Assad says he wanted to stay in Syria but Russia evacuated him
By Associated Press
Ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad said on Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack.
They were Assad’s first public comments since he was overthrown by insurgent groups just over a week ago following a swift offensive that has shaken up the country’s alliances and led to celebrations in a nation long stifled by civil war.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the new transitional government told Associated Press that the new Syria will be inclusive and open to the world.
Assad said on Facebook that he left Damascus on the morning of December 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He said he left in coordination with Russian allies to their Hmeimim airbase in the coastal province of Latakia, where he had planned to keep fighting.
But after the Russian base came under attack by drones, he said, the Russians decided to move him that night to Russia.
“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said in the English text of his statement. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
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By Associated Press
Ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad said on Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack.
They were Assad’s first public comments since he was overthrown by insurgent groups just over a week ago following a swift offensive that has shaken up the country’s alliances and led to celebrations in a nation long stifled by civil war.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the new transitional government told Associated Press that the new Syria will be inclusive and open to the world.
Assad said on Facebook that he left Damascus on the morning of December 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He said he left in coordination with Russian allies to their Hmeimim airbase in the coastal province of Latakia, where he had planned to keep fighting.
But after the Russian base came under attack by drones, he said, the Russians decided to move him that night to Russia.
“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said in the English text of his statement. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
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Trump says China, US can work together to ‘solve all of the world’s problems’
By Khushboo Razdan
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that Beijing and Washington could work together “to solve all of the problems of the world”, a sweeping statement issued little more than a month before he reassumes office.
Trump made the comment during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, when asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s response to his invitation to attend the January 20 presidential inauguration.
Xi “hasn’t said one way or the other”, he said about the invitation.
That the issue was “something we barely discussed”, he said, adding that he has had “some very good conversations” with the Chinese leader through letters.
“You know, because China and the United States can, together solve all of the problems of the world, if you think about it. So it’s very important. And you know, he was a friend of mine”, Trump added.
Reflecting on the meeting the two men had at Mar-a-Lago in 2017, Trump said: “He was here for a long time, right in that spot, except sitting in a very comfortable chair. He wasn’t standing like you are. But we spent hours and hours talking, and he’s an amazing guy”.
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By Khushboo Razdan
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that Beijing and Washington could work together “to solve all of the problems of the world”, a sweeping statement issued little more than a month before he reassumes office.
Trump made the comment during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, when asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s response to his invitation to attend the January 20 presidential inauguration.
Xi “hasn’t said one way or the other”, he said about the invitation.
That the issue was “something we barely discussed”, he said, adding that he has had “some very good conversations” with the Chinese leader through letters.
“You know, because China and the United States can, together solve all of the problems of the world, if you think about it. So it’s very important. And you know, he was a friend of mine”, Trump added.
Reflecting on the meeting the two men had at Mar-a-Lago in 2017, Trump said: “He was here for a long time, right in that spot, except sitting in a very comfortable chair. He wasn’t standing like you are. But we spent hours and hours talking, and he’s an amazing guy”.
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5 dead, 5 injured after shooting at Wisconsin Christian school
By Agencies
A shooting at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin left five people dead on Monday, including the suspected shooter, and at least five others injured, authorities said.
Children were among the dead, authorities said.
The shooting took place at Abundant Life Christian School, a private non-denominational institution that teaches some 390 pupils from kindergarten to high school, the Madison Police Department said on social media.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said during a press conference that at least five people were killed in the incident, including the suspected shooter, who he identified as a juvenile found dead by police when officers arrived at the school.
At least five people were taken from the scene to nearby hospitals, Barnes said.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, a White House official said.
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By Agencies
A shooting at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin left five people dead on Monday, including the suspected shooter, and at least five others injured, authorities said.
Children were among the dead, authorities said.
The shooting took place at Abundant Life Christian School, a private non-denominational institution that teaches some 390 pupils from kindergarten to high school, the Madison Police Department said on social media.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said during a press conference that at least five people were killed in the incident, including the suspected shooter, who he identified as a juvenile found dead by police when officers arrived at the school.
At least five people were taken from the scene to nearby hospitals, Barnes said.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, a White House official said.
