Body found in wheel well of United Airlines plane after landing in Hawaii
By Reuters
A dead body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines jetliner after the aircraft landed in the Hawaiian island of Maui, the airline said on Wednesday.
The body was discovered in one of the compartments that houses the aeroplane’s landing gear when United flight 202 from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport landed at Kahului Airport on Tuesday afternoon, according to the airline’s website. No further details about the deceased person were provided.
“The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” it said.
United said it was working with authorities on the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Stowaways in the unpressurised wheelhouses and cargo holds of planes can face temperatures of between minus 50 degrees and minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 58 and minus 76 Fahrenheit), as well as a lack of oxygen.
While the fatality rate for most wheel-well stowaways is high, some people have survived the ordeal.
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By Reuters
A dead body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines jetliner after the aircraft landed in the Hawaiian island of Maui, the airline said on Wednesday.
The body was discovered in one of the compartments that houses the aeroplane’s landing gear when United flight 202 from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport landed at Kahului Airport on Tuesday afternoon, according to the airline’s website. No further details about the deceased person were provided.
“The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” it said.
United said it was working with authorities on the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Stowaways in the unpressurised wheelhouses and cargo holds of planes can face temperatures of between minus 50 degrees and minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 58 and minus 76 Fahrenheit), as well as a lack of oxygen.
While the fatality rate for most wheel-well stowaways is high, some people have survived the ordeal.
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Korean actress Han So-hee’s mother given suspended jail term for operating gambling dens
By The Korea Times
South Korean actress Han So-hee’s mother has been sentenced to a suspended prison term for operating multiple illegal gambling establishments, according to legal sources.
Judge Kim Do-hyung of the Chuncheon District Court’s Wonju branch sentenced her mother, only identified as A, 55, to one year in prison with a two-year suspension, along with 120 hours of community service, for charges related to the establishment of gambling venues.
A was prosecuted for establishing seven gambling venues for profit between late January 2022 and late August 2023.
At the time, Han’s agency issued a statement saying: “This case is entirely unrelated to the actress and stems from her mother’s personal actions. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this private matter.”
Prosecutors said that A connected with members of an illegal gambling site through Telegram, obtaining access and management codes to establish seven betting venues. She earned profits by collecting commissions based on total wagers and user losses.
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By The Korea Times
South Korean actress Han So-hee’s mother has been sentenced to a suspended prison term for operating multiple illegal gambling establishments, according to legal sources.
Judge Kim Do-hyung of the Chuncheon District Court’s Wonju branch sentenced her mother, only identified as A, 55, to one year in prison with a two-year suspension, along with 120 hours of community service, for charges related to the establishment of gambling venues.
A was prosecuted for establishing seven gambling venues for profit between late January 2022 and late August 2023.
At the time, Han’s agency issued a statement saying: “This case is entirely unrelated to the actress and stems from her mother’s personal actions. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this private matter.”
Prosecutors said that A connected with members of an illegal gambling site through Telegram, obtaining access and management codes to establish seven betting venues. She earned profits by collecting commissions based on total wagers and user losses.
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Operation Santa Claus: Hong Kong healthcare workers cook-off for charity
By Carrie Lee
Healthcare workers in Hong Kong showed off their culinary skills, gobbled pineapple buns in an eating contest and played games at booths at a recent Christmas party to raise funds for charity.
The outdoor celebration held on December 16 was the highlight of a month-long series of activities hosted by the HKSH Medical Group to support Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual fundraising drive by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK.
The group comprises the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, the HKSH Healthcare network of medical centres, the HKSH Eastern Medical Centre, and the HKSH Cancer Centre.
Its OSC activities, held from November 12 to December 16, included a charity-through-fitness drive, with employees submitting video clips or records on exercises apps showing themselves brisk-walking for a minute to raise HK$200 (US$25.70), donated by the group and other supporters.
Joseph Chan Woon-tong, HKSH Medical Group chief medical officer, said the programme also helped encourage staff to exercise and promoted a healthy lifestyle.
Apart from food and drinks, the Christmas party was enlivened with singing of carols and games at festively decorated stalls, where wine, chocolates and clothes were offered for sale to raise charity funds.
