Elon Musk backs right-wing AfD party in German newspaper opinion piece
By Reuters
US billionaire Elon Musk backed Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a guest opinion piece for Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper published online on Saturday that prompted the commentary editor to resign in protest.
In the commentary, published in German by the flagship paper of the Axel Springer media group, Musk expanded on his post on social media last week claiming that “only the AfD can save Germany”.
“The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk said in the piece.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD at the national level as a suspected extremism case since 2021.
Soon after the piece was published online, the editor of the opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, wrote on social media that she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary.
“Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarising positions and classifying them journalistically,” the newspaper’s editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, who takes over as publisher on January 1, told Reuters.
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By Reuters
US billionaire Elon Musk backed Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a guest opinion piece for Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper published online on Saturday that prompted the commentary editor to resign in protest.
In the commentary, published in German by the flagship paper of the Axel Springer media group, Musk expanded on his post on social media last week claiming that “only the AfD can save Germany”.
“The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk said in the piece.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD at the national level as a suspected extremism case since 2021.
Soon after the piece was published online, the editor of the opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, wrote on social media that she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary.
“Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarising positions and classifying them journalistically,” the newspaper’s editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, who takes over as publisher on January 1, told Reuters.
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EU universal charger rules come into force
By Agence France-Presse
EU rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels said will cut costs and waste.
Manufacturers are now obliged to fit devices sold in the 27-nation bloc with a USB-C, the port chosen by the European Union as the common standard for charging electronic tools.
“Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port,” the EU Parliament wrote on social media X.
The EU has said the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans and slash costs for consumers.
By allowing consumers to purchase a new device without a new charger, it will also reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers, the bloc has argued.
The law was first approved in 2022 following a tussle with US tech giant Apple. It allowed companies until December 28 this year to adapt.
Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit.
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By Agence France-Presse
EU rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels said will cut costs and waste.
Manufacturers are now obliged to fit devices sold in the 27-nation bloc with a USB-C, the port chosen by the European Union as the common standard for charging electronic tools.
“Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port,” the EU Parliament wrote on social media X.
The EU has said the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans and slash costs for consumers.
By allowing consumers to purchase a new device without a new charger, it will also reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers, the bloc has argued.
The law was first approved in 2022 following a tussle with US tech giant Apple. It allowed companies until December 28 this year to adapt.
Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit.
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Mideast and Trump front of mind as China, Iran foreign ministers meet in Beijing
By Zhao Ziwen
With less than a month to go until Donald Trump’s return to office, Beijing has pledged further cooperation with sanctions hit-Tehran on “mutual core interests”.
In talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in the Chinese capital on Saturday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also voiced Beijing’s commitment to Tehran’s participation in Beijing-led multilateral frameworks as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Brics.
“The two sides should continue to support each other on issues of mutual core interests, steadily advance practical cooperation, and improve collaboration in the multilateral sphere,” the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying.
“We should closely coordinate and cooperate within the framework of the SCO … and we will further strengthen Brics and better safeguard the common interests of the Global South,” he said, referring to a group of emerging economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The meeting also addressed conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, where Tehran’s proxies, the Islamist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, are main players.
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By Zhao Ziwen
With less than a month to go until Donald Trump’s return to office, Beijing has pledged further cooperation with sanctions hit-Tehran on “mutual core interests”.
In talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in the Chinese capital on Saturday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also voiced Beijing’s commitment to Tehran’s participation in Beijing-led multilateral frameworks as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Brics.
“The two sides should continue to support each other on issues of mutual core interests, steadily advance practical cooperation, and improve collaboration in the multilateral sphere,” the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying.
“We should closely coordinate and cooperate within the framework of the SCO … and we will further strengthen Brics and better safeguard the common interests of the Global South,” he said, referring to a group of emerging economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The meeting also addressed conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, where Tehran’s proxies, the Islamist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, are main players.
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WHO chief says he escaped death in Israeli strikes on Yemen airport
By Agence France-Presse
The head of the World Health Organization said on Saturday he only narrowly escaped death in fatal Israeli strikes on the airport in Yemen’s Houthi rebel-held capital.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said his ears were still ringing following Thursday’s attack as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, and stressed that the protection for civilian installations under international law must be respected.