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Top Chinese and Indian officials to discuss Himalayan border dispute this week
By Laura Zhou
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is to host India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval in Beijing to discuss the nations’ Himalayan border dispute on Wednesday, the ministry said on Monday – the latest sign of improved ties following an agreement on patrolling the boundary.
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the meeting would be the 23rd under the “special representatives dialogue” mechanism – but the first since 2019 – and would cover “the consensus reached between China and India”.
On the eve of a meeting in October between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Beijing and New Delhi agreed to disengage their patrolling troops at the disputed border, a diplomatic breakthrough that is expected to end the high-altitude stand-off since a deadly skirmish four years ago.
In addition to using the dialogue “to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area and to seek a fair and reasonable solution”, according to the Chinese readout of that meeting, Xi and Modi also agreed to push for more engagement between officials “at all levels” so as to “promote early return of relations between the two countries to the track of stable development”.
China and India have never agreed on their border demarcation. Since a short but bloody war over the issue in 1962, the two nations have been divided by a 3,200km (1,990-mile) Line of Actual Control (LAC) – though they have not even been able to agree on precisely where that lies.
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By Laura Zhou
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is to host India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval in Beijing to discuss the nations’ Himalayan border dispute on Wednesday, the ministry said on Monday – the latest sign of improved ties following an agreement on patrolling the boundary.
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the meeting would be the 23rd under the “special representatives dialogue” mechanism – but the first since 2019 – and would cover “the consensus reached between China and India”.
On the eve of a meeting in October between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Beijing and New Delhi agreed to disengage their patrolling troops at the disputed border, a diplomatic breakthrough that is expected to end the high-altitude stand-off since a deadly skirmish four years ago.
In addition to using the dialogue “to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area and to seek a fair and reasonable solution”, according to the Chinese readout of that meeting, Xi and Modi also agreed to push for more engagement between officials “at all levels” so as to “promote early return of relations between the two countries to the track of stable development”.
China and India have never agreed on their border demarcation. Since a short but bloody war over the issue in 1962, the two nations have been divided by a 3,200km (1,990-mile) Line of Actual Control (LAC) – though they have not even been able to agree on precisely where that lies.
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Former FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about fake bribery scheme involving Bidens
By Associated Press
A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a fake bribery scheme involving US President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea in Los Angeles to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income, according to court papers.
Prosecutors and the defence have agreed to recommend a sentence of between four and six years in prison, according to the plea agreement.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden US$5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice-president.
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By Associated Press
A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a fake bribery scheme involving US President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea in Los Angeles to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income, according to court papers.
Prosecutors and the defence have agreed to recommend a sentence of between four and six years in prison, according to the plea agreement.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden US$5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice-president.
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Alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew denies claims, criticises UK political climate
By dpa
Alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who forged links with Prince Andrew and mixed with other British establishment figures, has insisted that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”.
Yang said it was “entirely untrue” to claim he was involved in espionage and said he was a victim of a “political climate” which had seen a rise in tensions between the UK and China.
A businessman, Yang became a “close” confidant of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and has also been pictured with senior politicians including former conservative prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May.
In a statement after a High Court judge lifted an order granting him anonymity, Yang he said: “Due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere, I have asked my legal team to disclose my identity.”
“I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded. The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue,” he added.
Yang last week lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds.
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By dpa
Alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who forged links with Prince Andrew and mixed with other British establishment figures, has insisted that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”.
Yang said it was “entirely untrue” to claim he was involved in espionage and said he was a victim of a “political climate” which had seen a rise in tensions between the UK and China.
A businessman, Yang became a “close” confidant of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and has also been pictured with senior politicians including former conservative prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May.
In a statement after a High Court judge lifted an order granting him anonymity, Yang he said: “Due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere, I have asked my legal team to disclose my identity.”
“I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded. The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue,” he added.
Yang last week lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds.
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Canada Finance Minister Freeland resigns as PM Trudeau deals with declining popularity
By Associated Press
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s most powerful and loyal minister, said on Monday she was resigning from the cabinet as Trudeau struggles with declining popularity.
The move stunned the country and raised questions about how much longer Trudeau can stay in his job.
Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said Trudeau had told her on Friday that he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister and that he offered her another role in the cabinet.
