Imran Khan continues to defy Pakistan’s government from jail as his wife leads protests
By Ayman Ragab
Despite being in jail since 2023, former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan continues to mobilise his supporters in a tug of war against the government and the army.
Calling for Khan to be released, thousands of members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party marched to the capital Islamabad in late November 2024. They were led by Khan’s wife Bushra Khan, also known as Bushra Bibi, in what appeared to underline a new dynamic for the ousted leader and his party.
Khan was removed from office in 2022 after falling out of grace with the army and jailed in 2023 on multiple charges. Khan-aligned lawmakers hold most seats in Pakistan’s parliament, but have been prevented from forming a government.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Ayman Ragab
Despite being in jail since 2023, former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan continues to mobilise his supporters in a tug of war against the government and the army.
Calling for Khan to be released, thousands of members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party marched to the capital Islamabad in late November 2024. They were led by Khan’s wife Bushra Khan, also known as Bushra Bibi, in what appeared to underline a new dynamic for the ousted leader and his party.
Khan was removed from office in 2022 after falling out of grace with the army and jailed in 2023 on multiple charges. Khan-aligned lawmakers hold most seats in Pakistan’s parliament, but have been prevented from forming a government.
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What Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy can learn from China’s reformers
By Zhengxu Wang
The Musk-Ramaswamy duet is gearing up for one of the most ambitious reform projects in US political history. Appointed to president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency, their mission is to overhaul the government, make it smaller, streamline bureaucracy and ultimately transform the way America operates. It’s a grand vision to tackle some of the country’s most entrenched problems.
There might be a lesson or two to be learned from China’s rich history of reformers. From Shang Yang (390-338BC), whose legal and economic reforms paved the way for a unified Qin dynasty, to the Song dynasty’s Wang Anshi (1021-1086), whose New Policies famously failed, and Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), whose tax reforms, while unpopular, helped the Ming dynasty reach a peak, China’s reform tradition has been shaped by powerful ideas and institutional resistance.
More recently, under paramount leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and premier Zhu Rongji in the late 1990s, China undertook two of the most significant reform movements in its modern history.
While Deng famously equated his plan to downsize the government to a revolution, his reforms mainly rewrote economic rules. Markets were opened up to foreign investors, special economic zones were created, and collective farming gave way to household farming. Not that he did not tackle the oversized bureaucracy and officialdom – old cadres were retired en masse and kicked into “advisory committees”, and in just over two years, he trimmed the military by a million troops, despite a border conflict with Vietnam.
But it was Zhu’s reforms of 1993-2002 that are more comparable to the American project envisioned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Zhu massively restructured China’s government and the state-economy relationship. In the first restructuring round, central government agencies were cut from 86 to 59, as employees on government payroll fell by 20 per cent. The second round, from 1998-2002, was even more radical: 15 ministries were axed and 1.15 million positions removed from the government payroll. Tens of thousands of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) closed their doors or were privatised, and millions were laid off.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Zhengxu Wang
The Musk-Ramaswamy duet is gearing up for one of the most ambitious reform projects in US political history. Appointed to president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency, their mission is to overhaul the government, make it smaller, streamline bureaucracy and ultimately transform the way America operates. It’s a grand vision to tackle some of the country’s most entrenched problems.
There might be a lesson or two to be learned from China’s rich history of reformers. From Shang Yang (390-338BC), whose legal and economic reforms paved the way for a unified Qin dynasty, to the Song dynasty’s Wang Anshi (1021-1086), whose New Policies famously failed, and Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), whose tax reforms, while unpopular, helped the Ming dynasty reach a peak, China’s reform tradition has been shaped by powerful ideas and institutional resistance.
More recently, under paramount leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and premier Zhu Rongji in the late 1990s, China undertook two of the most significant reform movements in its modern history.
While Deng famously equated his plan to downsize the government to a revolution, his reforms mainly rewrote economic rules. Markets were opened up to foreign investors, special economic zones were created, and collective farming gave way to household farming. Not that he did not tackle the oversized bureaucracy and officialdom – old cadres were retired en masse and kicked into “advisory committees”, and in just over two years, he trimmed the military by a million troops, despite a border conflict with Vietnam.
But it was Zhu’s reforms of 1993-2002 that are more comparable to the American project envisioned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Zhu massively restructured China’s government and the state-economy relationship. In the first restructuring round, central government agencies were cut from 86 to 59, as employees on government payroll fell by 20 per cent. The second round, from 1998-2002, was even more radical: 15 ministries were axed and 1.15 million positions removed from the government payroll. Tens of thousands of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) closed their doors or were privatised, and millions were laid off.
