Syria’s Islamist rebel leader holds meeting in Damascus with visiting UN envoy
By Agence France-Presse
The Syrian Islamist leader whose group led the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad on Sunday met UN envoy Geir Pedersen, who was visiting Damascus, said a statement on the rebels’ Telegram channel.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, discussed with Pedersen “the changes that have occurred on the political scene which make it necessary to update” a 2015 United Nations Security Council resolution “to suit the new reality”, the statement said.
Jolani’s HTS is rooted in Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda, the Al-Nusra Front, designated a “terrorist” organisation by many Western governments.
UN Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015, to which the rebel statement referred, set out a roadmap for a political settlement in Syria, and also mentioned Nusra’s “terrorist” designation.
On Tuesday, Pedersen said the fact that Nusra was listed by the UN Security Council as a terrorist organisation was “obviously a complicating factor” in efforts to find a way forward.
However, he stressed that it was important to view HTS, which broke with Nusra in 2016 and has sought to soften its image, through the events of the civil war.
The rebel statement on Sunday said Jolani had emphasised “the need to focus on Syrian territorial unity, reconstruction and achieving economic development”.
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By Agence France-Presse
The Syrian Islamist leader whose group led the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad on Sunday met UN envoy Geir Pedersen, who was visiting Damascus, said a statement on the rebels’ Telegram channel.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, discussed with Pedersen “the changes that have occurred on the political scene which make it necessary to update” a 2015 United Nations Security Council resolution “to suit the new reality”, the statement said.
Jolani’s HTS is rooted in Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda, the Al-Nusra Front, designated a “terrorist” organisation by many Western governments.
UN Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015, to which the rebel statement referred, set out a roadmap for a political settlement in Syria, and also mentioned Nusra’s “terrorist” designation.
On Tuesday, Pedersen said the fact that Nusra was listed by the UN Security Council as a terrorist organisation was “obviously a complicating factor” in efforts to find a way forward.
However, he stressed that it was important to view HTS, which broke with Nusra in 2016 and has sought to soften its image, through the events of the civil war.
The rebel statement on Sunday said Jolani had emphasised “the need to focus on Syrian territorial unity, reconstruction and achieving economic development”.
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UK says it will provide US$63 million in humanitarian aid for ‘most vulnerable’ Syrians
By Agence France-Presse
The British government said it will release £50 million (US$63 million) of humanitarian aid for “the most vulnerable” Syrians in Syria and in neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.
“We’re committed to supporting the Syrian people as they chart a new course,” Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement.
The funds, which for the most part will be sent to United Nations agencies, “will enable an urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance when needs are at their highest, and support delivery of essential public services in Syria”.
Lammy said Britain will also work “diplomatically to help secure better governance in Syria’s future”, adding that “it is vital that the future Syrian government brings together all groups to establish the stability and respect the Syrian people deserve”.
Separately, Britain said it will give £120,000 to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for its work in Syria.
Lammy also said on Sunday that London had established diplomatic contact with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group in Syria, which led the offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad.
They remain “a proscribed terrorist organisation, but we can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect”, Lammy said.
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By Agence France-Presse
The British government said it will release £50 million (US$63 million) of humanitarian aid for “the most vulnerable” Syrians in Syria and in neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.
“We’re committed to supporting the Syrian people as they chart a new course,” Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement.
The funds, which for the most part will be sent to United Nations agencies, “will enable an urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance when needs are at their highest, and support delivery of essential public services in Syria”.
Lammy said Britain will also work “diplomatically to help secure better governance in Syria’s future”, adding that “it is vital that the future Syrian government brings together all groups to establish the stability and respect the Syrian people deserve”.
Separately, Britain said it will give £120,000 to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for its work in Syria.
Lammy also said on Sunday that London had established diplomatic contact with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group in Syria, which led the offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad.
They remain “a proscribed terrorist organisation, but we can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect”, Lammy said.
