator Nusrat Javed said Pakistan could only be considered a threat by the US “if it counts Israel as its 51st state”.
The US and its allies “think Muslim countries should not possess nuclear weapons technology because we Muslims are crazy”, Javed said in a television programme.
Other Pakistani analysts have drawn parallels between Washington’s surprise move and Israel’s recent attacks on the air defences of Syria and Iran and raised the possibility of twin air strikes by Israel and India against Pakistan.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
‘Hong Kong has little to offer,’ residents staying home for Christmas say
By Willa Wu
Some Hongkongers have said they are only staying home for Christmas to avoid peak pricing, stressing the city still has ample room for improvement to attract tourists and locals.
As of 10am on Wednesday, the first day of the Christmas holiday, more than 170,000 residents already left the city, with close to 27,000 others coming back. Nearly 477,500 residents departed the city the day before.
Young families were among those who queued up at the West Kowloon Cultural District on Christmas Day for activities such as the Big Bounce Hong Kong, the world’s largest touring inflatable event.
The four restaurants along the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade were almost packed with customers waiting their turn to secure a coveted table.
Stephanie Lee, who spent Wednesday morning walking her dog along the promenade, said she stayed in the city because it was “too expensive” to travel during the peak season.
The 30-year-old said she would go to Japan after the two-day public holiday and return before the New Year.
“I think the festive vibes this year are much better than those of last year. There are more people and more events held,” she said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Willa Wu
Some Hongkongers have said they are only staying home for Christmas to avoid peak pricing, stressing the city still has ample room for improvement to attract tourists and locals.
As of 10am on Wednesday, the first day of the Christmas holiday, more than 170,000 residents already left the city, with close to 27,000 others coming back. Nearly 477,500 residents departed the city the day before.
Young families were among those who queued up at the West Kowloon Cultural District on Christmas Day for activities such as the Big Bounce Hong Kong, the world’s largest touring inflatable event.
The four restaurants along the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade were almost packed with customers waiting their turn to secure a coveted table.
Stephanie Lee, who spent Wednesday morning walking her dog along the promenade, said she stayed in the city because it was “too expensive” to travel during the peak season.
The 30-year-old said she would go to Japan after the two-day public holiday and return before the New Year.
“I think the festive vibes this year are much better than those of last year. There are more people and more events held,” she said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Temperatures to fall in Hong Kong over weekend
By Jiang Chuqin
Temperatures in Hong Kong are expected to dip over the weekend to as low as 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) as a monsoon approaches.
The Observatory said on Wednesday the weather was expected to become colder over the weekend, as a dry replenishment of the monsoon was due to reach the coast of southern China on Friday.
The minimum temperature on the weekend was forecast to be 14 degrees, down slightly down from the 18 degrees and 16 degrees predicted for Thursday and Friday, respectively.
With the monsoon moderating early next week, temperatures are due to climb back up to between 16 and 21 degrees.
The Observatory noted the city was under the effects of a northeast monsoon, which was forecast to continue for another day, while a broad cloud band was covering the northern part of the South China Sea.
One or two light patches of rain are expected on Wednesday night.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jiang Chuqin
Temperatures in Hong Kong are expected to dip over the weekend to as low as 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) as a monsoon approaches.
The Observatory said on Wednesday the weather was expected to become colder over the weekend, as a dry replenishment of the monsoon was due to reach the coast of southern China on Friday.
The minimum temperature on the weekend was forecast to be 14 degrees, down slightly down from the 18 degrees and 16 degrees predicted for Thursday and Friday, respectively.
With the monsoon moderating early next week, temperatures are due to climb back up to between 16 and 21 degrees.
The Observatory noted the city was under the effects of a northeast monsoon, which was forecast to continue for another day, while a broad cloud band was covering the northern part of the South China Sea.
One or two light patches of rain are expected on Wednesday night.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Paralysed Hong Kong Mirror dancer shares Christmas memories in Instagram post
By Lo Hoi-ying
Hong Kong dancer Mo Li Kai-yin has made his second social media post in a week, reminiscing about Christmas with his girlfriend before he was left paralysed after being hit by a giant screen at a concert by popular Cantopop boy band Mirror in 2022.
The 30-year-old posted on Instagram a pre-accident timelapse video of himself decorating a Christmas tree with his girlfriend So Tsz-ching.
“My only wish for every Christmas [with So],” the dancer said on Christmas Eve on Tuesday.