But she said in her resignation letter to the prime minister that the only “honest and viable path” was to leave the cabinet.
“For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said.
Freeland and Trudeau disagreed about a two-month sales tax holiday and C$250 (US$175) cheques to Canadians that were recently announced.
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By Associated Press
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s most powerful and loyal minister, said on Monday she was resigning from the cabinet as Trudeau struggles with declining popularity.
The move stunned the country and raised questions about how much longer Trudeau can stay in his job.
Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said Trudeau had told her on Friday that he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister and that he offered her another role in the cabinet.
But she said in her resignation letter to the prime minister that the only “honest and viable path” was to leave the cabinet.
“For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said.
Freeland and Trudeau disagreed about a two-month sales tax holiday and C$250 (US$175) cheques to Canadians that were recently announced.
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Hong Kong police warn online selling platform Carousell being used for scams
By Jess Ma
Hong Kong police have warned residents about scammers posing as customers on the popular online retail platform Carousell, with 644 cases involving HK$36 million (US$4.63 million) in losses recorded in the first 10 months of the year.
Chief Inspector Felton Leung Yee-tak of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau said on Monday that losses from online shopping scams between January and October were more than double the amount recorded during the same period last year.
Scammers were increasingly using fake payment records to obtain bank account details of individual sellers on e-commerce platforms such as Carousell, which often increased the size of the losses, he said.
“In these types of cases, scammers weren’t targeting particular types of goods, but rather the victim’s log-in information for online banking services and savings,” Leung said. “Therefore, the losses incurred would be more serious, deserving greater attention.”
The number of online shopping scams rose amid a slight drop in overall technology crime cases, which span various types of online scams, sextortion, phishing scams and account theft.
The city logged 28,433 cases of technology crimes in the first 10 months, down by 2.2 per cent from the same period last year, with losses falling by HK$210 million.
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By Jess Ma
Hong Kong police have warned residents about scammers posing as customers on the popular online retail platform Carousell, with 644 cases involving HK$36 million (US$4.63 million) in losses recorded in the first 10 months of the year.
Chief Inspector Felton Leung Yee-tak of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau said on Monday that losses from online shopping scams between January and October were more than double the amount recorded during the same period last year.
Scammers were increasingly using fake payment records to obtain bank account details of individual sellers on e-commerce platforms such as Carousell, which often increased the size of the losses, he said.
“In these types of cases, scammers weren’t targeting particular types of goods, but rather the victim’s log-in information for online banking services and savings,” Leung said. “Therefore, the losses incurred would be more serious, deserving greater attention.”
The number of online shopping scams rose amid a slight drop in overall technology crime cases, which span various types of online scams, sextortion, phishing scams and account theft.
The city logged 28,433 cases of technology crimes in the first 10 months, down by 2.2 per cent from the same period last year, with losses falling by HK$210 million.
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Hong Kong tourists find 6 dinosaur egg fossils on Guangdong trip
By Danny Mok
Two Hong Kong tourists have found six fossilised dinosaur eggs in Guangdong province, prompting mainland Chinese authorities to further analyse the species.
The pair made the discovery at a park in Heyuan, a city known for the large number of dinosaur egg fossils previously unearthed there.
They reportedly noticed rocks on a slope that resembled dinosaur eggs. They then reported the discovery to staff at a local dinosaur research institute.
Researchers inspected the site and confirmed the find was a nest of six oval-shaped eggs, which individually measured 5cm to 9cm in length and about 4cm in width.
One of the pair, who reportedly works as a guide at the Hong Kong Geopark, told mainland media that his visit to Heyuan was primarily to study red sandstone landforms in the suburbs. He said finding the fossils was completely unexpected.
“When I was examining some rocks, I unexpectedly saw some signs of fossils in the rock layers. I took pictures and sent them to the institute for verification,” he said.
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By Danny Mok
Two Hong Kong tourists have found six fossilised dinosaur eggs in Guangdong province, prompting mainland Chinese authorities to further analyse the species.
The pair made the discovery at a park in Heyuan, a city known for the large number of dinosaur egg fossils previously unearthed there.
They reportedly noticed rocks on a slope that resembled dinosaur eggs. They then reported the discovery to staff at a local dinosaur research institute.