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Economist Zhang Yansheng on how China can survive Trump threats, avoid Japan’s mistakes
By Mandy Zuo
Economist Zhang Yansheng is a researcher with the China Academy of Macroeconomic Research. He is also a former secretary general of the academic committee of the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner. Zhang has presided over or taken part in research projects for several of the country’s five-year plans, and published more than 20 books on international finance and trade.
In this interview, Zhang discusses Beijing’s response plan for tariffs and trade encirclement during Donald Trump’s second White House term and what Chinese companies should look out for when expanding overseas. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.
China’s Politburo recently laid out its economic strategy for 2025, which includes a more proactive fiscal policy and a “moderately loose” monetary policy. What are your thoughts on these developments?
Next year is crucial to the Chinese economy, as it marks the transition from the 14th to the 15th five-year plan. The combination of a more proactive fiscal policy and moderately loose monetary policy, along with “unconventional” countercyclical adjustments, suggests that despite the numerous policies introduced since September, the market, businesses and academics believe these measures have been insufficient.
Next year’s focus will be on increasing central fiscal spending and adjusting the deficit ratio, which is essential for addressing financial shortages among local businesses and the public. This year’s fiscal deficit ratio in the US was estimated to be 7.8 per cent compared to China’s 3.8 per cent, indicating room for a potential increase in China - though not implying we need to immediately catch up to the US.
There will be a stronger emphasis on local transfer payments and the use of special local government bonds as capital to help improve local government asset and liability conditions. This is vital for resolving debt problems among businesses, which can stimulate the national economic cycle.
The core issue with the “moderately loose” monetary policy is how to effectively utilize both broad and targeted monetary policies. Targeted policies will likely focus on sectors like technological innovation and green transformation. Fiscal measures are seen as crucial because they directly inject capital into the economy, while monetary policies need to address currency stability and deflationary pressures.
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By Mandy Zuo
Economist Zhang Yansheng is a researcher with the China Academy of Macroeconomic Research. He is also a former secretary general of the academic committee of the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner. Zhang has presided over or taken part in research projects for several of the country’s five-year plans, and published more than 20 books on international finance and trade.
In this interview, Zhang discusses Beijing’s response plan for tariffs and trade encirclement during Donald Trump’s second White House term and what Chinese companies should look out for when expanding overseas. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.
China’s Politburo recently laid out its economic strategy for 2025, which includes a more proactive fiscal policy and a “moderately loose” monetary policy. What are your thoughts on these developments?
Next year is crucial to the Chinese economy, as it marks the transition from the 14th to the 15th five-year plan. The combination of a more proactive fiscal policy and moderately loose monetary policy, along with “unconventional” countercyclical adjustments, suggests that despite the numerous policies introduced since September, the market, businesses and academics believe these measures have been insufficient.
Next year’s focus will be on increasing central fiscal spending and adjusting the deficit ratio, which is essential for addressing financial shortages among local businesses and the public. This year’s fiscal deficit ratio in the US was estimated to be 7.8 per cent compared to China’s 3.8 per cent, indicating room for a potential increase in China - though not implying we need to immediately catch up to the US.
There will be a stronger emphasis on local transfer payments and the use of special local government bonds as capital to help improve local government asset and liability conditions. This is vital for resolving debt problems among businesses, which can stimulate the national economic cycle.
The core issue with the “moderately loose” monetary policy is how to effectively utilize both broad and targeted monetary policies. Targeted policies will likely focus on sectors like technological innovation and green transformation. Fiscal measures are seen as crucial because they directly inject capital into the economy, while monetary policies need to address currency stability and deflationary pressures.
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Ukraine’s Zelensky announces humanitarian aid for Syria
By dpa
Ukraine is ready to provide humanitarian aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening video address on Sunday.
In coordination with his government, Zelensky said food from the Grain from Ukraine programme could be used to help the Syrian population.
“Now we can help the Syrians with Ukrainian wheat, flour and our oil – our products that are used worldwide to ensure food security,” Zelensky said.