The social media post has attracted 39,244 likes and 1,700 shares so far.
On Thursday last week, Li posted on Instagram for the first time since the accident on July 28, 2022, expressing gratitude to his father Reverend Derek Li Shing-lam.
In his caption, Li wrote that his father was “probably the only human being” who loved him so much and cared about every slight improvement he made.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Lo Hoi-ying
Hong Kong dancer Mo Li Kai-yin has made his second social media post in a week, reminiscing about Christmas with his girlfriend before he was left paralysed after being hit by a giant screen at a concert by popular Cantopop boy band Mirror in 2022.
The 30-year-old posted on Instagram a pre-accident timelapse video of himself decorating a Christmas tree with his girlfriend So Tsz-ching.
“My only wish for every Christmas [with So],” the dancer said on Christmas Eve on Tuesday.
The social media post has attracted 39,244 likes and 1,700 shares so far.
On Thursday last week, Li posted on Instagram for the first time since the accident on July 28, 2022, expressing gratitude to his father Reverend Derek Li Shing-lam.
In his caption, Li wrote that his father was “probably the only human being” who loved him so much and cared about every slight improvement he made.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Cambodia’s approval of Japanese naval visits signals policy of ‘balancing interests’
By Maria Siow
Cambodia is navigating a balancing act between major powers by allowing Japan to make naval visits at a China-linked base, according to observers who expect Phnom Penh to extend similar invitations to the United States.
Last Friday, Cambodia’s former prime minister and President of the Senate Hun Sen said Japan would be granted visitation rights to the Ream Naval Base, a facility the US is concerned could become a military outpost for China.
Just days earlier, an American warship docked at the southern port city of Cambodia’s Sihanoukville, just several kilometres away from Ream, in the first American military port call to one of Beijing’s closest regional allies in eight years.
USS Savannah commanding officer Daniel A. Sledz said the Americans were pleased to return and be hosted by Cambodia. The warship departed from Cambodia last Friday.
Sophal Ear, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, said the two developments suggested that Cambodia wanted to have a more balanced foreign policy and reduce its overdependence on China.
“Granting visitation rights to Japan, while still maintaining strong ties to Beijing, demonstrates a nuanced approach to balancing interests,” Ear said. Cambodia’s ability to navigate great power competition would depend on whether it could develop its overall capabilities and enhance cooperation with middle-power partners such as Japan and Australia.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Maria Siow
Cambodia is navigating a balancing act between major powers by allowing Japan to make naval visits at a China-linked base, according to observers who expect Phnom Penh to extend similar invitations to the United States.
Last Friday, Cambodia’s former prime minister and President of the Senate Hun Sen said Japan would be granted visitation rights to the Ream Naval Base, a facility the US is concerned could become a military outpost for China.
Just days earlier, an American warship docked at the southern port city of Cambodia’s Sihanoukville, just several kilometres away from Ream, in the first American military port call to one of Beijing’s closest regional allies in eight years.
USS Savannah commanding officer Daniel A. Sledz said the Americans were pleased to return and be hosted by Cambodia. The warship departed from Cambodia last Friday.
Sophal Ear, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, said the two developments suggested that Cambodia wanted to have a more balanced foreign policy and reduce its overdependence on China.
“Granting visitation rights to Japan, while still maintaining strong ties to Beijing, demonstrates a nuanced approach to balancing interests,” Ear said. Cambodia’s ability to navigate great power competition would depend on whether it could develop its overall capabilities and enhance cooperation with middle-power partners such as Japan and Australia.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
What Hong Kong’s 2023 waste data tells us, and what it doesn’t
By Edwin Lau
Hong Kong finally published last year’s waste statistics on December 19, nearly a month after Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan shared some of the more positive developments in his blog on November 24. Why hold up the release of the full monitoring report until almost the end of the year? The sooner lawmakers and stakeholders have a full picture of the city’s waste situation, the quicker they can come up with the needed solutions.
One positive finding is that the quantity of municipal solid waste going to landfill has fallen – by 2.2 per cent to a daily average of 10,884 tonnes, from 11,128 tonnes in 2022. Easing the pressure to expand Hong Kong’s landfill capacity is one of the government’s main waste management objectives.
On a daily average, the quantity of solid waste we threw away last year fell by 10.5 per cent for plastics, 3.2 per cent for paper and 3.4 per cent for food. But given that food makes up the largest part of solid waste at nearly a third, we still need to urgently find ways to handle the 3,191 tonnes of food discarded every day. Hong Kong’s existing food waste treatment facilities can only handle 600 tonnes a day.
