TikTok knew its live-streams exploit children, Utah lawsuit claims
By Reuters
TikTok has long known its video live-streams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit by the state of Utah.
The accusations were made public on Friday, ahead of a January 19 ban on TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.
US president-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to put that ban on hold. TikTok, for its part, has said it prioritises safe live-streaming.
Utah’s original lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting children was filed last June by the state’s Division of Consumer Protection, with state Attorney General Sean Reyes saying the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time.
Citing internal TikTok employee communications and compliance reports, Friday’s largely unredacted complaint said TikTok learned of the threats Live posed through a series of internal reviews into the feature.
It said an investigation known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions.
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By Reuters
TikTok has long known its video live-streams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit by the state of Utah.
The accusations were made public on Friday, ahead of a January 19 ban on TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.
US president-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to put that ban on hold. TikTok, for its part, has said it prioritises safe live-streaming.
Utah’s original lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting children was filed last June by the state’s Division of Consumer Protection, with state Attorney General Sean Reyes saying the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time.
Citing internal TikTok employee communications and compliance reports, Friday’s largely unredacted complaint said TikTok learned of the threats Live posed through a series of internal reviews into the feature.
It said an investigation known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions.
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Chinese dams to be discussed during Jake Sullivan’s India visit, official says
By Reuters
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will visit New Delhi on tomorrow and Monday and Washington expects discussions about the impact of Chinese upstream dams with Indian counterparts during the visit, a senior US official said late on Friday.
Washington also expected topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity to be brought up while Sullivan is in the capital, the official said.
US officials will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during the visit, another US official said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meanwhile, will visit South Korea for talks next week, Seoul’s foreign ministry said on Friday, with the country mired in political turmoil as its impeached president resists arrest.
South Korea is a key security ally for Washington but the country has been wracked by a crisis sparked by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law decree on December 3.
Blinken will meet his counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Monday, Seoul’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
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By Reuters
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will visit New Delhi on tomorrow and Monday and Washington expects discussions about the impact of Chinese upstream dams with Indian counterparts during the visit, a senior US official said late on Friday.
Washington also expected topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity to be brought up while Sullivan is in the capital, the official said.
US officials will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during the visit, another US official said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meanwhile, will visit South Korea for talks next week, Seoul’s foreign ministry said on Friday, with the country mired in political turmoil as its impeached president resists arrest.
South Korea is a key security ally for Washington but the country has been wracked by a crisis sparked by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law decree on December 3.
Blinken will meet his counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Monday, Seoul’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
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Beijing’s pilot zone for economic integration with Taiwan running out of steam
By Amber Wang
Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – third in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang examines the rise and fall of the Pingtan economic pilot zone that was once a major draw for Taiwanese businesses, workers and investment.
In 2014, when President Xi Jinping visited a mainland Chinese plant operated by TPK Holding, a leading Taiwanese touch screen manufacturer, the company was held up as a symbol of Beijing’s ambitious promotion of cross-strait economic integration.
A decade later, on a Friday morning in November, the factory in Pingtan, Fujian province, which was once featured on prime-time state television as a success story, appears deserted with its gates locked and rusting, and the production site seemingly abandoned. A security guard said the plant was closed and the company was not hiring, as a dog inside the gate barked at anyone who approached.
Local Taiwanese entrepreneurs refer to the project as a “textbook” failure that shows the exodus of Taiwanese businesspeople from Pingtan, which was designated a pilot zone for cross-strait integration in 2009.
The economic aspect was meant to be part of Beijing’s broader integration strategy and was combined with punitive policies and military pressure on what it sees as the island’s pro-independence forces.
But many Taiwanese businesses that moved to Pingtan in the past 15 years, including TPK, are not doing as well as they used to, with analysts describing the progress of economic integration in Pingtan as “limited”.
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By Amber Wang
Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – third in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang examines the rise and fall of the Pingtan economic pilot zone that was once a major draw for Taiwanese businesses, workers and investment.
In 2014, when President Xi Jinping visited a mainland Chinese plant operated by TPK Holding, a leading Taiwanese touch screen manufacturer, the company was held up as a symbol of Beijing’s ambitious promotion of cross-strait economic integration.
A decade later, on a Friday morning in November, the factory in Pingtan, Fujian province, which was once featured on prime-time state television as a success story, appears deserted with its gates locked and rusting, and the production site seemingly abandoned. A security guard said the plant was closed and the company was not hiring, as a dog inside the gate barked at anyone who approached.
