New Zealand need not fear China’s growing ties with Pacific nations

China's recent signing of a "strategic partnership" with the Cook Islands has sparked concern, particularly in New Zealand, given its close ties with the island nation. This move follows China's increasing engagement in the Pacific, including a security agreement with the Solomon Islands in 2022 and a previously proposed agreement involving 10 Pacific countries, which faced resistance and was ultimately put on hold.

The agreement has triggered alarm in the Anglosphere, with New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressing his displeasure at being kept "in the dark." Commentators have voiced stronger concerns, suggesting China is attempting to establish a new order in the Pacific and drive a wedge between the Cook Islands and New Zealand. This reaction highlights the prevalence of traditional geopolitical analysis, framing the situation as a zero-sum game of great power competition, reminiscent of a "new cold war." However, alternative perspectives, such as the theory of multiplexity, offer a different lens for understanding these shifts in the Pacific.

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Gold toilet worth US$6 million was stolen from English palace ‘in minutes’, court hears

一件价值数百万美元的18K金马桶于2019年9月在英国布莱尼姆宫被盗,目前案件正在审理中。检察官表示,这起盗窃案是一次大胆的袭击,三名被告中一人参与盗窃,另外两人协助出售赃物。这件名为《美国》的艺术品由意大利概念艺术家Maurizio Cattelan创作,旨在讽刺过度财富。

这件艺术品重约98公斤,保险价值高达600万美元,黄金本身的价值约为350万美元。据信,被盗后马桶已被切割并出售。被告之一Michael Jones在盗窃前几周曾两次勘察布莱尼姆宫,一次是在马桶展出前,另一次是在马桶安装完毕并作为展品完全可以使用后。展览的参观者可以预约三分钟的时间来使用这个马桶。

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Clint Hill, agent who leapt on to JFK’s car after US president was shot, dies at 93

Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who famously jumped onto President John F. Kennedy's limousine after he was shot, has died at the age of 93. Hill's actions on that day in Dallas, captured in the Zapruder film, became some of the most enduring images of the assassination.

Despite receiving awards and promotions for his bravery, Hill was deeply affected by the events of November 22, 1963, and carried the burden of believing he could have reacted faster to save Kennedy. He retired early from the Secret Service at the age of 43 and only in recent years had begun to come to terms with the tragedy.

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Macron and Trump vow to work together on Ukraine, despite differences

Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron met to discuss the Ukraine war, with Trump claiming he could broker a deal to end the conflict "within weeks," potentially involving European peacekeepers. Trump also mentioned an expected visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to finalize a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources.

Macron aimed to leverage his relationship with Trump to bolster support for Ukraine, emphasizing Europe's commitment to increased defense spending and potential deployment of peacekeepers. Trump suggested that Vladimir Putin might be open to accepting European troops as guarantors of a peace agreement, highlighting a potential shift in the dynamics of the conflict.

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Israel refuses entry to 2 EU lawmakers, accuses 1 of promoting boycotts of country

Israel has denied entry to two European Union lawmakers, Lynn Boylan and Rima Hassan, with Interior Minister Moshe Arbel accusing Hassan of promoting boycotts against Israel. Boylan, who chairs the European Parliament EU-Palestine delegation, and Hassan were refused entry at Ben-Gurion airport and ordered to return to Europe.

Arbel stated that Hassan, a French politician born in Syria, has consistently worked to promote boycotts against Israel through public statements and media interviews. While no immediate reason was given for denying Boylan entry, she had planned to meet with Palestinian Authority officials and civil society representatives. Boylan, a member of the Sinn Fein party in Ireland, criticized Israel's actions, calling it a "rogue state" and urging Europe to hold Israel accountable for its disregard for international law.