Specifically, he said, the logistics need to be agreed upon with representatives from Syria. “We will definitely support this region so that peace there can become a cornerstone for our movement towards genuine peace,” Zelensky said.
The humanitarian programme, initiated in 2022, stipulates that donor countries and other organisations buy agricultural products directly from Ukrainian producers and send them to countries in need, primarily in Africa and Asia.
Syria’s long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown a few days ago following a surprise offensive by Islamist rebels.
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By dpa
Ukraine is ready to provide humanitarian aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening video address on Sunday.
In coordination with his government, Zelensky said food from the Grain from Ukraine programme could be used to help the Syrian population.
“Now we can help the Syrians with Ukrainian wheat, flour and our oil – our products that are used worldwide to ensure food security,” Zelensky said.
Specifically, he said, the logistics need to be agreed upon with representatives from Syria. “We will definitely support this region so that peace there can become a cornerstone for our movement towards genuine peace,” Zelensky said.
The humanitarian programme, initiated in 2022, stipulates that donor countries and other organisations buy agricultural products directly from Ukrainian producers and send them to countries in need, primarily in Africa and Asia.
Syria’s long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown a few days ago following a surprise offensive by Islamist rebels.
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Trump 2.0 is forcing Asian economies to make hard choices fast
By Syed Munir Khasru
As US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House for his second term next month, global markets and US trading partners are bracing for what could be one of the most dramatic reshapings of international commerce since World War II.
His campaign promises suggest an even more aggressive stance on tariffs than his first term, with proposals for a universal baseline tariff of up to 20 per cent on most imports and potential tariffs as high as 60 per cent on Chinese-made goods. These signals alone are prompting Asian countries to re-evaluate their supply chains and investment strategies before he takes charge.
The Trump administration’s aggressive stance towards China during his first term, marked by the trade war which began in 2018, fundamentally altered the economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump’s approach to import tariffs aligns with his “America First” economic vision, emphasising the protection of US industries to address trade imbalances. His first-term policies targeted what he described as unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft and the erosion of US manufacturing jobs, particularly in relation to China.
When Trump became president in 2017, the federal government collected US$34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. This doubled under his watch to US$70.8 billion in 2019. US tariffs on Chinese goods also escalated to cover about US$370 billion worth of imports.
These measures had significant collateral effects on Asian economies integrated into Chinese supply chains. GDP growth in developing Asia fell from 5.9 per cent in 2017 to 5.2 per cent in 2019, partly attributable to rising trade tensions.
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By Syed Munir Khasru
As US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House for his second term next month, global markets and US trading partners are bracing for what could be one of the most dramatic reshapings of international commerce since World War II.
His campaign promises suggest an even more aggressive stance on tariffs than his first term, with proposals for a universal baseline tariff of up to 20 per cent on most imports and potential tariffs as high as 60 per cent on Chinese-made goods. These signals alone are prompting Asian countries to re-evaluate their supply chains and investment strategies before he takes charge.
The Trump administration’s aggressive stance towards China during his first term, marked by the trade war which began in 2018, fundamentally altered the economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump’s approach to import tariffs aligns with his “America First” economic vision, emphasising the protection of US industries to address trade imbalances. His first-term policies targeted what he described as unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft and the erosion of US manufacturing jobs, particularly in relation to China.
When Trump became president in 2017, the federal government collected US$34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. This doubled under his watch to US$70.8 billion in 2019. US tariffs on Chinese goods also escalated to cover about US$370 billion worth of imports.
These measures had significant collateral effects on Asian economies integrated into Chinese supply chains. GDP growth in developing Asia fell from 5.9 per cent in 2017 to 5.2 per cent in 2019, partly attributable to rising trade tensions.
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TikTok Shop is outperforming Shein and Sephora among US shoppers online
By Business Insider
TikTok Shop has surpassed retail giants Shein and Sephora in the online battle for US shoppers.