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Trump picks Richard Grenell as envoy for special missions
By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he was picking Richard Grenell, his former intelligence chief, as presidential envoy for special missions, a post where he is likely to drive policies toward some of America’s adversaries, including North Korea.
“Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said on his Truth Social media platform without further describing the duties.
Grenell served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany, a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s 2017-2021 term.
After campaigning for Trump ahead of the November 5 election, he was a top contender for secretary of state, a job that went to US Senator Marco Rubio. He was also considered for special envoy for the Ukraine war, which went to retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.
Trump takes office next month.
Presidents name special envoys to focus on global issues or crises that often go beyond an ambassador’s focus on bilateral relations with another country.
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By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he was picking Richard Grenell, his former intelligence chief, as presidential envoy for special missions, a post where he is likely to drive policies toward some of America’s adversaries, including North Korea.
“Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said on his Truth Social media platform without further describing the duties.
Grenell served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany, a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s 2017-2021 term.
After campaigning for Trump ahead of the November 5 election, he was a top contender for secretary of state, a job that went to US Senator Marco Rubio. He was also considered for special envoy for the Ukraine war, which went to retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.
Trump takes office next month.
Presidents name special envoys to focus on global issues or crises that often go beyond an ambassador’s focus on bilateral relations with another country.
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From Teresa Teng to Chiung Yao: Taiwan’s lost age of cultural sway over mainland China
By Yuanyue Dang
When news broke earlier this month of the death of Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao, mainland fan Nicole Li was flooded with childhood memories of watching TV dramas based on Yao’s work.
“I can almost recite the lines and plots of My Fair Princess and Romance in the Rain,” 30-year-old Li said, referring to mainland-Taiwanese co-productions in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “Most people of my generation would have the same memories.”
The shows were wildly popular, attracting millions of mainland viewers when they were broadcast on Hunan TV.
Former Hunan TV director Ouyang Changlin said the peak for these shows was around 1999 when the second season of My Fair Princess aired, capturing around 65 per cent of the mainland market.
For Li and her generation of young mainland Chinese, some of their earliest cultural memories are of the work of Taiwanese writers, musicians and filmmakers like Chiung Yao.
So much so that after her suicide, mainland Chinese media was flooded with tributes from artists, the public and even state media.
But in recent years, Taiwanese pop culture has struggled to appeal to mainland audiences.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Yuanyue Dang
When news broke earlier this month of the death of Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao, mainland fan Nicole Li was flooded with childhood memories of watching TV dramas based on Yao’s work.
“I can almost recite the lines and plots of My Fair Princess and Romance in the Rain,” 30-year-old Li said, referring to mainland-Taiwanese co-productions in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “Most people of my generation would have the same memories.”
The shows were wildly popular, attracting millions of mainland viewers when they were broadcast on Hunan TV.
Former Hunan TV director Ouyang Changlin said the peak for these shows was around 1999 when the second season of My Fair Princess aired, capturing around 65 per cent of the mainland market.
For Li and her generation of young mainland Chinese, some of their earliest cultural memories are of the work of Taiwanese writers, musicians and filmmakers like Chiung Yao.
So much so that after her suicide, mainland Chinese media was flooded with tributes from artists, the public and even state media.
But in recent years, Taiwanese pop culture has struggled to appeal to mainland audiences.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Hongkongers in England, Wales extend record birth numbers under BN(O) scheme
By William Yiu
Hongkongers in England and Wales had more than 2,120 babies last year, extending their record high figures since the introduction of a bespoke immigration pathway, while the birth numbers in their new homes hit a nearly 50-year low.
But high childcare costs presented significant barriers to entering the workforce, particularly for women, according to a think tank’s report on Hongkongers settling in the UK.
“In 2023, there were 2,129 babies born in England and Wales, where at least one of the parents’ [place] of birth was Hong Kong,” the UK Home Office said in a reply to a freedom of information request the Post made last month.
The number of newborns with at least one parent from Hong Kong rose from 1,568 in 2019 to 1,602 in 2020, 1,665 in 2021 and 1,953 in 2022, according to Britain’s Office for National Statistics.
The 2023 figures, which were up 9 per cent against the year before, were the highest since the British National (Overseas) visa scheme began in 2021.