Israeli air strikes hit Sanaa’s international airport and other targets in Yemen on Thursday. The attacks against what Israel’s military called rebel “military targets” marked the second time since December 19 that Israel has hit targets in Yemen after rebel missiles were fired towards Israel.
The UN health agency’s chief described the scene as the first strike hit.
“We heard a heavy explosion nearby, and then I think repeated,” Tedros said.
“The sound was so, so loud … So deafening, actually. Still my ear rings. It’s already more than 24 hours now. I don’t know if it affected my ear. The explosion was so heavy.
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By Agence France-Presse
The head of the World Health Organization said on Saturday he only narrowly escaped death in fatal Israeli strikes on the airport in Yemen’s Houthi rebel-held capital.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said his ears were still ringing following Thursday’s attack as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, and stressed that the protection for civilian installations under international law must be respected.
Israeli air strikes hit Sanaa’s international airport and other targets in Yemen on Thursday. The attacks against what Israel’s military called rebel “military targets” marked the second time since December 19 that Israel has hit targets in Yemen after rebel missiles were fired towards Israel.
The UN health agency’s chief described the scene as the first strike hit.
“We heard a heavy explosion nearby, and then I think repeated,” Tedros said.
“The sound was so, so loud … So deafening, actually. Still my ear rings. It’s already more than 24 hours now. I don’t know if it affected my ear. The explosion was so heavy.
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China’s Xi Jinping calls on Politburo to lead by example in anti-corruption fight
By He Huifeng
President Xi Jinping has urged the Communist Party’s top decision-makers to boost self-discipline, and closely watch family members and subordinates as China continues its battle against corruption.
In a speech to the Politburo on Friday, Xi said members must be strict both with themselves and with those around them, according to state news agency Xinhua.
He called on them to “resolutely fight against all forms of misconduct and corruption, and strengthen the education and management of family members and staff”, the report said.
The 24-member Politburo sits one rung below the seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, the party’s centre of power.
Xi also emphasised that Politburo members had significant responsibilities and must remain highly vigilant about exercising power, the Xinhua report said.
Politburo members should take the lead in both criticism and self-criticism, and strictly observe party discipline and rules, Xi said. He also urged unwavering loyalty to the party and selfless dedication to the cause of the party and the people.
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By He Huifeng
President Xi Jinping has urged the Communist Party’s top decision-makers to boost self-discipline, and closely watch family members and subordinates as China continues its battle against corruption.
In a speech to the Politburo on Friday, Xi said members must be strict both with themselves and with those around them, according to state news agency Xinhua.
He called on them to “resolutely fight against all forms of misconduct and corruption, and strengthen the education and management of family members and staff”, the report said.
The 24-member Politburo sits one rung below the seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, the party’s centre of power.
Xi also emphasised that Politburo members had significant responsibilities and must remain highly vigilant about exercising power, the Xinhua report said.
Politburo members should take the lead in both criticism and self-criticism, and strictly observe party discipline and rules, Xi said. He also urged unwavering loyalty to the party and selfless dedication to the cause of the party and the people.
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Political outlook turbulent for Taiwan after reform bills prompt brawls, protests
By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan is bracing for more political turbulence after its opposition-controlled legislature passed a series of bills to sharply curtail the powers of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The controversial move, which triggered furious brawls in the Legislative Yuan and fierce protests by thousands of DPP supporters earlier this month, has raised speculation that the DPP government might dissolve parliament to regain control.
Amid the turmoil, observers have warned of deepening division and a potential governance crisis.
The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which together hold the legislative majority, joined forces to push through the three contentious bills on December 20.
The bills relate to amendments to the election and recall law, constitutional court procedure law, as well as government funding allocations.
The election and recall law amendment raises the threshold for recalling elected officials, with petitioners now required to submit photocopies of ID cards to initiate the process. The KMT argues that this change prevents misuse or ID forgery but DPP lawmakers claim the revision violates constitutional rights and unnecessarily raises barriers to initiating recalls.
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By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan is bracing for more political turbulence after its opposition-controlled legislature passed a series of bills to sharply curtail the powers of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The controversial move, which triggered furious brawls in the Legislative Yuan and fierce protests by thousands of DPP supporters earlier this month, has raised speculation that the DPP government might dissolve parliament to regain control.
Amid the turmoil, observers have warned of deepening division and a potential governance crisis.
The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which together hold the legislative majority, joined forces to push through the three contentious bills on December 20.