The city’s first waste-to-energy incinerator, I·PARK1, is due to begin operations next year but sending thousands of tonnes of food waste to it every day is counterproductive if Hong Kong’s aim is to reduce carbon emissions. Fossil fuels would still be needed to dehydrate the food waste before combustion.
Households have done well in cutting their food waste, which went down by 291 tonnes a day last year – but the same went up by 179 tonnes for the commercial sector. Clearly, the authorities need to put in more effort and resources to help businesses slash their food waste.
When it comes to disposable plastic tableware, despite years of government efforts to discourage their use, the city threw away 243 tonnes of it last year, an increase of 7 per cent. With hope, Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics, introduced in April, will reverse the trend – although the worry is that businesses will simply switch to using non-plastic disposables, rather than reusables.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Edwin Lau
Hong Kong finally published last year’s waste statistics on December 19, nearly a month after Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan shared some of the more positive developments in his blog on November 24. Why hold up the release of the full monitoring report until almost the end of the year? The sooner lawmakers and stakeholders have a full picture of the city’s waste situation, the quicker they can come up with the needed solutions.
One positive finding is that the quantity of municipal solid waste going to landfill has fallen – by 2.2 per cent to a daily average of 10,884 tonnes, from 11,128 tonnes in 2022. Easing the pressure to expand Hong Kong’s landfill capacity is one of the government’s main waste management objectives.
On a daily average, the quantity of solid waste we threw away last year fell by 10.5 per cent for plastics, 3.2 per cent for paper and 3.4 per cent for food. But given that food makes up the largest part of solid waste at nearly a third, we still need to urgently find ways to handle the 3,191 tonnes of food discarded every day. Hong Kong’s existing food waste treatment facilities can only handle 600 tonnes a day.
The city’s first waste-to-energy incinerator, I·PARK1, is due to begin operations next year but sending thousands of tonnes of food waste to it every day is counterproductive if Hong Kong’s aim is to reduce carbon emissions. Fossil fuels would still be needed to dehydrate the food waste before combustion.
Households have done well in cutting their food waste, which went down by 291 tonnes a day last year – but the same went up by 179 tonnes for the commercial sector. Clearly, the authorities need to put in more effort and resources to help businesses slash their food waste.
When it comes to disposable plastic tableware, despite years of government efforts to discourage their use, the city threw away 243 tonnes of it last year, an increase of 7 per cent. With hope, Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics, introduced in April, will reverse the trend – although the worry is that businesses will simply switch to using non-plastic disposables, rather than reusables.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Chinese and South Korean foreign ministers hold first call since Seoul martial law crisis
By Zhao Ziwen
Beijing has pledged to continue to promote close communication “in various fields” with Seoul despite its current political turmoil, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yeol on Tuesday.
The 30-minute call marks the first publicly acknowledged ministerial conversation between Beijing and Seoul after President Yoon Suk-yeol imposed martial law earlier this month, a crisis that continues to destabilise South Korean politics.
“China has taken note of recent changes in the domestic situation in South Korea … China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and believes that South Korean people have the wisdom and ability to properly handle domestic issues,” a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.
“China is also willing to continue to make good use of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in various fields, strengthen interactions at all levels and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance mutual understanding and trust with South Korea.”
Cho told Wang, “there is no change in our government’s position of continuing to develop the [South] Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership, even under the acting presidential system”, according to the South Korean foreign ministry.
The ministry said Beijing and Seoul would conduct further diplomatic communication through “director-level consultations”.
They also touched on three-way cooperation between Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo. The ministers agreed that “China-Japan-South Korea cooperation is conducive to the respective development of the three countries and regional peace, stability and prosperity”, according to the Chinese side.
Wang and Cho discussed the situation involving North Korea and agreed to maintain strategic communications.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Zhao Ziwen
Beijing has pledged to continue to promote close communication “in various fields” with Seoul despite its current political turmoil, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yeol on Tuesday.
The 30-minute call marks the first publicly acknowledged ministerial conversation between Beijing and Seoul after President Yoon Suk-yeol imposed martial law earlier this month, a crisis that continues to destabilise South Korean politics.
“China has taken note of recent changes in the domestic situation in South Korea … China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and believes that South Korean people have the wisdom and ability to properly handle domestic issues,” a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.
“China is also willing to continue to make good use of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in various fields, strengthen interactions at all levels and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance mutual understanding and trust with South Korea.”