Britain rolled out the immigration pathway after Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in June 2020 to ban acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers following the anti-government protests in 2019.
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By William Yiu
Hongkongers in England and Wales had more than 2,120 babies last year, extending their record high figures since the introduction of a bespoke immigration pathway, while the birth numbers in their new homes hit a nearly 50-year low.
But high childcare costs presented significant barriers to entering the workforce, particularly for women, according to a think tank’s report on Hongkongers settling in the UK.
“In 2023, there were 2,129 babies born in England and Wales, where at least one of the parents’ [place] of birth was Hong Kong,” the UK Home Office said in a reply to a freedom of information request the Post made last month.
The number of newborns with at least one parent from Hong Kong rose from 1,568 in 2019 to 1,602 in 2020, 1,665 in 2021 and 1,953 in 2022, according to Britain’s Office for National Statistics.
The 2023 figures, which were up 9 per cent against the year before, were the highest since the British National (Overseas) visa scheme began in 2021.
Britain rolled out the immigration pathway after Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in June 2020 to ban acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers following the anti-government protests in 2019.
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China mistress sues woman who refused to divorce husband after receiving US$165,000 from her
By Yating Yang
A Chinese mistress paid a “divorce fee” of 1.2 million yuan (US$165,000) to the legal wife of her married lover, only to have her petition for a refund rejected by the court after the wife accepted the money but refused to divorce.
In December 2013, a man surnamed Han, based in Shishi, Fujian province in southeastern China, married his wife, Yang, with whom he has two daughters whose ages remain undisclosed.
Later, Han began an affair with his colleague, identified as Shi. They also entered into a business partnership and welcomed a son together in November 2022.
In an attempt to “replace” Yang, Shi confronted her and proposed a deal, offering to pay 2 million yuan (US$280,000) if Yang agreed to divorce Han. To initiate the agreement, Shi transferred 1.2 million yuan to Yang at the end of 2022.
However, more than a year later, Yang still had not consented to a divorce.
Frustrated, the mistress demanded her money back and even filed a lawsuit to recover the 1.2 million yuan after the wife refused to return it.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Yating Yang
A Chinese mistress paid a “divorce fee” of 1.2 million yuan (US$165,000) to the legal wife of her married lover, only to have her petition for a refund rejected by the court after the wife accepted the money but refused to divorce.
In December 2013, a man surnamed Han, based in Shishi, Fujian province in southeastern China, married his wife, Yang, with whom he has two daughters whose ages remain undisclosed.
Later, Han began an affair with his colleague, identified as Shi. They also entered into a business partnership and welcomed a son together in November 2022.
In an attempt to “replace” Yang, Shi confronted her and proposed a deal, offering to pay 2 million yuan (US$280,000) if Yang agreed to divorce Han. To initiate the agreement, Shi transferred 1.2 million yuan to Yang at the end of 2022.
However, more than a year later, Yang still had not consented to a divorce.
Frustrated, the mistress demanded her money back and even filed a lawsuit to recover the 1.2 million yuan after the wife refused to return it.
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Will AI enhance or undermine Asia’s elections?
By Sam Beltran
Across Asia, the rise of artificial intelligence is posing a dilemma for democracy. From the Philippines to South Korea, governments and politicians are grappling with the double-edged nature of AI: its capacity to spread disinformation, but also to improve voter engagement, streamline campaigns, and enhance election administration.
While fears of AI-driven deepfakes and propaganda are legitimate, an overemphasis on risks could obscure the technology’s potential to strengthen democratic processes, according to a new report from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and Manila-based polling firm WR Numero.
The policy paper argues that ignoring the opportunities could leave “democratic and liberal parties at a disadvantage as opposing political forces and other industries embrace AI”.
AI is already revolutionising Asia’s elections and politics, changing how campaigns are run and “reshaping the entire electoral process”, said Cleve Arguelles, a political scientist and CEO of WR Numero. But, he added, “with these new opportunities come significant challenges we need to address.”
“Technology waits for no one,” warned Cambodian senator Mardi Seng, chair of CALD and a member of the liberal Khmer Will party, at the report’s launch on December 4. Seng stressed the urgency for governments to adopt AI to avoid being left behind.
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By Sam Beltran
Across Asia, the rise of artificial intelligence is posing a dilemma for democracy. From the Philippines to South Korea, governments and politicians are grappling with the double-edged nature of AI: its capacity to spread disinformation, but also to improve voter engagement, streamline campaigns, and enhance election administration.