The bills relate to amendments to the election and recall law, constitutional court procedure law, as well as government funding allocations.
The election and recall law amendment raises the threshold for recalling elected officials, with petitioners now required to submit photocopies of ID cards to initiate the process. The KMT argues that this change prevents misuse or ID forgery but DPP lawmakers claim the revision violates constitutional rights and unnecessarily raises barriers to initiating recalls.
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Finland moves Eagle S tanker closer to land as probe intensifies
By Bloomberg
Police in Finland are transferring the seized oil tanker Eagle S closer to land as they step up their investigation into damage caused to undersea cables this week.
The operation to move the vessel to Svartbeck, an anchorage near the port of Kilpilahti, was scheduled to begin at 10:50am on Saturday, authorities said in a statement. The Helsinki Police Department is taking the lead, supported by Finland’s Border Guard.
Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation detained the vessel, sailing under the Cook Islands flag, two days ago after discovering damage to a subsea power link and several data cables as it probes for possible aggravated criminal mischief.
Authorities believe the ship’s anchor, which they found to be missing, severed the 170-kilometer (105-mile) electricity line that connects Finland and Estonia. Since then, four underwater data cables have also been experiencing disruptions.
“The new location offers a better option for carrying out investigative measures,” the police said in the statement. On-board operations by the authorities were to be suspended for the time of the transfer and resumed once the vessel is at anchor.
Police have set up a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the tanker, and a no-fly zone is currently in effect around Sköldvik Bay, they said.
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By Bloomberg
Police in Finland are transferring the seized oil tanker Eagle S closer to land as they step up their investigation into damage caused to undersea cables this week.
The operation to move the vessel to Svartbeck, an anchorage near the port of Kilpilahti, was scheduled to begin at 10:50am on Saturday, authorities said in a statement. The Helsinki Police Department is taking the lead, supported by Finland’s Border Guard.
Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation detained the vessel, sailing under the Cook Islands flag, two days ago after discovering damage to a subsea power link and several data cables as it probes for possible aggravated criminal mischief.
Authorities believe the ship’s anchor, which they found to be missing, severed the 170-kilometer (105-mile) electricity line that connects Finland and Estonia. Since then, four underwater data cables have also been experiencing disruptions.
“The new location offers a better option for carrying out investigative measures,” the police said in the statement. On-board operations by the authorities were to be suspended for the time of the transfer and resumed once the vessel is at anchor.
Police have set up a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the tanker, and a no-fly zone is currently in effect around Sköldvik Bay, they said.
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Turkey’s pro-Kurd party to meet jailed PKK leader on Saturday
By Agence France-Presse
A delegation from Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish DEM party is due on Saturday to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on a prison island off Istanbul, a party source said.
“The delegation left in the morning,” the source said, without elaborating how they would travel to the island for security reasons.
The visit would be the party’s first in almost 10 years;
DEM’s predecessor, the HDP party, last met Ocalan in April 2015.
On Friday, the government approved DEM’s request to visit Ocalan, who founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) nearly half a century ago and has languished in solitary confinement since 1999.
The PKK is regarded as a “terror” organisation by Turkey and most of its Western allies, including the United States and European Union.
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By Agence France-Presse
A delegation from Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish DEM party is due on Saturday to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on a prison island off Istanbul, a party source said.
“The delegation left in the morning,” the source said, without elaborating how they would travel to the island for security reasons.
The visit would be the party’s first in almost 10 years;
DEM’s predecessor, the HDP party, last met Ocalan in April 2015.
On Friday, the government approved DEM’s request to visit Ocalan, who founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) nearly half a century ago and has languished in solitary confinement since 1999.
The PKK is regarded as a “terror” organisation by Turkey and most of its Western allies, including the United States and European Union.
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Crowds gather for Hong Kong’s first pyrotechnics drone show
By Jiang Chuqin
Hundreds of residents and tourists packed the West Kowloon Cultural District arts hub hours before Hong Kong’s first pyrotechnics drone show on Saturday night, with the organiser pressing ahead despite concerns over strong winds.
Design-studio AllRightsReserved said on social media at 5pm the panda-themed show over Victoria Harbour would go ahead at 8.15pm, even though the drones loaded with the pyrotechnics had a decreased ability to resist stronger winds.
In the crowd was Abbie Lee, an 18-year-old student, accompanied by her father, a photography enthusiast.