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UK judge tosses part of lawsuit against band The 1975 for gay kiss at Malaysia festival

A London judge has ruled that members of the British band The 1975 cannot be held personally liable for the losses incurred by a Malaysian music festival that was shut down after the band's lead singer, Matty Healy, kissed a male bandmate on stage. The Good Vibes Festival organizer, Future Sound Asia (FSA), is seeking £1.9 million (US$2.4 million) in losses following the incident, which occurred after Healy criticized Malaysia's anti-homosexuality laws during the Kuala Lumpur show in July 2023.

The lawsuit filed by FSA against The 1975 Productions LLP and its four members alleged breach of contract and a failure in their duty of care. However, the judge sided with the band's lawyer, who argued that the suit should only target the company, not the individual musicians. The judge dismissed the claims against the band members, calling them "bad as a matter of law," while allowing the case against the company to proceed and ordering FSA to pay £100,000 (US$126,000) in legal costs. FSA's lawyer claimed the band had promised to adhere to local guidelines after initial concerns about Healy's past drug addiction nearly prevented their performance.

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US imposes new sanctions on Chinese and Indian firms for helping Iran oil sales

美国政府对中国内地、香港和印度的个人及实体实施新的制裁,指控他们协助伊朗为针对美国及其盟友的武装组织提供资金。 这是特朗普政府对伊朗石油工业“极限施压”的关键举措,旨在进一步削弱伊朗的石油出口能力。

美国财政部和国务院的制裁目标是30多个个人、实体和船只,他们被指控参与伊朗石油产品的销售和运输。 其中包括香港的石油经纪公司Petronix Energy Trading Ltd,该公司被指控从受制裁的Naftiran Intertrade Co购买了数十万吨伊朗石油。 美国务院表示,此举旨在切断伊朗通过石油收入资助恐怖活动的能力,并强调将继续利用一切手段追究伊朗的责任。

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UN rejects US resolution urging end to Ukraine war without noting Russian aggression

联合国大会未通过美国提出的乌克兰战争决议,但通过了由欧洲支持的乌克兰决议,要求俄罗斯立即从乌克兰撤军。 这对美国在联合国的一次挫折,尽管联合国决议不具法律约束力,但被视为世界舆论的风向标。

乌克兰的决议以93票赞成、18票反对和65票弃权获得通过,显示出对乌克兰的支持有所减弱,此前谴责俄罗斯侵略的决议曾获得超过140个国家的支持。美国曾试图说服乌克兰撤回其决议,转而支持美国的提案,但遭到拒绝。随后,大会在美国的提案中加入了明确指出俄罗斯入侵乌克兰违反联合国宪章的措辞。

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Taliban confirm they are holding a Chinese-American and British couple in Afghanistan

塔利班当局已经拘留了一名华裔美国人、两名英国人以及他们的翻译。阿富汗内政部发言人阿卜杜勒·马廷·卡尼周一晚间表示,目前正在努力解决此事。

据报道,被拘留的英国夫妇为75岁的彼得·雷诺兹和79岁的芭比·雷诺兹,以及他们的华裔美国人朋友费耶·霍尔和一名翻译。他们的女儿莎拉·恩特威斯尔表示,她的父母于2月1日被塔利班内政部拘留,并呼吁英国政府确保他们的获释。恩特威斯尔还透露,她的父母在被拘留后最初通过短信保持联系,但在三天后失去了所有联系。

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Killing Me Softly singer Roberta Flack dies at 88

Grammy-winning singer and pianist Roberta Flack, known for her intimate vocal style and influential career, has died at the age of 88. Flack, who announced in 2022 that she was suffering from ALS and could no longer sing, passed away at home surrounded by family, according to her publicist.

Flack rose to stardom in the early 1970s after Clint Eastwood featured "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" in his film "Play Misty for Me," propelling the song to the top of the Billboard charts and earning her a Grammy for record of the year in 1972. In 1973, she repeated this success with "Killing Me Softly With His Song," becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammys in that category. Discovered by jazz musician Les McCann in the late 1960s, Flack was admired for her sophisticated presence in music and her involvement in social and civil rights movements, with friends including Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis.