A 2025 consumer trends report by Coefficient Capital and The New Consumer’s Dan Frommer analysed how Americans’ spending habits could affect certain brands. The research included 11 surveys of over 3,000 US consumers. The company conducted its most recent survey this month.
TikTok Shop launched in September 2023, making it a relatively new online retailer compared to its peers. However, the consumer trends report said 80 per cent of surveyed Americans who use TikTok at least once a month are aware of TikTok Shop, signalling the retailer’s growing reach.
That reach has helped TikTok overtake retailers such as Sephora, Shein, and Qurate in US consumer spending for the third financial quarter, according to the trends report.
Sephora and Shein are two popular online retailers in the United States, especially with younger generations like Gen Alpha. Qurate Retail Group owns and operates six retail brands, including QVC. The company sells items online through its brands.
Sephora helped its parent company, LVMH, achieve record-breaking sales in 2023, reaching US$10 billion in revenue across North America.
Shein made US$2 billion in profits that year. Although Qurate’s third-quarter earnings report said revenue decreased by 5 per cent, it generated US$152 million in operating income.
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By Business Insider
TikTok Shop has surpassed retail giants Shein and Sephora in the online battle for US shoppers.
A 2025 consumer trends report by Coefficient Capital and The New Consumer’s Dan Frommer analysed how Americans’ spending habits could affect certain brands. The research included 11 surveys of over 3,000 US consumers. The company conducted its most recent survey this month.
TikTok Shop launched in September 2023, making it a relatively new online retailer compared to its peers. However, the consumer trends report said 80 per cent of surveyed Americans who use TikTok at least once a month are aware of TikTok Shop, signalling the retailer’s growing reach.
That reach has helped TikTok overtake retailers such as Sephora, Shein, and Qurate in US consumer spending for the third financial quarter, according to the trends report.
Sephora and Shein are two popular online retailers in the United States, especially with younger generations like Gen Alpha. Qurate Retail Group owns and operates six retail brands, including QVC. The company sells items online through its brands.
Sephora helped its parent company, LVMH, achieve record-breaking sales in 2023, reaching US$10 billion in revenue across North America.
Shein made US$2 billion in profits that year. Although Qurate’s third-quarter earnings report said revenue decreased by 5 per cent, it generated US$152 million in operating income.
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US should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Chuck Schumer says
By Associated Press
After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, US Senator Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests.
The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy special technology that identifies and tracks drones back to their landing spots, according to briefings from his office.
Schumer’s call comes amid growing public concern that the federal government has not offered clear explanations as to who is operating the drones, and has not stopped them. National security officials have said the drones do not appear to be a sign of foreign interference.
“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” said Connecticut congressman Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on Fox News Sunday. “The answer ‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer.”
US president-elect Donald Trump posted on social media last week: “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.”
Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said, without saying exactly how.
The drones do not appear to be linked to foreign governments, Mayorkas said.
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By Associated Press
After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, US Senator Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests.
The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy special technology that identifies and tracks drones back to their landing spots, according to briefings from his office.
Schumer’s call comes amid growing public concern that the federal government has not offered clear explanations as to who is operating the drones, and has not stopped them. National security officials have said the drones do not appear to be a sign of foreign interference.
“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” said Connecticut congressman Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on Fox News Sunday. “The answer ‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer.”
US president-elect Donald Trump posted on social media last week: “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.”
Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said, without saying exactly how.
The drones do not appear to be linked to foreign governments, Mayorkas said.
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US needs to do more to make cyber attackers pay, says Trump adviser Mike Waltz
By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump’s administration will examine ways to impose higher costs on private actors and US adversaries who wage cyberattacks on America, said congressman Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, on Sunday.
The comments come after US allegations of a sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon that targeted and recorded telephone calls of senior American political figures.
The White House has said at least eight telecommunications and infrastructure firms in the United States had been affected and a large number of Americans’ metadata was stolen in the sweeping cyber espionage campaign.
Waltz did not say what the Trump administration would do in response to Salt Typhoon but spoke more generally about the incoming administration’s approach. He said Washington for too long had focused mostly on bolstering its cyber defences.