Cho told Wang, “there is no change in our government’s position of continuing to develop the [South] Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership, even under the acting presidential system”, according to the South Korean foreign ministry.
The ministry said Beijing and Seoul would conduct further diplomatic communication through “director-level consultations”.
They also touched on three-way cooperation between Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo. The ministers agreed that “China-Japan-South Korea cooperation is conducive to the respective development of the three countries and regional peace, stability and prosperity”, according to the Chinese side.
Wang and Cho discussed the situation involving North Korea and agreed to maintain strategic communications.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan
By Agence France-Presse
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet flying from the capital Baku to Grozny in Russia crashed on Wednesday in western Kazakhstan, the Kazakh transport ministry said on Wednesday.
“A plane doing the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the city of Aktau. It belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines,” the ministry said on Telegram.
Azerbaijan Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, said the Embraer 190 had “made an emergency landing” around three kilometres from Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.
The Kazakh transport ministry said there were 62 passengers and five crew members on the plane.
The country’s emergency situations ministry said its personnel were putting out a fire at the site.
“Information about casualties is currently being clarified but, according to preliminary information, there are survivors,” it said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet flying from the capital Baku to Grozny in Russia crashed on Wednesday in western Kazakhstan, the Kazakh transport ministry said on Wednesday.
“A plane doing the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the city of Aktau. It belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines,” the ministry said on Telegram.
Azerbaijan Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, said the Embraer 190 had “made an emergency landing” around three kilometres from Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.
The Kazakh transport ministry said there were 62 passengers and five crew members on the plane.
The country’s emergency situations ministry said its personnel were putting out a fire at the site.
“Information about casualties is currently being clarified but, according to preliminary information, there are survivors,” it said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Russia pummels Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles on Christmas Day
By Agence France-Presse
Russian missiles killed at least one person and damaged energy infrastructure across Ukraine, according to officials, who reported a massive Christmas attack.
Air raid sirens rang out over Ukraine on Wednesday morning, while the air force reported Russian Kalibr cruise missiles had been launched from the Black Sea.
Ukraine faces its toughest winter of the almost three-year war as Moscow steps up its aerial bombardment and its troops advance on the front lines in the east.
On Wednesday morning, the governor of Kherson region reported that one person had been killed three others injured over the last 24 hours.
In Dnipropetrovsk region, where winter temperatures have hovered around the freezing point, the governor said Russia was taking aim at the power grid.
“The enemy is trying to destroy the region’s power system,” Lysak wrote on Telegram. “Stay in a safe place until the air alert is lifted. Take care of yourself!”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
Russian missiles killed at least one person and damaged energy infrastructure across Ukraine, according to officials, who reported a massive Christmas attack.
Air raid sirens rang out over Ukraine on Wednesday morning, while the air force reported Russian Kalibr cruise missiles had been launched from the Black Sea.
Ukraine faces its toughest winter of the almost three-year war as Moscow steps up its aerial bombardment and its troops advance on the front lines in the east.
On Wednesday morning, the governor of Kherson region reported that one person had been killed three others injured over the last 24 hours.
In Dnipropetrovsk region, where winter temperatures have hovered around the freezing point, the governor said Russia was taking aim at the power grid.
“The enemy is trying to destroy the region’s power system,” Lysak wrote on Telegram. “Stay in a safe place until the air alert is lifted. Take care of yourself!”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Singaporean tycoon Saiful Alam Masud investigated over financial crimes in Bangladesh
By Bloomberg
Bangladesh authorities are investigating Singaporean billionaire Saiful Alam Masud for alleged financial crimes, including money laundering, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday. He denied wrongdoing.
Lawyers representing the 64-year-old tycoon, who was born in Bangladesh, stated that allegations of money laundering involving Alam, his family, and his businesses in Bangladesh were made by local private media outlets and are part of a targeted smear campaign, according to the newspaper.
Alam is confident he has conducted his businesses in “a proper and legitimate manner,” the lawyers said.
Alam is the founder and chairman of the S. Alam Group, a conglomerate operating business including steel, cement, food, polypropylene, power, transport and real estate.
The newspaper said he is under investigation by the country’s central bank, the Criminal Investigation Department (Bangladesh), Anti-Corruption Commission and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission. Alam’s wife and their sons are the subject of several ongoing probes as well, it added.