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By Carrie Lee
Healthcare workers in Hong Kong showed off their culinary skills, gobbled pineapple buns in an eating contest and played games at booths at a recent Christmas party to raise funds for charity.
The outdoor celebration held on December 16 was the highlight of a month-long series of activities hosted by the HKSH Medical Group to support Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual fundraising drive by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK.
The group comprises the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, the HKSH Healthcare network of medical centres, the HKSH Eastern Medical Centre, and the HKSH Cancer Centre.
Its OSC activities, held from November 12 to December 16, included a charity-through-fitness drive, with employees submitting video clips or records on exercises apps showing themselves brisk-walking for a minute to raise HK$200 (US$25.70), donated by the group and other supporters.
Joseph Chan Woon-tong, HKSH Medical Group chief medical officer, said the programme also helped encourage staff to exercise and promoted a healthy lifestyle.
Apart from food and drinks, the Christmas party was enlivened with singing of carols and games at festively decorated stalls, where wine, chocolates and clothes were offered for sale to raise charity funds.
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Japan Airlines hit by cyberattack, disrupting flights
By Agence France-Presse
Japan Airlines (JAL) said on Thursday that its system network is under a cyberattack, with at least nine domestic and some international flights delayed.
JAL said system problems occurred at 7:24am (local time) and it will halt sales of tickets for domestic and international flights for the rest of the day.
“We can confirm that we have been subjected to a cyberattack and are addressing the situation,” a JAL spokeswoman said.
“It is likely to have an impact on flight operations moving forward,” she said.
“There is a possibility that delays and cancellations may occur,” the spokeswoman added.
JAL – the country’s second-biggest airline after All Nippon Airways (ANA) – is just the latest Japanese company to be hit by a cyberattack.
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By Agence France-Presse
Japan Airlines (JAL) said on Thursday that its system network is under a cyberattack, with at least nine domestic and some international flights delayed.
JAL said system problems occurred at 7:24am (local time) and it will halt sales of tickets for domestic and international flights for the rest of the day.
“We can confirm that we have been subjected to a cyberattack and are addressing the situation,” a JAL spokeswoman said.
“It is likely to have an impact on flight operations moving forward,” she said.
“There is a possibility that delays and cancellations may occur,” the spokeswoman added.
JAL – the country’s second-biggest airline after All Nippon Airways (ANA) – is just the latest Japanese company to be hit by a cyberattack.
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Philippine VP Duterte’s US$10 million snack-name scandal: a recipe for impeachment?
By Alan Robles
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three impeachment complaints over her refusal to account for over US$10 million in “confidential funds” her offices distributed to unknown entities, including those seemingly using aliases derived from popular snack and restaurant brands.
Observers say the scandal reflects broader concerns over the growing use of and lack of oversight on such government expenditures.
The impeachment complaints, lodged this month by civic groups, left-wing activists, priests and lawyers, accuse Duterte-Carpio of refusing to account for the substantial sums handed out by her offices to recipients bearing dubious identities.
State auditors reported last month that, between 2022 and 2023, the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) and the Department of Education, which Duterte-Carpio led until resigning from the role in June, spent 612.5 million Philippine pesos (US$10.5 million) in confidential funds.
Both offices issued substantial checks to hundreds of people, later producing as proof acknowledgement receipts (ARs) signed by individuals using names that appear to be related to famous snacks and restaurant chains.
Congressional investigators highlighted how some signatories’ purported monikers appeared to be cobbled together from these brand names. One that transfixed the public – “Mary Grace (a popular cafe) Piattos (a potato crisp brand)” – was given 70,000 pesos for medicines in December 2022. Several others, such as “Chippy (corn chips) McDonald” and “Carlos Miguel Oishi (the surname, a famous snack brand),” also raised eyebrows.
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By Alan Robles
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three impeachment complaints over her refusal to account for over US$10 million in “confidential funds” her offices distributed to unknown entities, including those seemingly using aliases derived from popular snack and restaurant brands.
Observers say the scandal reflects broader concerns over the growing use of and lack of oversight on such government expenditures.
The impeachment complaints, lodged this month by civic groups, left-wing activists, priests and lawyers, accuse Duterte-Carpio of refusing to account for the substantial sums handed out by her offices to recipients bearing dubious identities.