“We need to start going on the offence and start imposing, I think, higher costs and consequences to private actors and nation-state actors that continue to steal our data, that continue to spy on us,” Waltz told CBS News’ Face the Nation.
He also said the private US technology industry could also be helpful in making adversaries vulnerable as well as aiding in US defence.
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By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump’s administration will examine ways to impose higher costs on private actors and US adversaries who wage cyberattacks on America, said congressman Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, on Sunday.
The comments come after US allegations of a sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon that targeted and recorded telephone calls of senior American political figures.
The White House has said at least eight telecommunications and infrastructure firms in the United States had been affected and a large number of Americans’ metadata was stolen in the sweeping cyber espionage campaign.
Waltz did not say what the Trump administration would do in response to Salt Typhoon but spoke more generally about the incoming administration’s approach. He said Washington for too long had focused mostly on bolstering its cyber defences.
“We need to start going on the offence and start imposing, I think, higher costs and consequences to private actors and nation-state actors that continue to steal our data, that continue to spy on us,” Waltz told CBS News’ Face the Nation.
He also said the private US technology industry could also be helpful in making adversaries vulnerable as well as aiding in US defence.
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7 foreigners hospitalised after drinking cocktails at 5-star Fiji resort
By Agence France-Presse
Seven foreigners including four Australians and an American have been hospitalised after drinking cocktails at a five-star Fiji hotel resort, health officials said on Sunday.
The hotel guests were taken to hospital on Saturday night suffering “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms”, Fiji’s health ministry said in a statement.
They fell ill after drinking a cocktail prepared at a bar in the luxury Warwick Fiji resort on the Coral Coast, about 60 km (40 miles) west of the capital Suva, it said.
A ministry spokesperson said the guests, aged from 18 to 56, included four Australians, one American and two foreigners who live in Fiji, whose nationalities were not given.
All seven were initially taken to the nearby Sigatoka hospital.
Because of the severity of their conditions, they were later transferred to the larger Lautoka Hospital on the island’s west coast, the ministry spokesperson said.
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By Agence France-Presse
Seven foreigners including four Australians and an American have been hospitalised after drinking cocktails at a five-star Fiji hotel resort, health officials said on Sunday.
The hotel guests were taken to hospital on Saturday night suffering “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms”, Fiji’s health ministry said in a statement.
They fell ill after drinking a cocktail prepared at a bar in the luxury Warwick Fiji resort on the Coral Coast, about 60 km (40 miles) west of the capital Suva, it said.
A ministry spokesperson said the guests, aged from 18 to 56, included four Australians, one American and two foreigners who live in Fiji, whose nationalities were not given.
All seven were initially taken to the nearby Sigatoka hospital.
Because of the severity of their conditions, they were later transferred to the larger Lautoka Hospital on the island’s west coast, the ministry spokesperson said.
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Israel to close Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions as Palestinian death toll nears 45,000
By Associated Press
Israel said on Sunday it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorated over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials said new Israeli air strikes killed more than 30 people including several children.
The decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland’s “extreme anti-Israel policies”. In May, Israel recalled its ambassador to Dublin after Ireland announced, along with Norway, Spain and Slovenia, it would recognise a Palestinian state.
The Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel denies it.
“We are concerned that a very narrow interpretation of what constitutes genocide leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimised,” Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister, Micheal Martin, said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s statement on the embassy closure said “Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel”.
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By Associated Press
Israel said on Sunday it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorated over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials said new Israeli air strikes killed more than 30 people including several children.
The decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland’s “extreme anti-Israel policies”. In May, Israel recalled its ambassador to Dublin after Ireland announced, along with Norway, Spain and Slovenia, it would recognise a Palestinian state.
The Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel denies it.
“We are concerned that a very narrow interpretation of what constitutes genocide leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimised,” Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister, Micheal Martin, said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s statement on the embassy closure said “Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel”.
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Israel plans to double population on occupied Golan Heights, cites threats from Syria
By Reuters
Israel agreed on Sunday to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago.