Researchers inspected the site and confirmed the find was a nest of six oval-shaped eggs, which individually measured 5cm to 9cm in length and about 4cm in width.
One of the pair, who reportedly works as a guide at the Hong Kong Geopark, told mainland media that his visit to Heyuan was primarily to study red sandstone landforms in the suburbs. He said finding the fossils was completely unexpected.
“When I was examining some rocks, I unexpectedly saw some signs of fossils in the rock layers. I took pictures and sent them to the institute for verification,” he said.
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Hong Kong police investigating after dogs owned by ex-beauty queen poisoned
By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation into a suspected poisoning of two dogs belonging to a former beauty queen.
Miss Hong Kong 2020 winner Lisa-Marie Tse Ga-ye lamented the death of her two dogs on her social media page on Monday, saying she wrote the update with “the heaviest of heartbroken hearts”.
Tse said she had taken her three dogs for a walk on Sunday in She Shan village in Lam Tsuen, where some “very disgusting, horrible and unforgivable person” had left “a meat feast laced with poison” on a path.
“By the time I got to the girls, they had started to drop and have seizures. Unfortunately Peachy didn’t make it to the vet, and Summer passed very soon after,” she said.
“The vet told us the meat was laced with neurotoxins, meaning it hit their brain immediately and there was little to be done.”
Tse added that she believed the act was “well-planned” as the poison had been mixed with a whole roast chicken, sausages and other meats left on a plate.
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By Sammy Heung
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation into a suspected poisoning of two dogs belonging to a former beauty queen.
Miss Hong Kong 2020 winner Lisa-Marie Tse Ga-ye lamented the death of her two dogs on her social media page on Monday, saying she wrote the update with “the heaviest of heartbroken hearts”.
Tse said she had taken her three dogs for a walk on Sunday in She Shan village in Lam Tsuen, where some “very disgusting, horrible and unforgivable person” had left “a meat feast laced with poison” on a path.
“By the time I got to the girls, they had started to drop and have seizures. Unfortunately Peachy didn’t make it to the vet, and Summer passed very soon after,” she said.
“The vet told us the meat was laced with neurotoxins, meaning it hit their brain immediately and there was little to be done.”
Tse added that she believed the act was “well-planned” as the poison had been mixed with a whole roast chicken, sausages and other meats left on a plate.
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Hong Kong worker dies after forklift tips over and traps him underneath
By Danny Mok
A Hong Kong worker died after a forklift he was operating fell on its side in Yuen Long on Monday.
The 30-year-old man was driving the forklift to transport goods at a warehouse on Kung Um Road at around 5pm when the vehicle went out of control and tipped over, trapping the man underneath.
Firefighters rescued the unconscious man and rushed him to Pok Oi Hospital for emergency treatment, but he was pronounced dead at 5.53pm.
Police were investigating the cause of the accident.
The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims expressed its condolences and said the driver was operating transporting recyclable materials
The association was trying to contact the family to offer assistance.
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By Danny Mok
A Hong Kong worker died after a forklift he was operating fell on its side in Yuen Long on Monday.
The 30-year-old man was driving the forklift to transport goods at a warehouse on Kung Um Road at around 5pm when the vehicle went out of control and tipped over, trapping the man underneath.
Firefighters rescued the unconscious man and rushed him to Pok Oi Hospital for emergency treatment, but he was pronounced dead at 5.53pm.
Police were investigating the cause of the accident.
The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims expressed its condolences and said the driver was operating transporting recyclable materials
The association was trying to contact the family to offer assistance.
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Germany’s Scholz faces confidence vote, expected to lead to February election
By Associated Press
Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a confidence vote in the German parliament on Monday that he was expected to lose, paving the way for the European Union’s most populous member and biggest economy to hold an early election in February.
Scholz’s unpopular and notoriously rancorous three-party government collapsed on November 6 when the chancellor fired his finance minister in a long-running dispute over how to revitalise Germany’s stagnant economy, and the minister’s pro-business party quit the coalition.
That left the remaining two centre-left partners without a majority in parliament.
Leaders of several major parties then agreed that a parliamentary election should be held on February 23, seven months earlier than originally planned.