The CID probe is of the alleged laundering of 1.13 trillion Bangladeshi taka (US$9.5 billion), including through Singapore, the report said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Bloomberg
Bangladesh authorities are investigating Singaporean billionaire Saiful Alam Masud for alleged financial crimes, including money laundering, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday. He denied wrongdoing.
Lawyers representing the 64-year-old tycoon, who was born in Bangladesh, stated that allegations of money laundering involving Alam, his family, and his businesses in Bangladesh were made by local private media outlets and are part of a targeted smear campaign, according to the newspaper.
Alam is confident he has conducted his businesses in “a proper and legitimate manner,” the lawyers said.
Alam is the founder and chairman of the S. Alam Group, a conglomerate operating business including steel, cement, food, polypropylene, power, transport and real estate.
The newspaper said he is under investigation by the country’s central bank, the Criminal Investigation Department (Bangladesh), Anti-Corruption Commission and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission. Alam’s wife and their sons are the subject of several ongoing probes as well, it added.
The CID probe is of the alleged laundering of 1.13 trillion Bangladeshi taka (US$9.5 billion), including through Singapore, the report said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
North Korea opens new beer bar and restaurant in Pyongyang suburb
By Ayman Ragab
North Korea has opened up a new landmark beer bar and restaurant in its capital, Pyongyang.
The Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant serves Taedonggang beer, which comes in several varieties, as well as a range of international brands.
The beer restaurant is in Hwasong, an eastern suburb of Pyongyang.
It is among three new suburbs built in the past year in a renewed attempt to provide more housing in the capital.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Ayman Ragab
North Korea has opened up a new landmark beer bar and restaurant in its capital, Pyongyang.
The Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant serves Taedonggang beer, which comes in several varieties, as well as a range of international brands.
The beer restaurant is in Hwasong, an eastern suburb of Pyongyang.
It is among three new suburbs built in the past year in a renewed attempt to provide more housing in the capital.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Beijing lashes out at Western criticism of Hong Kong bounties for 6 activists
By Fiona Sun
Beijing has hit out at the US, UK, EU and Canada for “openly smearing” Hong Kong’s rule of law and interfering in its judicial processes after their governments slammed city authorities for placing new bounties on six activists wanted for allegedly violating the national security law and cancelling the passports of seven others.
The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a strongly worded statement on Wednesday following the chorus of criticism triggered by Hong Kong police’s move to issue HK$1 million (US$128,690) bounties for six more activists a day earlier. The number of opposition figures on the list of people wanted for allegedly contravening the Beijing-imposed law now stands at 19.
The city government also issued a gazette on Tuesday announcing that Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had revoked the passports of seven activists who had fled Hong Kong and barred anyone from funding them, in the second such instance under the city’s domestic security law.
A spokesman for the office said: “Under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’, these people were willing to be the ‘vanguard’ of certain countries to disrupt Hong Kong and contain China.
“Their illegal and evil deeds have seriously endangered national security, damaged the fundamental interests of Hong Kong, and impacted the bottom line of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. Their actions were shameful and their crimes were unforgivable.
“We solemnly demand that relevant countries, organisations and politicians abide by the principles of international law and basic norms of international relations, earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, immediately stop making groundless accusations and interfering in the affairs of Hong Kong and China.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Fiona Sun
Beijing has hit out at the US, UK, EU and Canada for “openly smearing” Hong Kong’s rule of law and interfering in its judicial processes after their governments slammed city authorities for placing new bounties on six activists wanted for allegedly violating the national security law and cancelling the passports of seven others.
The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a strongly worded statement on Wednesday following the chorus of criticism triggered by Hong Kong police’s move to issue HK$1 million (US$128,690) bounties for six more activists a day earlier. The number of opposition figures on the list of people wanted for allegedly contravening the Beijing-imposed law now stands at 19.
The city government also issued a gazette on Tuesday announcing that Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had revoked the passports of seven activists who had fled Hong Kong and barred anyone from funding them, in the second such instance under the city’s domestic security law.
A spokesman for the office said: “Under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’, these people were willing to be the ‘vanguard’ of certain countries to disrupt Hong Kong and contain China.
“Their illegal and evil deeds have seriously endangered national security, damaged the fundamental interests of Hong Kong, and impacted the bottom line of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. Their actions were shameful and their crimes were unforgivable.
“We solemnly demand that relevant countries, organisations and politicians abide by the principles of international law and basic norms of international relations, earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, immediately stop making groundless accusations and interfering in the affairs of Hong Kong and China.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