“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Israel captured most of the strategic plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexing it in 1981.
In 2019 then-President Donald Trump declared US support for Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, but the annexation has not been recognised by most countries. Syria demands Israel withdraw but Israel refuses, citing security concerns. Various peace efforts have failed.
“The immediate risks to the country have not disappeared and the latest developments in Syria increase the strength of the threat – despite the moderate image that the rebel leaders claim to present,” Defence Minister Israel Katz told officials examining Israel’s defence budget, according to a statement.
Netanyahu’s office said the government unanimously approved a more than 40-million-shekel (US$11 million) plan to encourage demographic growth in the Golan.
It said Netanyahu submitted the plan to the government “in light of the war and the new front facing Syria, and out of a desire to double the population of the Golan”.
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By Reuters
Israel agreed on Sunday to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago.
“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Israel captured most of the strategic plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexing it in 1981.
In 2019 then-President Donald Trump declared US support for Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, but the annexation has not been recognised by most countries. Syria demands Israel withdraw but Israel refuses, citing security concerns. Various peace efforts have failed.
“The immediate risks to the country have not disappeared and the latest developments in Syria increase the strength of the threat – despite the moderate image that the rebel leaders claim to present,” Defence Minister Israel Katz told officials examining Israel’s defence budget, according to a statement.
Netanyahu’s office said the government unanimously approved a more than 40-million-shekel (US$11 million) plan to encourage demographic growth in the Golan.
It said Netanyahu submitted the plan to the government “in light of the war and the new front facing Syria, and out of a desire to double the population of the Golan”.
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Hong Kong man, 69, dies during hike along popular Sai Kung beach
By Danny Mok
An elderly Hong Kong man collapsed and died during a hike in Sai Kung on Sunday.
Authorities received a report at 4.30pm that the man, 69, had collapsed and was unconscious near Tung Wan at the scenic Tai Long Wan beach.
A Government Flying Service helicopter was dispatched to the scene to provide assistance.
The hiker was airlifted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A police source said no injuries were apparent on the body.
The man was part of a group of nine people hiking in the Sharp Peak area.
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By Danny Mok
An elderly Hong Kong man collapsed and died during a hike in Sai Kung on Sunday.
Authorities received a report at 4.30pm that the man, 69, had collapsed and was unconscious near Tung Wan at the scenic Tai Long Wan beach.
A Government Flying Service helicopter was dispatched to the scene to provide assistance.
The hiker was airlifted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A police source said no injuries were apparent on the body.
The man was part of a group of nine people hiking in the Sharp Peak area.
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China-EU trade war a ‘lose-lose’ situation, top diplomat Wang Yi warns
By Phoebe Zhang
China’s top diplomat has warned that a trade war between China and the European Union would result in a “lose-lose” situation and urged Beijing and Brussels to continue talks and strengthen their cooperation.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments on Saturday while meeting Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, at the 26th China-France Strategic Dialogue in Beijing, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
“A trade war will only lead to a ‘lose-lose’ situation,” Wang said. “China is the staunchest defender of the free trade system and opposes the politicisation of economic and trade issues.”
China and the EU remain locked in a feud over trade. Earlier this year, the 27-member bloc slapped tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which Brussels says have unfairly benefited from state subsidies. In return, Beijing has launched investigations into European pork and dairy imports.
Wang urged Brussels to adopt a constructive attitude and find mutually acceptable solutions through dialogues.
He said exchanges between the people of France and China had grown closer and the two countries had voiced their opinions on global challenges, including artificial intelligence, ocean governance and the Middle East.
Wang said he hoped China and France could pursue a positive agenda next year, promote cooperation and explore opportunities in fields such as nuclear energy and aerospace, artificial intelligence, new materials, high-end equipment, environmental protection and healthcare technology.