Post-World War II Germany’s constitution does not allow parliament’s lower house, or Bundestag, to dissolve itself, so a confidence vote is needed to set in motion the early election.
Scholz’s Social Democrats hold 207 seats in the Bundestag and are expected to vote for the chancellor. Their remaining coalition partners, the environmentalist Greens, have 117 and plan to abstain. That should mean Scholz gets nowhere near the majority of 367 in the 733-seat chamber needed to win the confidence vote.
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By Associated Press
Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a confidence vote in the German parliament on Monday that he was expected to lose, paving the way for the European Union’s most populous member and biggest economy to hold an early election in February.
Scholz’s unpopular and notoriously rancorous three-party government collapsed on November 6 when the chancellor fired his finance minister in a long-running dispute over how to revitalise Germany’s stagnant economy, and the minister’s pro-business party quit the coalition.
That left the remaining two centre-left partners without a majority in parliament.
Leaders of several major parties then agreed that a parliamentary election should be held on February 23, seven months earlier than originally planned.
Post-World War II Germany’s constitution does not allow parliament’s lower house, or Bundestag, to dissolve itself, so a confidence vote is needed to set in motion the early election.
Scholz’s Social Democrats hold 207 seats in the Bundestag and are expected to vote for the chancellor. Their remaining coalition partners, the environmentalist Greens, have 117 and plan to abstain. That should mean Scholz gets nowhere near the majority of 367 in the 733-seat chamber needed to win the confidence vote.
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Hong Kong arrest warrant issued for student in forged qualifications case
By Ng Kang-chung
An arrest warrant has been issued for a student who failed to appear in court over her alleged use of forged academic qualifications in her application to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Sha Tin Court issued the arrest warrant on Monday and reserved the bail of Lyu Yunni, 23, after she failed to appear at the hearing.
She is accused of using a forged document between February 2022 and June 2023 to induce Chinese University staff to accept it as genuine to do or not to do some act to the prejudice of the university.
The mainland Chinese student last appeared in front of a magistrate in early November and was charged with one count of “using a false instrument”.
The prosecution sought an adjournment at the time, saying it needed further time to investigate and seek legal advice. The case was scheduled to be heard again on Monday.
Lyu was granted HK$10,000 bail and allowed to leave Hong Kong between November 6 and 20.
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By Ng Kang-chung
An arrest warrant has been issued for a student who failed to appear in court over her alleged use of forged academic qualifications in her application to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Sha Tin Court issued the arrest warrant on Monday and reserved the bail of Lyu Yunni, 23, after she failed to appear at the hearing.
She is accused of using a forged document between February 2022 and June 2023 to induce Chinese University staff to accept it as genuine to do or not to do some act to the prejudice of the university.
The mainland Chinese student last appeared in front of a magistrate in early November and was charged with one count of “using a false instrument”.
The prosecution sought an adjournment at the time, saying it needed further time to investigate and seek legal advice. The case was scheduled to be heard again on Monday.
Lyu was granted HK$10,000 bail and allowed to leave Hong Kong between November 6 and 20.
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China’s amped-up nuclear power ambitions at core of energy security amid safety concerns
By Frank Chen
China is leading the world in nuclear power installations and projects under construction as Beijing amps up investment efforts to decarbonise its energy mix.
The country, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, accounting for more than a third of global emissions, will kick off construction of more nuclear plant projects in coastal regions in 2025, with more in the state-planning pipeline.
National Energy Administration director Wang Hongzhi said at a national energy work conference on Sunday that more nuclear projects would be launched next year, with an eye on safety.
With a combined installed capacity of 113 million kilowatts, China currently has 102 reactors, either in use or being built, that dot the country’s coastline, with economic powerhouses Guangdong, Jiangsu and Fujian boasting the biggest clusters.
In comparison, the United States had 93 operating commercial reactors at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states as of August 2023, with total net summer electricity generation capacity standing at 9.47 million kW in 2022, according to US Energy Information Administration data.
In one of China’s biggest pushes for its nuclear industry in years, the State Council, China’s cabinet, in August greenlit 11 new reactors at five projects worth more than 200 billion yuan (US$27.5 billion).