State auditors reported last month that, between 2022 and 2023, the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) and the Department of Education, which Duterte-Carpio led until resigning from the role in June, spent 612.5 million Philippine pesos (US$10.5 million) in confidential funds.
Both offices issued substantial checks to hundreds of people, later producing as proof acknowledgement receipts (ARs) signed by individuals using names that appear to be related to famous snacks and restaurant chains.
Congressional investigators highlighted how some signatories’ purported monikers appeared to be cobbled together from these brand names. One that transfixed the public – “Mary Grace (a popular cafe) Piattos (a potato crisp brand)” – was given 70,000 pesos for medicines in December 2022. Several others, such as “Chippy (corn chips) McDonald” and “Carlos Miguel Oishi (the surname, a famous snack brand),” also raised eyebrows.
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Harbin aims to attract more foreign tourists to China’s winter wonderland
By Daisy Wu
Last winter’s tourism boom made Harbin a top destination for domestic visitors. Now, the northeastern Chinese city known for its annual ice festival and bitter cold is enhancing policies to attract more international tourists.
Rachael Lim, a tourist from Malaysia, recently shared her experiences in Harbin on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu – “Little Red Book” in English – describing the city as “beautiful, cold, and dreamy”.
“My country has summer all year round, so snow is something we long for,” she said. “Harbin fulfilled all my winter fantasies.”
The mutual visa-free policy introduced by Malaysia and China last year allowed Lim to stay in China for two weeks, during which time she also visited other cities near Harbin, which is the capital of Heilongjiang province.
Official data shows that Heilongjiang welcomed 471,000 inbound tourists in the first half of this year, up 158.7 per cent year on year, with 383,000 of them being foreign visitors.
According to a report by Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency, six of the top 10 source countries for tourists visiting Harbin last year were in Southeast Asia.
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By Daisy Wu
Last winter’s tourism boom made Harbin a top destination for domestic visitors. Now, the northeastern Chinese city known for its annual ice festival and bitter cold is enhancing policies to attract more international tourists.
Rachael Lim, a tourist from Malaysia, recently shared her experiences in Harbin on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu – “Little Red Book” in English – describing the city as “beautiful, cold, and dreamy”.
“My country has summer all year round, so snow is something we long for,” she said. “Harbin fulfilled all my winter fantasies.”
The mutual visa-free policy introduced by Malaysia and China last year allowed Lim to stay in China for two weeks, during which time she also visited other cities near Harbin, which is the capital of Heilongjiang province.
Official data shows that Heilongjiang welcomed 471,000 inbound tourists in the first half of this year, up 158.7 per cent year on year, with 383,000 of them being foreign visitors.
According to a report by Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency, six of the top 10 source countries for tourists visiting Harbin last year were in Southeast Asia.
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Does Hong Kong have a problem with claw machine addiction?
By Winnie Wong
Hongkonger Solo Young, 29 has spent about HK$50,000 (US$6,400) over the past six months on claw machines, fishing for plush toys of his favourite cartoon characters or those that he can resell for a higher price.
Young earns HK$21,000 a month as a logistics worker, and on a single day could spend up to HK$1,000 on the machines. In half a year, he accumulated more than 100 plush toys or figurines in his home, including those of his favourite characters from the manga series Chiikawa, and collectibles such as the Disney characters Duffy and Linabell.
“I got hooked on it. At first, I just wanted to have a try, then I found it enjoyable, and soon I was playing every day,” Young told the Post, saying it was especially fun when he spent a small amount on a game but landed a prize that could be resold for a few hundred dollars.
But more recently, Young said his obsession was starting to cause “disruptions” to his daily life.
“Things that I originally planned to do ended up getting postponed or left undone,” he said.
He was now trying to let go of some of his collectibles and had so far managed to sell 50 items, recouping around HK$3,000.
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By Winnie Wong
Hongkonger Solo Young, 29 has spent about HK$50,000 (US$6,400) over the past six months on claw machines, fishing for plush toys of his favourite cartoon characters or those that he can resell for a higher price.
Young earns HK$21,000 a month as a logistics worker, and on a single day could spend up to HK$1,000 on the machines. In half a year, he accumulated more than 100 plush toys or figurines in his home, including those of his favourite characters from the manga series Chiikawa, and collectibles such as the Disney characters Duffy and Linabell.