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By Phoebe Zhang
China’s top diplomat has warned that a trade war between China and the European Union would result in a “lose-lose” situation and urged Beijing and Brussels to continue talks and strengthen their cooperation.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments on Saturday while meeting Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, at the 26th China-France Strategic Dialogue in Beijing, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
“A trade war will only lead to a ‘lose-lose’ situation,” Wang said. “China is the staunchest defender of the free trade system and opposes the politicisation of economic and trade issues.”
China and the EU remain locked in a feud over trade. Earlier this year, the 27-member bloc slapped tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which Brussels says have unfairly benefited from state subsidies. In return, Beijing has launched investigations into European pork and dairy imports.
Wang urged Brussels to adopt a constructive attitude and find mutually acceptable solutions through dialogues.
He said exchanges between the people of France and China had grown closer and the two countries had voiced their opinions on global challenges, including artificial intelligence, ocean governance and the Middle East.
Wang said he hoped China and France could pursue a positive agenda next year, promote cooperation and explore opportunities in fields such as nuclear energy and aerospace, artificial intelligence, new materials, high-end equipment, environmental protection and healthcare technology.
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Gunmen clash in Libya as fires erupt at a nearby oil refinery, officials say
By Associated Press
Clashes broke out Sunday between armed groups in a western Libyan city, trapping residents in their homes and causing fires in the country’s second largest oil refinery, officials said.
The fighting in the coastal city of Zawiya, about 47 kilometres (about 30 miles) west of capital Tripoli, pitted gunmen loyal to the Shurafaa tribe against warlord Mohamed Kushalf, according to local media. Kushalf was sanctioned by the UN Security Council in 2018 for his alleged involvement in human trafficking.
It wasn’t immediately clear what triggered the clashes but they are not uncommon in western Libya, which is controlled by an array of lawless militias and armed groups allied with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s government.
Oil-rich Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west. It plunged into chaos following the 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, which toppled and later killed long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.
The fighting on Sunday closed a major coastal road linking Zawiya to other cities in western Libya, and classes were suspended.
“Many families are trapped in their homes. Bullets are being fired indiscriminately, hitting houses and buildings,” resident Ahmed Abu Hussein said by phone. He said the fighting occurred in multiple areas across the city, including densely populated quarters, causing panic and terror among civilians.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Associated Press
Clashes broke out Sunday between armed groups in a western Libyan city, trapping residents in their homes and causing fires in the country’s second largest oil refinery, officials said.
The fighting in the coastal city of Zawiya, about 47 kilometres (about 30 miles) west of capital Tripoli, pitted gunmen loyal to the Shurafaa tribe against warlord Mohamed Kushalf, according to local media. Kushalf was sanctioned by the UN Security Council in 2018 for his alleged involvement in human trafficking.
It wasn’t immediately clear what triggered the clashes but they are not uncommon in western Libya, which is controlled by an array of lawless militias and armed groups allied with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s government.
Oil-rich Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west. It plunged into chaos following the 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, which toppled and later killed long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.
The fighting on Sunday closed a major coastal road linking Zawiya to other cities in western Libya, and classes were suspended.
“Many families are trapped in their homes. Bullets are being fired indiscriminately, hitting houses and buildings,” resident Ahmed Abu Hussein said by phone. He said the fighting occurred in multiple areas across the city, including densely populated quarters, causing panic and terror among civilians.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Girl, 11, rushed to hospital in Hong Kong after falling from third-storey flat
By Emily Hung
An 11-year-old girl was sent to hospital after falling from the third storey of a residential building in Sandy Bay in southern Hong Kong on Sunday evening.
Police received a report at around 5.50pm and rushed to the Regent Palisades on Bisney Road. The girl was conscious when taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam.
According to the force, the girl fell out of a window while playing in a flat on a lower floor.
A source said the flat was located on the third floor.
In Hong Kong, anyone convicted of ill-treatment or neglect of a child can be jailed for up to 10 years.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Emily Hung
An 11-year-old girl was sent to hospital after falling from the third storey of a residential building in Sandy Bay in southern Hong Kong on Sunday evening.