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By Frank Chen
China is leading the world in nuclear power installations and projects under construction as Beijing amps up investment efforts to decarbonise its energy mix.
The country, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, accounting for more than a third of global emissions, will kick off construction of more nuclear plant projects in coastal regions in 2025, with more in the state-planning pipeline.
National Energy Administration director Wang Hongzhi said at a national energy work conference on Sunday that more nuclear projects would be launched next year, with an eye on safety.
With a combined installed capacity of 113 million kilowatts, China currently has 102 reactors, either in use or being built, that dot the country’s coastline, with economic powerhouses Guangdong, Jiangsu and Fujian boasting the biggest clusters.
In comparison, the United States had 93 operating commercial reactors at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states as of August 2023, with total net summer electricity generation capacity standing at 9.47 million kW in 2022, according to US Energy Information Administration data.
In one of China’s biggest pushes for its nuclear industry in years, the State Council, China’s cabinet, in August greenlit 11 new reactors at five projects worth more than 200 billion yuan (US$27.5 billion).
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UK child charged with killing old man walking dog in park
By dpa
A 12-year-old girl has appeared in court in central England charged with the manslaughter of pensioner Bhim Kohli, who died after an alleged attack while walking his dog in a park near his home.
Mr Kohli, aged 80, died in hospital on September 2, a day after being seriously injured in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, near Leicester.
The girl appeared on Monday before Leicester Youth Court, sitting at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, and was ordered to appear at the city’s Crown Court on February 3.
The defendant, who cannot be named because of her age, was granted bail after a short hearing.
A 15-year-old boy charged with Mr Kohli’s murder three days after the incident is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court later this week.
An inquest opened and adjourned last month was told a preliminary cause of death had previously been given as a neck injury, pending further tests.
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By dpa
A 12-year-old girl has appeared in court in central England charged with the manslaughter of pensioner Bhim Kohli, who died after an alleged attack while walking his dog in a park near his home.
Mr Kohli, aged 80, died in hospital on September 2, a day after being seriously injured in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, near Leicester.
The girl appeared on Monday before Leicester Youth Court, sitting at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, and was ordered to appear at the city’s Crown Court on February 3.
The defendant, who cannot be named because of her age, was granted bail after a short hearing.
A 15-year-old boy charged with Mr Kohli’s murder three days after the incident is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court later this week.
An inquest opened and adjourned last month was told a preliminary cause of death had previously been given as a neck injury, pending further tests.
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Chinese names added to EU sanctions list over Russia’s war in Ukraine
By Finbarr Bermingham
The European Union has added Chinese individuals and companies to a sanctions list that will see them hit with travel bans and asset freezes for their role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 member states greenlit a package that included “fully fledged listings” for seven Chinese citizens and companies.
It marks the first time such a punishment has been used in relation to China’s relations with Russia. In previous sanctions packages, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong-registered entities have been added to a blacklist banning them from buying sensitive goods from the EU, but had not been added to the sanctions register.
The new list of those sanctioned includes one individual and two entities for helping companies linked to the Russian military circumvent EU sanctions.
The individual was named as Sophia Li Xiaocui a businesswoman who is accused of assisting the sanctioned Russian company Unimatik – described in the legal documentation as a “major actor in the Russian military-industrial complex – source export-controlled goods made in Europe.
The two companies named under this category are linked to Li. They are ARCLM International Trading Co, a Hong Kong-based business, and Shijiazhuang Hanqiang Technology Co, based on the mainland.
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By Finbarr Bermingham
The European Union has added Chinese individuals and companies to a sanctions list that will see them hit with travel bans and asset freezes for their role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 member states greenlit a package that included “fully fledged listings” for seven Chinese citizens and companies.
It marks the first time such a punishment has been used in relation to China’s relations with Russia. In previous sanctions packages, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong-registered entities have been added to a blacklist banning them from buying sensitive goods from the EU, but had not been added to the sanctions register.
The new list of those sanctioned includes one individual and two entities for helping companies linked to the Russian military circumvent EU sanctions.
The individual was named as Sophia Li Xiaocui a businesswoman who is accused of assisting the sanctioned Russian company Unimatik – described in the legal documentation as a “major actor in the Russian military-industrial complex – source export-controlled goods made in Europe.