“My dad and I took pictures of the Christmas fireworks a few days ago, and we want to capture this first pyrotechnic drone show,” Lee said.
They arrived at around 4pm and set up their tripod and camera in the front row, ensuring they had an ideal view to capture the event.
Marius Wilters and Marina Wilters, a South Africa couple in their early 60s who are visiting their child working in the city, arrived four hours early to see their second drone show in the city during the holidays.
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By Jiang Chuqin
Hundreds of residents and tourists packed the West Kowloon Cultural District arts hub hours before Hong Kong’s first pyrotechnics drone show on Saturday night, with the organiser pressing ahead despite concerns over strong winds.
Design-studio AllRightsReserved said on social media at 5pm the panda-themed show over Victoria Harbour would go ahead at 8.15pm, even though the drones loaded with the pyrotechnics had a decreased ability to resist stronger winds.
In the crowd was Abbie Lee, an 18-year-old student, accompanied by her father, a photography enthusiast.
“My dad and I took pictures of the Christmas fireworks a few days ago, and we want to capture this first pyrotechnic drone show,” Lee said.
They arrived at around 4pm and set up their tripod and camera in the front row, ensuring they had an ideal view to capture the event.
Marius Wilters and Marina Wilters, a South Africa couple in their early 60s who are visiting their child working in the city, arrived four hours early to see their second drone show in the city during the holidays.
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Hong Kong’s year in sports: Olympic success and readying Kai Tak complex
By Harvey Kong
Hong Kong athletes pulled off a stellar performance in 2024 with their biggest Olympic gold medal haul, analysts have said as they highlight the smooth opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park as the top priority for the sector in the coming year.
But some misses, such as Lionel Messi’s failure to play at an exhibition game in February, have prompted some observers to urge authorities to step up efforts in scrutinising funding requests from event organisers.
“In terms of elite sports, I think this year was a bumper harvest – we have very good results in the Olympics and the Paralympics games,” said Lobo Louie Hung-tak, associate head of the Education University of Hong Kong’s health and physical education department.
Hong Kong athletes delivered the city’s best sporting performances in recent years, with foilist Cheung Ka-long and epeeist Vivian Kong Man-wai each winning gold in the Paris Olympics, while swimmer Siobhan Haughey came away with two bronze medals.
The city’s Paralympic athletes also came home with the best results since the 2012 London Games with a total of eight medals including three gold.
Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun highlighted that athletes in sports that were not supported by the government’s elite sports programme, such as basketball and football, had also achieved good results.
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By Harvey Kong
Hong Kong athletes pulled off a stellar performance in 2024 with their biggest Olympic gold medal haul, analysts have said as they highlight the smooth opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park as the top priority for the sector in the coming year.
But some misses, such as Lionel Messi’s failure to play at an exhibition game in February, have prompted some observers to urge authorities to step up efforts in scrutinising funding requests from event organisers.
“In terms of elite sports, I think this year was a bumper harvest – we have very good results in the Olympics and the Paralympics games,” said Lobo Louie Hung-tak, associate head of the Education University of Hong Kong’s health and physical education department.
Hong Kong athletes delivered the city’s best sporting performances in recent years, with foilist Cheung Ka-long and epeeist Vivian Kong Man-wai each winning gold in the Paris Olympics, while swimmer Siobhan Haughey came away with two bronze medals.
The city’s Paralympic athletes also came home with the best results since the 2012 London Games with a total of eight medals including three gold.
Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun highlighted that athletes in sports that were not supported by the government’s elite sports programme, such as basketball and football, had also achieved good results.
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Aid reaches south Khartoum in Sudan civil war amid humanitarian crisis
By Agence France-Presse
Civilians in a besieged area south of Sudan’s war-torn capital received their first aid convoy this week since the war began 20 months ago, local volunteers said.
A total of 28 trucks arrived in the Jebel Awliya area, just south of Khartoum, the state’s emergency response room (ERR), part of a volunteer network coordinating frontline aid across Sudan, said on Friday.
The convoy included 22 trucks carrying food from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), one truck from Medecins Sans Frontieres, and five trucks loaded with medicine from the UN children’s agency, Unicef.
The local group and Unicef said the supplies would help meet the “urgent health and nutrition needs of an estimated 200,000 children and families”.
Jebel Awliya is one of many areas across Sudan facing mass starvation after warring parties cut off access.