Local Taiwanese entrepreneurs refer to the project as a “textbook” failure that shows the exodus of Taiwanese businesspeople from Pingtan, which was designated a pilot zone for cross-strait integration in 2009.
The economic aspect was meant to be part of Beijing’s broader integration strategy and was combined with punitive policies and military pressure on what it sees as the island’s pro-independence forces.
But many Taiwanese businesses that moved to Pingtan in the past 15 years, including TPK, are not doing as well as they used to, with analysts describing the progress of economic integration in Pingtan as “limited”.
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Sentencing in Trump’s hush money case set for January 10 but judge signals no jail time
By Associated Press
In an extraordinary turn, a judge on Friday set US president-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case for January 10 – little over a week before he is set to return to the White House – but indicated he would not be jailed.
The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.
Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump’s trial, signalled in a written decision that he would sentence the former and future president to what is known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids rearrest.
Merchan rejected Trump’s push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said he found “no legal impediment to sentencing” Trump and that it was “incumbent” on him to sentence Trump before his swearing-in on January 20.
“Only by bringing finality to this matter” will the interests of justice be served, Merchan wrote.
Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. They involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trump’s first campaign in 2016. The payout was made to keep her from publicising claims she had had sex with the married Trump years earlier. He says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.
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By Associated Press
In an extraordinary turn, a judge on Friday set US president-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case for January 10 – little over a week before he is set to return to the White House – but indicated he would not be jailed.
The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.
Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump’s trial, signalled in a written decision that he would sentence the former and future president to what is known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids rearrest.
Merchan rejected Trump’s push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said he found “no legal impediment to sentencing” Trump and that it was “incumbent” on him to sentence Trump before his swearing-in on January 20.
“Only by bringing finality to this matter” will the interests of justice be served, Merchan wrote.
Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. They involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trump’s first campaign in 2016. The payout was made to keep her from publicising claims she had had sex with the married Trump years earlier. He says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.
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How Global South can resist US hegemony and its isolationism
By Peter T. C. Chang
US foreign policy is torn between president-elect Donald Trump’s transactional nationalism and the establishment’s fixation with global primacy. To achieve a more inclusive and equitable world order, the Global South must strategically counterbalance these contrasting American tendencies.
This year, Malaysia will chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), under the theme of “inclusivity and sustainability”. The new year also marks Malaysia’s entry into the Brics grouping as a partner country, alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
Malaysia is also scheduled to host the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council summit with a notable invitation extended to Chinese President Xi Jinping. These developments underscore a broader movement – the Global South’s continued pursuit of a more representative and just global order and an alternative to the prevailing Western-centric international framework.
Meanwhile, even before his inauguration, the prospect of Trump 2.0 has already sent shock waves across the globe. True to form, Trump remains unpredictable, delivering a flurry of mixed messages.
He has threatened retaliation against any Brics-led efforts to undermine the US dollar, extended an invitation to Xi to attend his inauguration and suggested that the US and China can solve all the world’s problems together. However, Trump’s deal-making track record, exemplified by the Hanoi summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has largely failed to produce substantive outcomes.
Though unpredictable, one constant about Trump is his staunchly nationalistic world view. He perceives US global commitments as detrimental to American interests and believes that to “Make America Great Again”, the US must scale back its involvement in alliances. Indeed, Trump has shown little interest in upholding or defending the US-led international order.
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By Peter T. C. Chang
US foreign policy is torn between president-elect Donald Trump’s transactional nationalism and the establishment’s fixation with global primacy. To achieve a more inclusive and equitable world order, the Global South must strategically counterbalance these contrasting American tendencies.
This year, Malaysia will chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), under the theme of “inclusivity and sustainability”. The new year also marks Malaysia’s entry into the Brics grouping as a partner country, alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
Malaysia is also scheduled to host the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council summit with a notable invitation extended to Chinese President Xi Jinping. These developments underscore a broader movement – the Global South’s continued pursuit of a more representative and just global order and an alternative to the prevailing Western-centric international framework.
Meanwhile, even before his inauguration, the prospect of Trump 2.0 has already sent shock waves across the globe. True to form, Trump remains unpredictable, delivering a flurry of mixed messages.
He has threatened retaliation against any Brics-led efforts to undermine the US dollar, extended an invitation to Xi to attend his inauguration and suggested that the US and China can solve all the world’s problems together. However, Trump’s deal-making track record, exemplified by the Hanoi summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has largely failed to produce substantive outcomes.
Though unpredictable, one constant about Trump is his staunchly nationalistic world view. He perceives US global commitments as detrimental to American interests and believes that to “Make America Great Again”, the US must scale back its involvement in alliances. Indeed, Trump has shown little interest in upholding or defending the US-led international order.