The two companies named under this category are linked to Li. They are ARCLM International Trading Co, a Hong Kong-based business, and Shijiazhuang Hanqiang Technology Co, based on the mainland.
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Hong Kong court adjourns key session in private estate eviction cases to May
By Edith Lin
A Hong Kong court has adjourned key proceedings until May in civil cases against 13 residents who refuse to move out of the city’s only privately owned low-rental housing estate, just two weeks into a separate judicial review over the eviction arrangements.
District Court Judge Gary Lam Chin-ching said on Monday he would continue to deal with other preparatory proceedings for the Tai Hang Sai Estate residents and the Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation, which is the plaintiff and landlord.
The High Court earlier allowed 85-year-old Leung Ah-duen to challenge the corporation for allegedly going back on its promises that it would ensure the resettlement of residents before pressing ahead with its redevelopment plans. A judicial review hearing is scheduled for April 25.
But Lam said he would proceed with the 13 cases in his court as both residents and the corporation hoped to settle the matter as soon as possible.
The corporation received the green light from town planning authorities in 2016 to redevelop the Shek Kip Mei site, which is expected to offer 2,000 flats to first-time homebuyers and another 1,300 for the return of existing tenants.
But the arrangements for tenants have come under the spotlight after the corporation said it would only relocate tenants who passed an income and asset threshold. Those deemed ineligible, such as families who owned residential properties, would be offered a lump sum to leave.
Lam said on Monday his decision to go ahead with the civil cases would not bring any injustice to defendants, as they would still be entitled to live in their homes if Leung’s judicial review went in their favour. The judge said putting the proceedings on hold would be against the public interest if the review found the corporation had the right to reclaim the flats.
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By Edith Lin
A Hong Kong court has adjourned key proceedings until May in civil cases against 13 residents who refuse to move out of the city’s only privately owned low-rental housing estate, just two weeks into a separate judicial review over the eviction arrangements.
District Court Judge Gary Lam Chin-ching said on Monday he would continue to deal with other preparatory proceedings for the Tai Hang Sai Estate residents and the Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation, which is the plaintiff and landlord.
The High Court earlier allowed 85-year-old Leung Ah-duen to challenge the corporation for allegedly going back on its promises that it would ensure the resettlement of residents before pressing ahead with its redevelopment plans. A judicial review hearing is scheduled for April 25.
But Lam said he would proceed with the 13 cases in his court as both residents and the corporation hoped to settle the matter as soon as possible.
The corporation received the green light from town planning authorities in 2016 to redevelop the Shek Kip Mei site, which is expected to offer 2,000 flats to first-time homebuyers and another 1,300 for the return of existing tenants.
But the arrangements for tenants have come under the spotlight after the corporation said it would only relocate tenants who passed an income and asset threshold. Those deemed ineligible, such as families who owned residential properties, would be offered a lump sum to leave.
Lam said on Monday his decision to go ahead with the civil cases would not bring any injustice to defendants, as they would still be entitled to live in their homes if Leung’s judicial review went in their favour. The judge said putting the proceedings on hold would be against the public interest if the review found the corporation had the right to reclaim the flats.
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How backchannel diplomacy helped US and China emerge from shadow of balloon incident
By Maple Leung
In February last year, in an incident that threatened already fragile US-China ties, the US shot down what Washington said was a Chinese spy balloon threatening its sovereignty while China countered that the craft was a stray civilian device.
Three months later, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s foreign policy chief Wang Yi met in secret in Vienna where for two days they had “frank, in-depth, substantive and constructive” discussions to stabilise the decline in relations, according to China’s readout.
Wang and Sullivan held two further secret meetings, in Malta in September last year and in Bangkok in January this year. They have also met in Washington and Beijing.
Sullivan described how these kinds of backchannel meetings prevented US-China relations from further deteriorating in a video interview with an Australian think tank published on Monday.
“It allowed us to manage through difficult situations at points when the relationship could have taken a very serious downward turn,” Sullivan said in an interview at the White House with the Lowy Institute’s executive director, Michael Fullilove.
Sullivan, who will leave office when Donald Trump becomes president on January 20, said the lines of communication had to be maintained to responsibly manage competition between Beijing and Washington to prevent it from veering into conflict.