Since the war began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, nothing has gone in or out without both parties’ approval.
ERR volunteers endured months of negotiations, constant suspicion and threats of violence to secure even limited access.
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By Agence France-Presse
Civilians in a besieged area south of Sudan’s war-torn capital received their first aid convoy this week since the war began 20 months ago, local volunteers said.
A total of 28 trucks arrived in the Jebel Awliya area, just south of Khartoum, the state’s emergency response room (ERR), part of a volunteer network coordinating frontline aid across Sudan, said on Friday.
The convoy included 22 trucks carrying food from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), one truck from Medecins Sans Frontieres, and five trucks loaded with medicine from the UN children’s agency, Unicef.
The local group and Unicef said the supplies would help meet the “urgent health and nutrition needs of an estimated 200,000 children and families”.
Jebel Awliya is one of many areas across Sudan facing mass starvation after warring parties cut off access.
Since the war began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, nothing has gone in or out without both parties’ approval.
ERR volunteers endured months of negotiations, constant suspicion and threats of violence to secure even limited access.
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China names senior UN envoy Dai Bing as new South Korean ambassador
By Vanessa Cai
China has appointed Dai Bing, its former deputy representative to the United Nations, as the new ambassador to South Korea.
The appointment, announced by the Chinese embassy in Seoul on Friday, fills a vacancy of more than five months since the previous ambassador departed.
Dai takes over at a time of growing geopolitical complexity, and some observers believe that his insight into broader international trends would give him an edge in tackling challenges.
“This is the first time I have been stationed in South Korea,” Dai said upon his arrival in Seoul on Friday. “I’m willing to strengthen communication with all sectors in South Korea, make new friends and good friends.”
Dai, 57, has had a quite different career path to most of his predecessors, who specialised in East Asian affairs. He is only the second Chinese ambassador to Seoul not to have spent time in the Korean peninsula or in Japan before.
He began in 1995 at the foreign ministry’s African affairs department, with spells at the embassies in South Africa and Singapore before becoming director general of the same department in 2017. He was assigned the UN role in 2020.
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By Vanessa Cai
China has appointed Dai Bing, its former deputy representative to the United Nations, as the new ambassador to South Korea.
The appointment, announced by the Chinese embassy in Seoul on Friday, fills a vacancy of more than five months since the previous ambassador departed.
Dai takes over at a time of growing geopolitical complexity, and some observers believe that his insight into broader international trends would give him an edge in tackling challenges.
“This is the first time I have been stationed in South Korea,” Dai said upon his arrival in Seoul on Friday. “I’m willing to strengthen communication with all sectors in South Korea, make new friends and good friends.”
Dai, 57, has had a quite different career path to most of his predecessors, who specialised in East Asian affairs. He is only the second Chinese ambassador to Seoul not to have spent time in the Korean peninsula or in Japan before.
He began in 1995 at the foreign ministry’s African affairs department, with spells at the embassies in South Africa and Singapore before becoming director general of the same department in 2017. He was assigned the UN role in 2020.
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Pakistan warns Taliban of air strikes over future attacks as Afghanistan vows revenge
By Tom Hussain
Pakistan has warned the Taliban that it will bomb insurgents who have taken safe haven in Afghanistan in retaliation for any future lethal attacks against its security forces, sparking revenge threats from the neighbour, even as the two sides pursue talks to defuse tensions.
Four Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province were hit by Pakistani warplanes and armed drones on Tuesday night.
Islamabad has not directly commented on the strikes but its foreign ministry said the armed forces conducted “operations in border areas to protect the people of Pakistan from terrorist groups”.
“These counterterrorism operations are carefully selected and based on accurate intelligence,” the Dawn newspaper quoted the ministry as saying on Thursday.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government’s spokesman, said at least 46 Afghan and Pakistani nationals, including women and children, were killed.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also said on Wednesday that dozens of civilians died in the attacks, citing “credible reports” it received on the incident, which drew angry reactions from Kabul.
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By Tom Hussain
Pakistan has warned the Taliban that it will bomb insurgents who have taken safe haven in Afghanistan in retaliation for any future lethal attacks against its security forces, sparking revenge threats from the neighbour, even as the two sides pursue talks to defuse tensions.
Four Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province were hit by Pakistani warplanes and armed drones on Tuesday night.