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Meta taps US Republican Joel Kaplan to replace Nick Clegg as leader of global policy team
By Agence France-Presse
Former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said on Thursday he is stepping down from his role as president of Meta’s global affairs and will be replaced by Republican stalwart Joel Kaplan.
Clegg joined Meta in late 2018 as the company grappled with the fallout of the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.
Clegg ceding his job to Kaplan, who served as deputy chief of staff for policy under then-president George W Bush from 2006-2009, comes as Republican Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.
“As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on,” Clegg said in a post on social media.
“I hope I have played some role in seeking to bridge the very different worlds of tech and politics - worlds that will continue to interact in unpredictable ways across the globe.”
Clegg referred to his years as Meta as an adventure, saying that when he arrived at the company it was undergoing rapid growth that brought with it scrutiny and controversy.
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By Agence France-Presse
Former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said on Thursday he is stepping down from his role as president of Meta’s global affairs and will be replaced by Republican stalwart Joel Kaplan.
Clegg joined Meta in late 2018 as the company grappled with the fallout of the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.
Clegg ceding his job to Kaplan, who served as deputy chief of staff for policy under then-president George W Bush from 2006-2009, comes as Republican Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.
“As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on,” Clegg said in a post on social media.
“I hope I have played some role in seeking to bridge the very different worlds of tech and politics - worlds that will continue to interact in unpredictable ways across the globe.”
Clegg referred to his years as Meta as an adventure, saying that when he arrived at the company it was undergoing rapid growth that brought with it scrutiny and controversy.
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Mike Johnson elected speaker of US House as Trump’s Republicans unite behind him
By Reuters
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson was reelected to the chamber’s top job on Friday in a lengthy vote that highlighted persistent divisions among Donald Trump’s Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Johnson appeared to initially fall short of the majority he would need to retain his job in an hour-long roll-call vote, but two Republican opponents switched their votes to support him after more than half an hour of negotiations. He won re-election with 218 votes – the minimum number needed.
Republicans control the chamber by a razor-thin 219-215 majority.
The vote was an early test of the party’s ability to hang together as it advances Trump’s agenda of tax cuts and border enforcement. It also tested Trump’s clout on Capitol Hill, where a handful of Republicans have already shown a willingness to defy him.
House Republicans have been racked by internal divisions over the last two years. Johnson was elevated to speaker after the party ousted his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in the middle of his term.
Members of Congress milled around the chamber for more than half an hour after voting had concluded, while Johnson and his lieutenants could be seen trying to persuade the holdouts.
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By Reuters
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson was reelected to the chamber’s top job on Friday in a lengthy vote that highlighted persistent divisions among Donald Trump’s Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Johnson appeared to initially fall short of the majority he would need to retain his job in an hour-long roll-call vote, but two Republican opponents switched their votes to support him after more than half an hour of negotiations. He won re-election with 218 votes – the minimum number needed.
Republicans control the chamber by a razor-thin 219-215 majority.
The vote was an early test of the party’s ability to hang together as it advances Trump’s agenda of tax cuts and border enforcement. It also tested Trump’s clout on Capitol Hill, where a handful of Republicans have already shown a willingness to defy him.
House Republicans have been racked by internal divisions over the last two years. Johnson was elevated to speaker after the party ousted his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in the middle of his term.
Members of Congress milled around the chamber for more than half an hour after voting had concluded, while Johnson and his lieutenants could be seen trying to persuade the holdouts.
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US sanctions Chinese cybersecurity firm for alleged role in Beijing-sponsored hacks
By Laura Zhou
The US has imposed sanctions on a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its alleged role in Chinese government-sponsored hacks against critical US infrastructure.
Integrity Technology Group, known as Integrity Tech, was accused of playing a role in “multiple computer intrusion incidents against US victims,” the Treasury Department said on Friday.
In a statement, it said the incidents had been publicly linked to a Chinese-sponsored hacking group nicknamed Flax Typhoon, which the Treasury said had been active since at least 2021 and was “known for frequently targeting organisations in US critical infrastructure sectors”.
“Chinese malicious cyber actors continue to be one of the most active and most persistent threats to US national security,” the department said.
“These actors continue to target US government systems as part of their efforts, including the recent targeting of Treasury’s own IT infrastructure.”
The sanctions followed the department’s announcement on Monday that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had infiltrated its workstations and unclassified documents.
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By Laura Zhou
The US has imposed sanctions on a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its alleged role in Chinese government-sponsored hacks against critical US infrastructure.