“It requires a strategic channel empowered by the two presidents, President Biden and President Xi, of senior officials, myself and Wang Yi, to talk through those strategic areas of profound difference and risk between the US and China,” Sullivan said.
In the interview, Sullivan said their discussions covered economics and national security, the South China Sea, the war in Ukraine and “careful, sober, detailed engagement on cross-strait relations to try to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
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By Maple Leung
In February last year, in an incident that threatened already fragile US-China ties, the US shot down what Washington said was a Chinese spy balloon threatening its sovereignty while China countered that the craft was a stray civilian device.
Three months later, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s foreign policy chief Wang Yi met in secret in Vienna where for two days they had “frank, in-depth, substantive and constructive” discussions to stabilise the decline in relations, according to China’s readout.
Wang and Sullivan held two further secret meetings, in Malta in September last year and in Bangkok in January this year. They have also met in Washington and Beijing.
Sullivan described how these kinds of backchannel meetings prevented US-China relations from further deteriorating in a video interview with an Australian think tank published on Monday.
“It allowed us to manage through difficult situations at points when the relationship could have taken a very serious downward turn,” Sullivan said in an interview at the White House with the Lowy Institute’s executive director, Michael Fullilove.
Sullivan, who will leave office when Donald Trump becomes president on January 20, said the lines of communication had to be maintained to responsibly manage competition between Beijing and Washington to prevent it from veering into conflict.
“It requires a strategic channel empowered by the two presidents, President Biden and President Xi, of senior officials, myself and Wang Yi, to talk through those strategic areas of profound difference and risk between the US and China,” Sullivan said.
In the interview, Sullivan said their discussions covered economics and national security, the South China Sea, the war in Ukraine and “careful, sober, detailed engagement on cross-strait relations to try to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
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Proton launches Malaysia’s first home-grown EV, undercutting BYD by nearly US$10,000
By Joseph Sipalan
Malaysian carmaker Proton on Monday launched the country’s first home-grown electric vehicle (EV), priced nearly US$10,000 cheaper than the nearest rival offered by Chinese EV giant BYD, as the company aims to make electric mobility more affordable for Malaysians.
Chinese EV giants have shifted their focus to Southeast Asia due as tariffs hinder their access to the US and European markets.
Facing hundreds of millions of dollars in potential losses after Washington imposed 100 per cent tariffs on EVs imported from China, Chinese manufacturers have shifted some sales targets to Southeast Asia over the past two years.
After the US imposed a 100 per cent tariff on EVs imported from China, these manufacturers faced potential losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. As a result, over the past two years, they have adjusted their sales targets to prioritise Southeast Asia.
Similarly, European nations have introduced tariffs of up to 35 per cent, citing unfair pricing by Chinese EV makers.
Proton, partially owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, rolled out its new e.Mas7 SUV on Monday. The entry-level Prime model is priced at 109,800 ringgit (US$25,534), while the Premium version costs 123,800 ringgit (US$28,790).
“We want and hope to set an example in the region,” Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said at the launch of the EV.
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By Joseph Sipalan
Malaysian carmaker Proton on Monday launched the country’s first home-grown electric vehicle (EV), priced nearly US$10,000 cheaper than the nearest rival offered by Chinese EV giant BYD, as the company aims to make electric mobility more affordable for Malaysians.
Chinese EV giants have shifted their focus to Southeast Asia due as tariffs hinder their access to the US and European markets.
Facing hundreds of millions of dollars in potential losses after Washington imposed 100 per cent tariffs on EVs imported from China, Chinese manufacturers have shifted some sales targets to Southeast Asia over the past two years.
After the US imposed a 100 per cent tariff on EVs imported from China, these manufacturers faced potential losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. As a result, over the past two years, they have adjusted their sales targets to prioritise Southeast Asia.
Similarly, European nations have introduced tariffs of up to 35 per cent, citing unfair pricing by Chinese EV makers.
Proton, partially owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, rolled out its new e.Mas7 SUV on Monday. The entry-level Prime model is priced at 109,800 ringgit (US$25,534), while the Premium version costs 123,800 ringgit (US$28,790).
“We want and hope to set an example in the region,” Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said at the launch of the EV.
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