Islamabad has not directly commented on the strikes but its foreign ministry said the armed forces conducted “operations in border areas to protect the people of Pakistan from terrorist groups”.
“These counterterrorism operations are carefully selected and based on accurate intelligence,” the Dawn newspaper quoted the ministry as saying on Thursday.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government’s spokesman, said at least 46 Afghan and Pakistani nationals, including women and children, were killed.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also said on Wednesday that dozens of civilians died in the attacks, citing “credible reports” it received on the incident, which drew angry reactions from Kabul.
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China lottery man loses US$1.4 million jackpot after shop boss claims cousin bought tickets
By Alice Yan
A man in China whose 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) lottery jackpot was falsely claimed by another person has won a lawsuit demanding the money back.
However, the man, surnamed Yao, has still not received his winnings after a five-year battle to secure his rights.
The case has attracted huge attention on mainland social media after it was reported by the Yangtze Evening News in mid-December.
The controversy involving Yao, who regularly buys lottery tickets, unfolded in Xian, northwestern China.
On July 17, 2019, Yao transferred 20 yuan (US$2.8) to a lottery shop owner, surnamed Wang, trusting him to buy two tickets for him.
Wang randomly chose two tickets for Yao before sending photos of the tickets to him via a social media platform to confirm Yao’s purchase.
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By Alice Yan
A man in China whose 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) lottery jackpot was falsely claimed by another person has won a lawsuit demanding the money back.
However, the man, surnamed Yao, has still not received his winnings after a five-year battle to secure his rights.
The case has attracted huge attention on mainland social media after it was reported by the Yangtze Evening News in mid-December.
The controversy involving Yao, who regularly buys lottery tickets, unfolded in Xian, northwestern China.
On July 17, 2019, Yao transferred 20 yuan (US$2.8) to a lottery shop owner, surnamed Wang, trusting him to buy two tickets for him.
Wang randomly chose two tickets for Yao before sending photos of the tickets to him via a social media platform to confirm Yao’s purchase.
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Hong Kong’s premium taxi fleets could be in line for quality service logo
By Kahon Chan
Premium taxis may be eligible to receive a stamp of approval under a quality service scheme, the head of a Hong Kong body that promotes better standards in the tourist sector has said, adding that Halal-friendly restaurants may also be included next year in a bid to improve the city’s appeal to Muslim visitors.
Simon Wong Kit-lung, chairman of the Quality Tourism Services Association, also suggested that a further increase in mainland Chinese tourists was unlikely to drive a sharp rise in local retail sales as their spending patterns had “normalised”.
Transport authorities granted five premium taxi fleet licences in July in a bid to promote service quality across the trade, and operators have until the end of July next year to launch their services.
Hong Kong’s taxis have a poor reputation among locals and tourists with complaints mostly about cherry-picking passengers and overcharging fares.
Wong said following the introduction of the new taxi category, there were plans to bring it under the Quality Tourism Services Scheme, of which his association is a partner.
“For several years, people have been asking us whether the quality stamp can be extended to taxis. In the past, the biggest problem was that people hailed taxis whenever they saw one, and they wouldn’t only catch a taxi when they spotted the quality stamp,” he said on a pre-recorded television show aired on Saturday.
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By Kahon Chan
Premium taxis may be eligible to receive a stamp of approval under a quality service scheme, the head of a Hong Kong body that promotes better standards in the tourist sector has said, adding that Halal-friendly restaurants may also be included next year in a bid to improve the city’s appeal to Muslim visitors.
Simon Wong Kit-lung, chairman of the Quality Tourism Services Association, also suggested that a further increase in mainland Chinese tourists was unlikely to drive a sharp rise in local retail sales as their spending patterns had “normalised”.
Transport authorities granted five premium taxi fleet licences in July in a bid to promote service quality across the trade, and operators have until the end of July next year to launch their services.
Hong Kong’s taxis have a poor reputation among locals and tourists with complaints mostly about cherry-picking passengers and overcharging fares.
Wong said following the introduction of the new taxi category, there were plans to bring it under the Quality Tourism Services Scheme, of which his association is a partner.
“For several years, people have been asking us whether the quality stamp can be extended to taxis. In the past, the biggest problem was that people hailed taxis whenever they saw one, and they wouldn’t only catch a taxi when they spotted the quality stamp,” he said on a pre-recorded television show aired on Saturday.
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