“I got hooked on it. At first, I just wanted to have a try, then I found it enjoyable, and soon I was playing every day,” Young told the Post, saying it was especially fun when he spent a small amount on a game but landed a prize that could be resold for a few hundred dollars.
But more recently, Young said his obsession was starting to cause “disruptions” to his daily life.
“Things that I originally planned to do ended up getting postponed or left undone,” he said.
He was now trying to let go of some of his collectibles and had so far managed to sell 50 items, recouping around HK$3,000.
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Russia says ‘terrorist attack’ behind cargo ship sinking in Mediterranean Sea
By Agence France-Presse
A “terrorist act” sank the cargo ship that went down in international waters in the Mediterranean this week, the Russian state-owned company that owns the vessel said on Wednesday.
The Oboronlogistika company said it “thinks a targeted terrorist attack was committed on December 23, 2024, against the Ursa Major,” it said in a statement cited by Russian news agencies, without indicating who may have been behind the act or why.
The ship sank in international waters off Spain in the early hours of Tuesday after having sent a distress call for help on Monday.
“Three consecutive explosions” took place on the ship before it began taking on water, added the company, which belongs to the Russian defence ministry.
Oboronlogistika did not say what evidence it had allowing it to conclude a terrorist attack sank the Ursa Major.
Russian foreign ministry’s crisis unit said on Telegram on Tuesday that the ship sank “after an explosion in the engine room”.
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By Agence France-Presse
A “terrorist act” sank the cargo ship that went down in international waters in the Mediterranean this week, the Russian state-owned company that owns the vessel said on Wednesday.
The Oboronlogistika company said it “thinks a targeted terrorist attack was committed on December 23, 2024, against the Ursa Major,” it said in a statement cited by Russian news agencies, without indicating who may have been behind the act or why.
The ship sank in international waters off Spain in the early hours of Tuesday after having sent a distress call for help on Monday.
“Three consecutive explosions” took place on the ship before it began taking on water, added the company, which belongs to the Russian defence ministry.
Oboronlogistika did not say what evidence it had allowing it to conclude a terrorist attack sank the Ursa Major.
Russian foreign ministry’s crisis unit said on Telegram on Tuesday that the ship sank “after an explosion in the engine room”.
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Hong Kong’s Community Chest feels the pinch as cracks in economy, markets hit donations
By Enoch Yiu
It is the season to give as the year-end festivities approach. But cracks in the economy in recent years have affected donations to The Community Chest of Hong Kong, which collects funds to support various social welfare causes in the city.
The non-profit corporation received HK$220.3 million (US$28 million) in contributions for the year to March 31, a 23 per cent drop from a year earlier, according to its annual report. That is also a 43 per cent slide from before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019. The Chest had to dip into its reserves to cover a deficit.
Fundraising work has been very challenging over the past two years, a spokesman said. The tough economic environment has had a big impact on charitable giving and donations from corporations have been particularly affected because of a cutback in corporate and social responsibility spending, he added.
HSBC, Cheung Kong Group, The Wharf Group, Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Sun Hung Kai Properties were the top donors during the year. Hang Seng Bank, Biel Crystal, Fuji Photo Products, Tencent Charity Foundation and Microware rounded out the top 10 list.
Founded in November 1968, the Chest raises funds on behalf of 167 member agencies involved in six major areas of services – children and youth, the elderly, family and child welfare, medical and health, rehabilitation and aftercare, and community development.
Economists said a slowdown in the economy and the Hang Seng Index’s struggle over the past two years have hurt companies and individuals alike. Some 44 per cent of businesses have a negative outlook on the city’s economy for the next 12 months, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce said on December 12, the most pessimistic reading in five years.
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By Enoch Yiu
It is the season to give as the year-end festivities approach. But cracks in the economy in recent years have affected donations to The Community Chest of Hong Kong, which collects funds to support various social welfare causes in the city.
The non-profit corporation received HK$220.3 million (US$28 million) in contributions for the year to March 31, a 23 per cent drop from a year earlier, according to its annual report. That is also a 43 per cent slide from before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019. The Chest had to dip into its reserves to cover a deficit.