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Trump’s US government shake-up hits agency enforcing export controls aimed at China

The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), responsible for enforcing export controls, is undergoing significant changes under the Trump administration, potentially impacting America's global trade in crucial products like Nvidia and Intel AI chips for China. This comes amid advancements in AI by Chinese companies and discussions of potential major deals with Beijing, highlighting the importance of the BIS's role in regulating technology exports.

Earlier this month, the BIS unexpectedly paused processing export license applications filed after February 5th, causing uncertainty and delays for businesses. While the hold appears to have ended recently with some applicants receiving licenses, the lack of official notification or guidance underscores the ongoing shifts within the agency and their potential impact on the high-tech sector.

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Hong Kong cleaners allegedly faked work records by posting and removing bills

香港食物环境卫生署表示,在发现外包街道清洁工涉嫌通过张贴和移除自制传单伪造工作记录后,将向警方报案。事件起因是野猪关注组的创始人Wong在Facebook上分享了一段视频,视频显示清洁工在深水埗的一条街道上将传单贴在交通标志上,拍照作为工作证明,然后将其撕下。

这些工人身穿食环署承包商Baguio清洁服务公司的工作服。食环署发言人表示,如果调查证实了这一事件,该部门将按照合同追究承包商的责任,可能包括扣减服务费,并将该事件记录在案,作为未来服务采购的考虑因素。视频中,Wong发现清洁工的行为后与他们对质,清洁工用普通话说他们听不懂广东话。在交流过程中,一名清洁工道歉并与Wong握手。

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Global peace arrangements ‘unravelling’, UN chief warns nuclear disarmament conference

联合国秘书长古特雷斯周一警告称,支撑全球和平数十年的安全机制正在瓦解,他敦促各国共同努力,实现一个没有核武器的世界。他指出,双边和区域安全安排正面临严峻挑战,信任正在下降,而不确定性、不安全感、有罪不罚现象和军事开支都在上升。

古特雷斯是在日内瓦举行的裁军会议上发表上述讲话的。他呼吁各国履行9月份在纽约峰会上达成的核裁军和不扩散承诺,并强调这些因素正在削弱“相互克制”的精神。裁军会议成立于1979年,由联合国裁军事务厅监督,包括美国、中国和俄罗斯在内的65个国家是其成员国,主要致力于谈判结束核军备竞赛的协议,并阻止各国在太空建立武器,同时追求全面裁军。

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Digital Art Fair’s 2025 Hong Kong event cancelled just 1 month before start date

原定于2025年3月在香港西九文化区举行的数字艺术博览会(Digital Art Fair)宣布取消。 官方声明称,取消原因是“不可控因素”,但未提供具体细节。此次博览会原计划与巴塞尔艺术展等其他“艺术三月”活动同期举行。

主办方已在其网站上发布公告,并承诺将自动全额退还所有门票持有者。同时,他们对这一决定可能造成的失望表示歉意。值得注意的是,香港旅游发展局和投资推广署的网站此前都曾对该活动进行宣传。

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Ex-Secret Service agent, conservative media personality Dan Bongino to be FBI deputy director

前特勤局特工、保守派评论员丹·邦吉诺被任命为联邦调查局副局长。这一任命由前总统特朗普在其社交媒体上宣布,他称赞邦吉诺“对国家充满热爱和激情”,并认为这对执法部门和美国司法来说是“好消息”。

此举意味着两位坚定的特朗普盟友将执掌美国最重要的联邦执法机构,引发了民主党人士的担忧,他们担心特朗普可能会利用该机构打击政敌。邦吉诺将与新任联邦调查局局长卡什·帕特尔共事,后者已表示将重塑联邦调查局,包括将数百名员工从华盛顿总部迁出,并更加重视联邦调查局传统的打击犯罪职责。值得注意的是,邦吉诺和帕特尔都从未在联邦调查局工作过,这引发了人们对其经验水平的质疑,尤其是在美国面临日益严峻的国家安全威胁的背景下。