While fears of AI-driven deepfakes and propaganda are legitimate, an overemphasis on risks could obscure the technology’s potential to strengthen democratic processes, according to a new report from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and Manila-based polling firm WR Numero.
The policy paper argues that ignoring the opportunities could leave “democratic and liberal parties at a disadvantage as opposing political forces and other industries embrace AI”.
AI is already revolutionising Asia’s elections and politics, changing how campaigns are run and “reshaping the entire electoral process”, said Cleve Arguelles, a political scientist and CEO of WR Numero. But, he added, “with these new opportunities come significant challenges we need to address.”
“Technology waits for no one,” warned Cambodian senator Mardi Seng, chair of CALD and a member of the liberal Khmer Will party, at the report’s launch on December 4. Seng stressed the urgency for governments to adopt AI to avoid being left behind.
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Isak Andic, founder of Spain’s Mango fashion chain, dies after falling in ravine: reports
By Agence France-Presse
Isak Andic, the founder of Spanish clothing retailer Mango, one of Europe’s largest fashion groups, with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide, died on Saturday in an accident, the company said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was among the first to pay tribute to the businessman’s “entrepreneurial vision”.
While the company did not provide further details, Spanish media reports said the 71-year-old died after falling down a ravine while hiking in the mountains near Barcelona with several family members.
“It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman and founder of Mango,” the Barcelona-based company’s CEO, Toni Ruiz, said in a statement.
“Isak has been an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to values that he himself imbued in our company,” he added.
Sanchez wrote on social media that Andic had “turned this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion” with his “great work and entrepreneurial vision”.
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By Agence France-Presse
Isak Andic, the founder of Spanish clothing retailer Mango, one of Europe’s largest fashion groups, with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide, died on Saturday in an accident, the company said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was among the first to pay tribute to the businessman’s “entrepreneurial vision”.
While the company did not provide further details, Spanish media reports said the 71-year-old died after falling down a ravine while hiking in the mountains near Barcelona with several family members.
“It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman and founder of Mango,” the Barcelona-based company’s CEO, Toni Ruiz, said in a statement.
“Isak has been an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to values that he himself imbued in our company,” he added.
Sanchez wrote on social media that Andic had “turned this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion” with his “great work and entrepreneurial vision”.
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ABC to pay US$15 million to Trump library to settle defamation suit
By Associated Press
ABC News has agreed to pay US$15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the US president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
According to settlement documents made public Saturday, ABC will also post a note on its website expressing regret over the claim in a March 10 segment on Stephanopoulos’ This Week programme and pay US$1 million in legal fees to Trump’s lawyer.
In a statement, ABC News said: “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
Trump sued Stephanopoulos and ABC for defamation days after the anchor claimed during an interview with Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace that Trump had been “found liable for rape”, which misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two lawsuits against him.
Last year, Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll and was ordered to pay her US$5 million. In January, he was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll US$83.3 million. Trump is appealing against both verdicts.
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
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By Associated Press
ABC News has agreed to pay US$15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the US president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
According to settlement documents made public Saturday, ABC will also post a note on its website expressing regret over the claim in a March 10 segment on Stephanopoulos’ This Week programme and pay US$1 million in legal fees to Trump’s lawyer.
In a statement, ABC News said: “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
Trump sued Stephanopoulos and ABC for defamation days after the anchor claimed during an interview with Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace that Trump had been “found liable for rape”, which misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two lawsuits against him.
Last year, Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll and was ordered to pay her US$5 million. In January, he was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll US$83.3 million. Trump is appealing against both verdicts.
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
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Many recent ‘drone’ sightings are manned aircraft and not a threat: US officials
By Bochen Han
A month after suspected drone sightings in New Jersey first began capturing public attention, senior Joe Biden administration officials are reiterating that many of the sighted aircraft are actually manned and do not pose a threat to public safety.
Speaking on Saturday to reporters, an FBI official said that “all large fixed-wing reported sightings” in the state have been manned, noting that manned aircraft is often mistaken for drones or other unmanned aviation.
The official added that there has been no evidence to support “large-scale” unmanned aircraft system (UAS) activity. Of the approximately 5,000 leads generated about the aircraft, less than 100 have been deemed “worthy of further investigative activity”, he added.
The wave of sightings began in northern New Jersey in mid-November after personnel inside the Picatinny Arsenal, a US Army facility in Morris County, spotted a suspected drone near the base.