Fundraising work has been very challenging over the past two years, a spokesman said. The tough economic environment has had a big impact on charitable giving and donations from corporations have been particularly affected because of a cutback in corporate and social responsibility spending, he added.
HSBC, Cheung Kong Group, The Wharf Group, Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Sun Hung Kai Properties were the top donors during the year. Hang Seng Bank, Biel Crystal, Fuji Photo Products, Tencent Charity Foundation and Microware rounded out the top 10 list.
Founded in November 1968, the Chest raises funds on behalf of 167 member agencies involved in six major areas of services – children and youth, the elderly, family and child welfare, medical and health, rehabilitation and aftercare, and community development.
Economists said a slowdown in the economy and the Hang Seng Index’s struggle over the past two years have hurt companies and individuals alike. Some 44 per cent of businesses have a negative outlook on the city’s economy for the next 12 months, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce said on December 12, the most pessimistic reading in five years.
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Thai sea nomads survived 2004 Indian Ocean disaster. Now they buckle under a ‘new tsunami’
By Naruemon Chaingam
It was the story of the “Laboon” – the seven-layered wave – that saved the sea nomads of Tap Tawan in Thailand’s Phang Nga province when the Indian Ocean tsunami struck two decades ago, Witawas Thepsong says.
The Laboon had hit the coast in earlier centuries and was remembered in the folklore of the Moklen and other nomadic fishing communities – a survival guide passed on through generations.
When the sea receded in the moments before the tsunami barrelled into Thailand’s Andaman Coast in the midmorning of December 26, 2004, many among the seafaring communities of Tap Tawan made choices that would save their lives.
“The village elders told them to climb to higher ground, while others who were out to sea, followed ancestral knowledge passed down through generations and rowed their boats further to avoid the waves,” Witawas, an activist for Thailand’s sea nomads, recalls.
In Tap Tawan, most villagers belong to the Moklen sea nomad group in Phang Nga, one of the most affected areas. Other linked sea communities such as Moken settled in the Mu Ko Surin Islands and in Phi Phi Krabi and Trang province.
Over the coming days, a picture of just how crucial their knowledge had been, began to emerge as the scale of devastation from the tsunami became apparent.
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By Naruemon Chaingam
It was the story of the “Laboon” – the seven-layered wave – that saved the sea nomads of Tap Tawan in Thailand’s Phang Nga province when the Indian Ocean tsunami struck two decades ago, Witawas Thepsong says.
The Laboon had hit the coast in earlier centuries and was remembered in the folklore of the Moklen and other nomadic fishing communities – a survival guide passed on through generations.
When the sea receded in the moments before the tsunami barrelled into Thailand’s Andaman Coast in the midmorning of December 26, 2004, many among the seafaring communities of Tap Tawan made choices that would save their lives.
“The village elders told them to climb to higher ground, while others who were out to sea, followed ancestral knowledge passed down through generations and rowed their boats further to avoid the waves,” Witawas, an activist for Thailand’s sea nomads, recalls.
In Tap Tawan, most villagers belong to the Moklen sea nomad group in Phang Nga, one of the most affected areas. Other linked sea communities such as Moken settled in the Mu Ko Surin Islands and in Phi Phi Krabi and Trang province.
Over the coming days, a picture of just how crucial their knowledge had been, began to emerge as the scale of devastation from the tsunami became apparent.
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Hong Kong’s Long Valley Nature Park opens to public after habitat restoration
By Johnny Wan
Visitors to a newly opened nature park created from abandoned farmlands in Hong Kong will be able to capture photos of birds in paddy fields and the shallow water habitat acting as a “mirror” of the sky during summertime.
The Long Valley Nature Park is part of the Long Valley freshwater wetlands, the largest man-made freshwater wetland remaining in the city, located between the Sheung Yue and Shek Sheung rivers in Sheung Shui.
After five years of work starting in 2019, the park opened its doors to the public in November, showcasing verdant paddy fields that conservation officials said would offer “seasonal exclusive scenery” at the park.
In an interview with the Post earlier this month, Alfred Wong, a senior nature park officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said the paddy fields would be planted twice each year.
“The autumn-winter period around November and December is when the paddies become ripe and beautiful. Another batch will ripen from April to May, so please visit during those times if you want to observe a large golden-ripe paddy field,” he said.