Police received a report at around 5.50pm and rushed to the Regent Palisades on Bisney Road. The girl was conscious when taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam.
According to the force, the girl fell out of a window while playing in a flat on a lower floor.
A source said the flat was located on the third floor.
In Hong Kong, anyone convicted of ill-treatment or neglect of a child can be jailed for up to 10 years.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
14 killed in France’s Mayotte devastated by Cyclone Chido
By Agence France-Presse
At least 14 people were killed in Mayotte when a fierce cyclone battered the French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on Sunday, with officials warning it will take days to know the full toll.
Rescuers and supplies are being rushed in by air and sea, but their efforts are likely to be hindered by damage to airports and electricity distribution in a territory where even clean drinking water was already subject to chronic shortages.
The toll of 14 was counted in a provisional list compiled by authorities, a security source told journalists.
Nine people were gravely wounded and fighting for their lives in hospital, said Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, mayor of Mayotte’s capital Mamoudzou, while 246 more were seriously injured.
“The hospital is hit, the schools are hit. Houses are totally devastated,” he said, adding that the hurricane “spared nothing”.
Mayotte’s 320,000 residents were ordered into lockdown as cyclone Chido bore down on the islands around 500 kilometres east of Mozambique.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
At least 14 people were killed in Mayotte when a fierce cyclone battered the French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on Sunday, with officials warning it will take days to know the full toll.
Rescuers and supplies are being rushed in by air and sea, but their efforts are likely to be hindered by damage to airports and electricity distribution in a territory where even clean drinking water was already subject to chronic shortages.
The toll of 14 was counted in a provisional list compiled by authorities, a security source told journalists.
Nine people were gravely wounded and fighting for their lives in hospital, said Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, mayor of Mayotte’s capital Mamoudzou, while 246 more were seriously injured.
“The hospital is hit, the schools are hit. Houses are totally devastated,” he said, adding that the hurricane “spared nothing”.
Mayotte’s 320,000 residents were ordered into lockdown as cyclone Chido bore down on the islands around 500 kilometres east of Mozambique.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Panda poachers? Hong Kong police arrest visitor over theft of bear installation
By Danny Mok
Hong Kong police have arrested a visitor for allegedly stealing a model panda from an installation in Kwun Tong, while officers are still hunting for another suspect who snatched a second bear from the site.
The models were among 80 items, ranging from half a metre to three metres (1.6 feet to 9.8 feet) in height, on display at the Urban Renewal Authority’s “Free Space” in Kwun Tong as part of Christmas celebrations.
The authority’s managing director, Wai Chi-sing, said on his blog on Sunday that two of the model pandas had recently gone missing.
The authority contacted police after reviewing security camera footage that showed thieves had taken the pair. Wai did not elaborate on the details of the missing items.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge the public to cherish the exhibits and installations set up by the Urban Renewal Authority to enhance the district’s character and vibrancy,” he said.
“Please do not damage or take these items for personal use, so that more people can enjoy the festive joy.”
Police received a report from a security guard on December 9 who said part of the panda installation had gone missing at the space.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Danny Mok
Hong Kong police have arrested a visitor for allegedly stealing a model panda from an installation in Kwun Tong, while officers are still hunting for another suspect who snatched a second bear from the site.
The models were among 80 items, ranging from half a metre to three metres (1.6 feet to 9.8 feet) in height, on display at the Urban Renewal Authority’s “Free Space” in Kwun Tong as part of Christmas celebrations.
The authority’s managing director, Wai Chi-sing, said on his blog on Sunday that two of the model pandas had recently gone missing.
The authority contacted police after reviewing security camera footage that showed thieves had taken the pair. Wai did not elaborate on the details of the missing items.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge the public to cherish the exhibits and installations set up by the Urban Renewal Authority to enhance the district’s character and vibrancy,” he said.
“Please do not damage or take these items for personal use, so that more people can enjoy the festive joy.”
Police received a report from a security guard on December 9 who said part of the panda installation had gone missing at the space.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