Sightings have since spread to other parts of New Jersey and other states including Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania, prompting lawmakers to call for answers on what exactly was happening.
“We don’t have any current evidence that there’s a threat to public safety”, said a Department of Homeland Security official on Saturday, noting that investigations were ongoing, including near critical infrastructure.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Bochen Han
A month after suspected drone sightings in New Jersey first began capturing public attention, senior Joe Biden administration officials are reiterating that many of the sighted aircraft are actually manned and do not pose a threat to public safety.
Speaking on Saturday to reporters, an FBI official said that “all large fixed-wing reported sightings” in the state have been manned, noting that manned aircraft is often mistaken for drones or other unmanned aviation.
The official added that there has been no evidence to support “large-scale” unmanned aircraft system (UAS) activity. Of the approximately 5,000 leads generated about the aircraft, less than 100 have been deemed “worthy of further investigative activity”, he added.
The wave of sightings began in northern New Jersey in mid-November after personnel inside the Picatinny Arsenal, a US Army facility in Morris County, spotted a suspected drone near the base.
Sightings have since spread to other parts of New Jersey and other states including Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania, prompting lawmakers to call for answers on what exactly was happening.
“We don’t have any current evidence that there’s a threat to public safety”, said a Department of Homeland Security official on Saturday, noting that investigations were ongoing, including near critical infrastructure.
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Can Syria finally find stability after decades of war and repression?
By C. Uday Bhaskar
Rebel groups that ousted former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad have named Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of a nation that is caught in the vortex of a dramatic regime change with significant geopolitical implications, both regional and global.
The flux in Syria ranges from celebration over the removal of a brutal ruler to deep anxiety about what the future holds for more than 23 million citizens who have endured years of repression, war, displacement and turmoil.
Violent clashes between rival groups have been reported in the northern city of Manbij, which could plunge Syria into another messy civil war with external powers advancing their sectarian interests by supporting different factions. Rival armed groups range from Islamists and Kurdish separatists to factions representing the interests of the Druze community, with some backed by Iran, Turkey or the United States.
Syria, which has been under the authoritarian rule of the Assad family since the 1970s, witnessed a tectonic development when rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized the capital, Damascus, with virtually no resistance. Assad has fled to Russia where he has been granted asylum, thereby bringing more than five decades of tyrannical governance by one family to an inglorious end.
The speed with which HTS – once tied to al-Qaeda and currently designated as a terrorist organisation both by the United Nations and the US – seized power has been stunning.
Several factors enabled this dramatic sequence of events that began in late November, including low morale and discord within the Syrian military, weakening levels of tangible support from Russia and Iran for the Assad regime and the role of external powers such as Turkey and the US in aiding anti-Assad groups.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By C. Uday Bhaskar
Rebel groups that ousted former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad have named Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of a nation that is caught in the vortex of a dramatic regime change with significant geopolitical implications, both regional and global.
The flux in Syria ranges from celebration over the removal of a brutal ruler to deep anxiety about what the future holds for more than 23 million citizens who have endured years of repression, war, displacement and turmoil.
Violent clashes between rival groups have been reported in the northern city of Manbij, which could plunge Syria into another messy civil war with external powers advancing their sectarian interests by supporting different factions. Rival armed groups range from Islamists and Kurdish separatists to factions representing the interests of the Druze community, with some backed by Iran, Turkey or the United States.
Syria, which has been under the authoritarian rule of the Assad family since the 1970s, witnessed a tectonic development when rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized the capital, Damascus, with virtually no resistance. Assad has fled to Russia where he has been granted asylum, thereby bringing more than five decades of tyrannical governance by one family to an inglorious end.
The speed with which HTS – once tied to al-Qaeda and currently designated as a terrorist organisation both by the United Nations and the US – seized power has been stunning.
Several factors enabled this dramatic sequence of events that began in late November, including low morale and discord within the Syrian military, weakening levels of tangible support from Russia and Iran for the Assad regime and the role of external powers such as Turkey and the US in aiding anti-Assad groups.
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Russia using ‘significant number’ of North Korean troops to storm Kursk, Ukraine says
By Reuters
Russia has begun using North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to conduct assaults on Ukrainian forces battling to hold an enclave in Russia’s Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
The Ukrainian leader said the more active use of the troops was a new escalation in the war and called for a global response, as Donald Trump’s return to the White House next month fuels speculation of a coming push for peace talks.