“We also have many shallow ponds in the park, so you can snap a beautiful picture of a ‘mirror of the sky’ scenery when the sky is clear during summertime. The sunset view in Long Valley would be lovely too.”
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By Johnny Wan
Visitors to a newly opened nature park created from abandoned farmlands in Hong Kong will be able to capture photos of birds in paddy fields and the shallow water habitat acting as a “mirror” of the sky during summertime.
The Long Valley Nature Park is part of the Long Valley freshwater wetlands, the largest man-made freshwater wetland remaining in the city, located between the Sheung Yue and Shek Sheung rivers in Sheung Shui.
After five years of work starting in 2019, the park opened its doors to the public in November, showcasing verdant paddy fields that conservation officials said would offer “seasonal exclusive scenery” at the park.
In an interview with the Post earlier this month, Alfred Wong, a senior nature park officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said the paddy fields would be planted twice each year.
“The autumn-winter period around November and December is when the paddies become ripe and beautiful. Another batch will ripen from April to May, so please visit during those times if you want to observe a large golden-ripe paddy field,” he said.
“We also have many shallow ponds in the park, so you can snap a beautiful picture of a ‘mirror of the sky’ scenery when the sky is clear during summertime. The sunset view in Long Valley would be lovely too.”
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China approves Tibet mega dam that could generate 3 times more power than Three Gorges
By Holly Chik
China has approved the construction of a colossal hydropower project on Tibet’s longest river that could generate three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
The mega hydropower project, set to be built on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet autonomous region, presents unprecedented engineering challenges.
Total investment in the dam could exceed 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion), which would dwarf any other single infrastructure project on the planet.
The Yarlung Tsangpo flows across the Tibetan Plateau, carving out the deepest canyon on Earth and covering a staggering vertical difference of 7,667 metres (25,154 feet), before reaching India, where it is known as the Brahmaputra River.
The dam will be built in one of the rainiest parts of mainland China.
The project is expected to generate nearly 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually. By contrast, the Three Gorges Dam, which now has the world’s largest installed capacity, was designed to produce 88.2 billion kWh.
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By Holly Chik
China has approved the construction of a colossal hydropower project on Tibet’s longest river that could generate three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
The mega hydropower project, set to be built on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet autonomous region, presents unprecedented engineering challenges.
Total investment in the dam could exceed 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion), which would dwarf any other single infrastructure project on the planet.
The Yarlung Tsangpo flows across the Tibetan Plateau, carving out the deepest canyon on Earth and covering a staggering vertical difference of 7,667 metres (25,154 feet), before reaching India, where it is known as the Brahmaputra River.
The dam will be built in one of the rainiest parts of mainland China.
The project is expected to generate nearly 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually. By contrast, the Three Gorges Dam, which now has the world’s largest installed capacity, was designed to produce 88.2 billion kWh.
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As regional actors rise, US-China story no longer defines global affairs
By Mohamed Zeeshan
For years, observers and policymakers in Washington assumed US-China tensions will be the defining factor in global affairs, as American power declines and is replaced by Chinese influence worldwide. In 2024, they were proved wrong.
When US President Joe Biden took office in 2021, his administration presented China as a critical strategic and economic competitor. Much of Biden’s foreign policy, especially on Asia, was based on a strategy of isolating Beijing and counterbalancing its influence through a network of alliances.
Biden continued the trade war he inherited from his predecessor, Donald Trump, and also encouraged American businesses to transfer their operations in China to countries more closely aligned with the United States.
These policies had a marked effect on US-China economic relations in recent years. According to official US government data, bilateral trade has fallen steadily, from nearly US$700 billion in 2022 to under US$500 billion for the first 10 months of 2024.
Yet, after tensions in the first half of Biden’s term over Taiwan and a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, US-China relations have largely become a side story in international affairs. While US-China tensions loom large, they have rarely driven or defined major developments in the last couple of years.
In 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Washington expected China to be a major player in shaping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions, for better or worse.
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By Mohamed Zeeshan
For years, observers and policymakers in Washington assumed US-China tensions will be the defining factor in global affairs, as American power declines and is replaced by Chinese influence worldwide. In 2024, they were proved wrong.