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Over 20,000 Hong Kong school pupils at risk of dropping out, NGO warns

香港一家非政府组织估计,超过2万名香港学生面临辍学风险,其中约60%的学生年龄在15岁以下。该组织呼吁重新评估相关措施,以便更早地识别出有辍学风险的青少年。

这家名为“青少年外展”的非政府组织表示,目前学校要求只有连续缺课超过7天且未在本地接受其他教育的学生才会被上报给教育局。但许多潜在的辍学生并不符合这一标准,他们可能每周只去学校几个小时,导致无法被及时发现和帮助。该组织呼吁教育局改进学生旷课的报告机制,将那些出勤率极低的学生也纳入统计范围。

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France’s Macron arrives in US for Ukraine talks with Trump

法国总统马克龙抵达白宫与美国总统特朗普会晤,重点讨论结束乌克兰战争的前景。由于双方在如何推进问题上存在明显分歧,此次会谈备受关注。马克龙是特朗普重新掌权后首位访问美国的欧洲领导人,双方计划参与G7电话会议,举行双边会谈,并举行联合新闻发布会。

英国首相基尔·斯塔默也将在本周晚些时候访问特朗普。欧洲对特朗普在乌克兰问题上日益强硬的立场以及向莫斯科示好的态度感到担忧。预计马克龙和斯塔默将试图说服特朗普不要急于与俄罗斯总统普京达成停火协议,保持欧洲的参与,并讨论对乌克兰的军事保障。据报道,特朗普团队一直在与乌克兰谈判一项收入分成协议,以收回前拜登政府以武器形式向基辅提供的部分资金,用于抵抗俄罗斯。

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US’ port-fee proposals targeting China make waves in shipping sector

中国强烈谴责美国贸易代表办公室(USTR)提议对中国制造的船舶及相关运营商征收高额港口费用,称其为“自我伤害”行为。业内人士警告,此举可能扰乱全球航运,反而损害美国贸易。

此前,美国一项调查得出结论,认为中国利用不公平政策和做法主导了全球海运、物流和造船业。USTR因此提出一项全面提案,旨在严重削弱中国的造船商和运营商。该提案的核心措施是,根据船队中中国制造船舶的比例,对运营商征收新的美国港口费用,每次靠港最高可达150万美元。此外,总部位于中国的船舶运营商,如中远集团,每次靠港可能被收取高达100万美元的费用。

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France surgeon on trial for raping, sexually assaulting almost 300 patients, mostly children

法国前外科医生Joel Le Scouarnec面临审判,被指控在1989年至2014年间性侵或强奸近300名患者,其中多数为儿童,部分受害者当时处于无意识状态。 这起案件震惊法国,Le Scouarnec曾在2020年因虐待四名儿童而被判有罪,目前正在狱中服刑。

此次审判涉及299名受害者,其中256人未满15岁,年龄最小的仅1岁,最大的70岁。据称,Le Scouarnec在患者从麻醉中苏醒或术后检查期间,在十几家医院实施了性侵或强奸。该审判在法国西部城市瓦纳进行,此前不久,Dominique Pelicot因招募数十名陌生人强奸其深度镇静的妻子Gisele Pelicot而被判有罪,Gisele Pelicot已与他离婚。

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Hong Kong needs ‘more aggressive’ recycling targets for drinks cartons

香港立法会议员呼吁政府为饮料容器回收计划设定更积极的目标,此前政府提出纸盒回收率的初步目标为10%。该计划要求饮料供应商自行安排回收,或聘请注册运营商以达到饮料容器的回收目标,容器容量范围为100毫升至2升。

政府表示,需要一年时间来立法该提案,另需一年时间让相关方做准备,且该计划的四个阶段预计各需一年左右才能实施。塑料容器的回收率将从30%开始,并在计划的四个阶段中逐步提高到75%,而饮料纸盒的回收率将从10%开始,最终达到50%。环境及生态局上周公布了该提案,但因缺乏明确的时间表而受到批评。

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