“Today, we already have preliminary data that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their assaults. A significant number of them,” Zelensky told Ukrainians in his daily wartime address.
The North Koreans were being used in combined Russian units and only on the Kursk front for now, he said, adding: “We have information suggesting their use could extend to other parts of the front line.”
Kyiv first said North Korean forces turned up in Russia’s Kursk region in October and later reported unspecified clashes and casualties. It estimates there are 11,000 North Koreans in total, adding to a force of tens of thousands of Russians.
Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Koreans on its side.
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By Reuters
Russia has begun using North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to conduct assaults on Ukrainian forces battling to hold an enclave in Russia’s Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
The Ukrainian leader said the more active use of the troops was a new escalation in the war and called for a global response, as Donald Trump’s return to the White House next month fuels speculation of a coming push for peace talks.
“Today, we already have preliminary data that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their assaults. A significant number of them,” Zelensky told Ukrainians in his daily wartime address.
The North Koreans were being used in combined Russian units and only on the Kursk front for now, he said, adding: “We have information suggesting their use could extend to other parts of the front line.”
Kyiv first said North Korean forces turned up in Russia’s Kursk region in October and later reported unspecified clashes and casualties. It estimates there are 11,000 North Koreans in total, adding to a force of tens of thousands of Russians.
Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Koreans on its side.
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Iran arrests singer for giving online concert without hijab
By Associated Press
Iranian authorities have arrested a female singer who performed a virtual concert online, a lawyer said.
Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, said Parastoo Ahmadi, 27, was arrested in Sari City, capital of the northern province of Mazandaran, on Saturday.
On Thursday, the judiciary had filed a case regarding Ahmadi’s concert performance, in which she performed wearing a long black sleeveless and collarless dress, but no hijab. She was accompanied by four male musicians.
Ahmadi had posted her concert online the day before, saying: “I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love. This is a right I could not ignore; singing for the land I love passionately.”
The online concert has been viewed more than 1.4 million times.
Panahipour said: “Unfortunately, we do not know the charges against Ms Ahmadi, who arrested her, or her place of detention, but we will follow up on the matter through legal authorities.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Associated Press
Iranian authorities have arrested a female singer who performed a virtual concert online, a lawyer said.
Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, said Parastoo Ahmadi, 27, was arrested in Sari City, capital of the northern province of Mazandaran, on Saturday.
On Thursday, the judiciary had filed a case regarding Ahmadi’s concert performance, in which she performed wearing a long black sleeveless and collarless dress, but no hijab. She was accompanied by four male musicians.
Ahmadi had posted her concert online the day before, saying: “I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love. This is a right I could not ignore; singing for the land I love passionately.”
The online concert has been viewed more than 1.4 million times.
Panahipour said: “Unfortunately, we do not know the charges against Ms Ahmadi, who arrested her, or her place of detention, but we will follow up on the matter through legal authorities.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
How to gain entrée into Trump’s White House? Beijing is looking for ways.
By Mark Magnier
Beijing, traditionally reliant on its economic muscle, growing importance and elite China-inclined “old friends” to influence Washington, is having a tough time figuring out how to connect with the incoming, unpredictable administration of president-elect Donald Trump, according to analysts and former US officials.
China is hardly alone. Many countries have turned to flattery, golf and appeals to Trump’s self-interest and “America first” agenda.
But Beijing is in a particular bind as it grapples with a swooning economy, deeply unfavourable demographics, deep-seated US suspicion and Washington’s “de-risking” campaign aimed at denying it advanced technology, a pillar that President Xi Jinping sees as seminal for China’s future.
“Chinese officials are having a tough time engaging the Trump team,” said Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. “Beijing certainly has people it can go to in the US business community, but it is unclear how influential those people will be in changing government policy.”
China’s playbook on gaining access to the White House has historically drawn on business groups like the US Chamber of Commerce, major corporations operating in China, wealthy investors or past political heavyweights like the late Henry Kissinger.
But as Trump rips up playbooks and disregards precedent, even as China’s stock has fallen in Washington, many of those connections have become less valuable, potential liabilities or, like the influential former secretary of state, are no longer living.
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By Mark Magnier
Beijing, traditionally reliant on its economic muscle, growing importance and elite China-inclined “old friends” to influence Washington, is having a tough time figuring out how to connect with the incoming, unpredictable administration of president-elect Donald Trump, according to analysts and former US officials.