When US President Joe Biden took office in 2021, his administration presented China as a critical strategic and economic competitor. Much of Biden’s foreign policy, especially on Asia, was based on a strategy of isolating Beijing and counterbalancing its influence through a network of alliances.
Biden continued the trade war he inherited from his predecessor, Donald Trump, and also encouraged American businesses to transfer their operations in China to countries more closely aligned with the United States.
These policies had a marked effect on US-China economic relations in recent years. According to official US government data, bilateral trade has fallen steadily, from nearly US$700 billion in 2022 to under US$500 billion for the first 10 months of 2024.
Yet, after tensions in the first half of Biden’s term over Taiwan and a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, US-China relations have largely become a side story in international affairs. While US-China tensions loom large, they have rarely driven or defined major developments in the last couple of years.
In 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Washington expected China to be a major player in shaping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions, for better or worse.
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1,500 prisoners escape, 33 inmates killed in Mozambique amid post-election unrest
By Agence France-Presse
More than 1,500 prisoners escaped from a Maputo prison on Wednesday, taking advantage of the third day of unrest triggered by the controversial confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party as the winner of recent elections.
A total of 1,534 detainees escaped the high-security prison located about 15km (nine miles) from the capital, national police chief Bernardino Rafael said at a press conference.
Among those attempting to escape, 33 were killed and 15 wounded in clashes with prison staff, he added.
A search operation, backed by the army, led to the arrest of about 150 fugitives, he said.
Around 30 of the prisoners were linked to armed groups that have been behind unrest and attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado for the past seven years.
“We are particularly concerned about this situation,” Rafael said.
The Portuguese-speaking African country’s highest court had confirmed on Monday that Frelimo, in power since 1975, won the October 9 presidential election that had already triggered weeks of unrest.
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By Agence France-Presse
More than 1,500 prisoners escaped from a Maputo prison on Wednesday, taking advantage of the third day of unrest triggered by the controversial confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party as the winner of recent elections.
A total of 1,534 detainees escaped the high-security prison located about 15km (nine miles) from the capital, national police chief Bernardino Rafael said at a press conference.
Among those attempting to escape, 33 were killed and 15 wounded in clashes with prison staff, he added.
A search operation, backed by the army, led to the arrest of about 150 fugitives, he said.
Around 30 of the prisoners were linked to armed groups that have been behind unrest and attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado for the past seven years.
“We are particularly concerned about this situation,” Rafael said.
The Portuguese-speaking African country’s highest court had confirmed on Monday that Frelimo, in power since 1975, won the October 9 presidential election that had already triggered weeks of unrest.
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Chinese national gets 8 months in prison for Yasukuni Shrine graffiti case
By Kyodo
A Tokyo court on Wednesday sentenced a Chinese national living in Japan to eight months in prison over his involvement in a May graffiti incident at the capital’s war-linked Yasukuni Shrine.
Jiang Zhuojun, 29, was on trial at the Tokyo District Court on charges of damaging property and disrespecting a place of worship.
According to the ruling, he and two other Chinese men vandalised a stone pillar at the controversial shrine by spray-painting the word “toilet” on it on May 31.
Prosecutors had sought a one-year sentence.
In handing down the ruling, Judge Yasushi Fuke said Jiang had played a crucial role by buying the spray paint and that it is “unforgivable to turn to illegal actions to express one’s views”.
The court deemed imprisonment appropriate, citing a lack of reparations for the damage.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Kyodo
A Tokyo court on Wednesday sentenced a Chinese national living in Japan to eight months in prison over his involvement in a May graffiti incident at the capital’s war-linked Yasukuni Shrine.
Jiang Zhuojun, 29, was on trial at the Tokyo District Court on charges of damaging property and disrespecting a place of worship.
According to the ruling, he and two other Chinese men vandalised a stone pillar at the controversial shrine by spray-painting the word “toilet” on it on May 31.
Prosecutors had sought a one-year sentence.
In handing down the ruling, Judge Yasushi Fuke said Jiang had played a crucial role by buying the spray paint and that it is “unforgivable to turn to illegal actions to express one’s views”.
The court deemed imprisonment appropriate, citing a lack of reparations for the damage.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