Integrity Technology Group, known as Integrity Tech, was accused of playing a role in “multiple computer intrusion incidents against US victims,” the Treasury Department said on Friday.
In a statement, it said the incidents had been publicly linked to a Chinese-sponsored hacking group nicknamed Flax Typhoon, which the Treasury said had been active since at least 2021 and was “known for frequently targeting organisations in US critical infrastructure sectors”.
“Chinese malicious cyber actors continue to be one of the most active and most persistent threats to US national security,” the department said.
“These actors continue to target US government systems as part of their efforts, including the recent targeting of Treasury’s own IT infrastructure.”
The sanctions followed the department’s announcement on Monday that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had infiltrated its workstations and unclassified documents.
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Man arrested for supplying drugs to One Direction singer Liam Payne: Argentine police
By Agence France-Presse
Argentine police on Friday arrested one of the two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before he fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.
Braian Paiz, who is accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants indicted in connection with the death of the 31-year-old former One Direction pop star in October.
Three of the five were charged with manslaughter and the other two with supplying illegal drugs, prosecutors said earlier this week.
Prosecutors said that Payne had consumed cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before falling to his death from the balcony of his room at the Casa Sur Hotel.
Paiz, 24, is accused of supplying Payne with drugs two days before this death.
In November, Paiz denied in a television interview having given drugs to Payne, although he said that he met the pop star and spent time with him at his hotel.
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By Agence France-Presse
Argentine police on Friday arrested one of the two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before he fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.
Braian Paiz, who is accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants indicted in connection with the death of the 31-year-old former One Direction pop star in October.
Three of the five were charged with manslaughter and the other two with supplying illegal drugs, prosecutors said earlier this week.
Prosecutors said that Payne had consumed cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before falling to his death from the balcony of his room at the Casa Sur Hotel.
Paiz, 24, is accused of supplying Payne with drugs two days before this death.
In November, Paiz denied in a television interview having given drugs to Payne, although he said that he met the pop star and spent time with him at his hotel.
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US allocates US$306 million in new bird flu funding before Trump takes office
By Agence France-Presse
US President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration said on Friday that it will allocate US$306 million to bolster the nation’s bird flu response before president-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The new funding will support national, state and local preparedness and monitoring programmes, as well as research into potential medical countermeasures against the H5N1 virus.
“While the risk to humans remains low, we are always preparing for any possible scenario that could arise,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“Preparedness is the key to keeping Americans healthy and our country safe.”
The United States has reported 66 human cases of bird flu since the start of 2024, though experts believe the true number could be higher, with cases potentially going undetected among cattle and poultry workers.
While the virus has not been found to spread from person to person, the amount of bird flu circulating among animals and humans has alarmed scientists, because it might combine with seasonal influenza and mutate into a more transmissible form – potentially triggering a deadly pandemic.
The funding announcement comes amid concern over how the incoming Trump administration will handle the threat.
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By Agence France-Presse
US President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration said on Friday that it will allocate US$306 million to bolster the nation’s bird flu response before president-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The new funding will support national, state and local preparedness and monitoring programmes, as well as research into potential medical countermeasures against the H5N1 virus.
“While the risk to humans remains low, we are always preparing for any possible scenario that could arise,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“Preparedness is the key to keeping Americans healthy and our country safe.”
The United States has reported 66 human cases of bird flu since the start of 2024, though experts believe the true number could be higher, with cases potentially going undetected among cattle and poultry workers.
While the virus has not been found to spread from person to person, the amount of bird flu circulating among animals and humans has alarmed scientists, because it might combine with seasonal influenza and mutate into a more transmissible form – potentially triggering a deadly pandemic.
The funding announcement comes amid concern over how the incoming Trump administration will handle the threat.
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In New Year speech, Greenland’s leader steps up push for independence from Denmark
By Reuters
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede emphasised his desire to pursue independence from Denmark, its former colonial ruler, during his New Year speech, marking a significant change in the rhetoric surrounding the Arctic island’s future.
Egede’s speech, which comes on the heels of comments by US president-elect Donald Trump expressing his wish for “ownership and control” of Greenland, also expressed a desire to strengthen Greenland’s cooperation with other countries.
“It is about time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, also with regard to who we will cooperate closely with, and who our trading partners will be,” he said.
An independence movement has gained traction in Greenland in recent years in part due to revelations of misconduct by Danish authorities during the 20th century, including an involuntary birth control campaign launched in the 1960s.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 but is now a self-governing territory of Denmark and in 2009 achieved the right to claim independence through a vote. In 2023, Greenland’s government presented its first draft constitution.