China is hardly alone. Many countries have turned to flattery, golf and appeals to Trump’s self-interest and “America first” agenda.
But Beijing is in a particular bind as it grapples with a swooning economy, deeply unfavourable demographics, deep-seated US suspicion and Washington’s “de-risking” campaign aimed at denying it advanced technology, a pillar that President Xi Jinping sees as seminal for China’s future.
“Chinese officials are having a tough time engaging the Trump team,” said Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. “Beijing certainly has people it can go to in the US business community, but it is unclear how influential those people will be in changing government policy.”
China’s playbook on gaining access to the White House has historically drawn on business groups like the US Chamber of Commerce, major corporations operating in China, wealthy investors or past political heavyweights like the late Henry Kissinger.
But as Trump rips up playbooks and disregards precedent, even as China’s stock has fallen in Washington, many of those connections have become less valuable, potential liabilities or, like the influential former secretary of state, are no longer living.
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Innovation, fostering unity among tasks for Hong Kong’s John Lee: observers
By Willa WuKahon Chan
Hong Kong’s leader has three pressing challenges following his duty visit to Beijing, observers have said – fostering social unity, promoting innovative decision-making and balancing the government budget.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ended his trip to the capital on Saturday after meeting President Xi Jinping the previous day to report on Hong Kong developments.
Xi affirmed support for the chief executive to “unite all sectors in society to seek reforms” and promote economic prosperity through “innovation”.
“Unity is now an issue within the establishment, but it is not something Lee can personally control,” veteran China watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu said.
“Therefore, what Xi Jinping said about uniting all sectors of society is to a certain extent a directional advice, not an accusation.”
He said an example was that the property sector remained keen on publicising its profits-first approach to the Northern Metropolis development after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs, called for more active participation in the city’s infrastructure projects.
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By Willa WuKahon Chan
Hong Kong’s leader has three pressing challenges following his duty visit to Beijing, observers have said – fostering social unity, promoting innovative decision-making and balancing the government budget.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ended his trip to the capital on Saturday after meeting President Xi Jinping the previous day to report on Hong Kong developments.
Xi affirmed support for the chief executive to “unite all sectors in society to seek reforms” and promote economic prosperity through “innovation”.
“Unity is now an issue within the establishment, but it is not something Lee can personally control,” veteran China watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu said.
“Therefore, what Xi Jinping said about uniting all sectors of society is to a certain extent a directional advice, not an accusation.”
He said an example was that the property sector remained keen on publicising its profits-first approach to the Northern Metropolis development after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs, called for more active participation in the city’s infrastructure projects.
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US, regional diplomats discuss Syria’s future, Arabs seek assurances from Turkey
By Associated Press
Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations met in Jordan on Saturday for talks on Syria as regional and global powers scramble for influence over whatever government replaces ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration has begun engaging with the victorious rebel groups including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led a lightning assault that ended in the capture of Damascus on Sunday.
Biden sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region this week to seek support for principles that Washington hopes will guide Syria’s political transition, such as respect for minorities.
Meanwhile Syria’s northern neighbour Turkey has for years supported Syrian opposition forces looking to oust Assad and is poised to play an influential role in Damascus.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that his country’s embassy in the Syrian capital would resume work on Saturday, after Turkey’s intelligence chief visited this week.
Syria’s neighbour Jordan was hosting Saturday’s gathering in Aqaba. Russia and Iran, who were Assad’s key supporters, were not invited.
Blinken, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pederson, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Fidan, and foreign ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar met around a circular table at a Jordanian government guest house. There was no Syrian representative at the table.
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By Associated Press
Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations met in Jordan on Saturday for talks on Syria as regional and global powers scramble for influence over whatever government replaces ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration has begun engaging with the victorious rebel groups including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led a lightning assault that ended in the capture of Damascus on Sunday.
Biden sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region this week to seek support for principles that Washington hopes will guide Syria’s political transition, such as respect for minorities.
Meanwhile Syria’s northern neighbour Turkey has for years supported Syrian opposition forces looking to oust Assad and is poised to play an influential role in Damascus.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that his country’s embassy in the Syrian capital would resume work on Saturday, after Turkey’s intelligence chief visited this week.
Syria’s neighbour Jordan was hosting Saturday’s gathering in Aqaba. Russia and Iran, who were Assad’s key supporters, were not invited.
Blinken, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pederson, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Fidan, and foreign ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar met around a circular table at a Jordanian government guest house. There was no Syrian representative at the table.
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