“The history and current conditions have shown that our cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark has not succeeded in creating full equality,” Egede said.
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By Reuters
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede emphasised his desire to pursue independence from Denmark, its former colonial ruler, during his New Year speech, marking a significant change in the rhetoric surrounding the Arctic island’s future.
Egede’s speech, which comes on the heels of comments by US president-elect Donald Trump expressing his wish for “ownership and control” of Greenland, also expressed a desire to strengthen Greenland’s cooperation with other countries.
“It is about time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, also with regard to who we will cooperate closely with, and who our trading partners will be,” he said.
An independence movement has gained traction in Greenland in recent years in part due to revelations of misconduct by Danish authorities during the 20th century, including an involuntary birth control campaign launched in the 1960s.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 but is now a self-governing territory of Denmark and in 2009 achieved the right to claim independence through a vote. In 2023, Greenland’s government presented its first draft constitution.
“The history and current conditions have shown that our cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark has not succeeded in creating full equality,” Egede said.
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Rudy Giuliani in court as lawyers for election workers pursue US$148 million judgment
By Associated Press
Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor, showed up on Friday for a contempt hearing to decide whether he has dodged and deceived lawyers trying to recover a US$148 million judgment won on behalf of two Georgia election workers.
Judge Lewis J. Liman has said he may rule at the hearing whether Giuliani faces civil sanctions over his failure to turn over some assets.
Giuliani requested a day earlier to appear remotely at the hearing, but he changed his mind and came to court after the judge indicated that making a remote appearance would limit his options at the proceeding.
The lawyers claim Giuliani has displayed a “consistent pattern of wilful defiance” of Liman’s October order to give up assets, after he was found liable in 2023 for defaming the poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election.
They said in court papers earlier this week that he has turned over a Mercedes-Benz and his New York flat, but not the paperwork necessary to monetise the assets. And they said he has failed to surrender valuable watches and sports memorabilia, including a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt, and not “a single dollar from his non-exempt cash accounts”.
Liman said in an order last week that Giuliani’s lawyer should be ready to explain why Giuliani should not be held in contempt with resulting sanctions that could make it less likely that he gets to keep his Florida home. A trial over the disposition of the Palm Beach condominium and World Series rings is scheduled for mid-January.
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By Associated Press
Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor, showed up on Friday for a contempt hearing to decide whether he has dodged and deceived lawyers trying to recover a US$148 million judgment won on behalf of two Georgia election workers.
Judge Lewis J. Liman has said he may rule at the hearing whether Giuliani faces civil sanctions over his failure to turn over some assets.
Giuliani requested a day earlier to appear remotely at the hearing, but he changed his mind and came to court after the judge indicated that making a remote appearance would limit his options at the proceeding.
The lawyers claim Giuliani has displayed a “consistent pattern of wilful defiance” of Liman’s October order to give up assets, after he was found liable in 2023 for defaming the poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election.
They said in court papers earlier this week that he has turned over a Mercedes-Benz and his New York flat, but not the paperwork necessary to monetise the assets. And they said he has failed to surrender valuable watches and sports memorabilia, including a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt, and not “a single dollar from his non-exempt cash accounts”.
Liman said in an order last week that Giuliani’s lawyer should be ready to explain why Giuliani should not be held in contempt with resulting sanctions that could make it less likely that he gets to keep his Florida home. A trial over the disposition of the Palm Beach condominium and World Series rings is scheduled for mid-January.
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Hong Kong to launch waiting list for appointments at public dental clinics
By Jiang Chuqin
Hong Kong health authorities will add a waiting list on Monday to a newly launched online booking system for public dental clinics after a high absence rate was recorded during the first two working days of its implementation.
The Department of Health announced the arrangement on Friday, after 40 of the 151 people allocated a quota spot at its six dental clinics via a new online registration system failed to show up on Tuesday or Thursday as scheduled, citing reasons such as scheduling conflicts or that they forgot about the booking. The no-shows accounted for 26 per cent of the bookings.
The department added it would continue to monitor the attendance rates.
“If the situation warrants, a mechanism to deter absenteeism and abuse may be introduced as necessary,” a spokesman said.
The department said the waiting list system would be introduced on Monday to fill any vacancies.
Individuals aged 65 or above who have completed the online registration but who were not selected by the computer ballot will be prioritised on the list.
If there is a slot available, they will receive a call to arrange a visit to their first-choice clinic.
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By Jiang Chuqin
Hong Kong health authorities will add a waiting list on Monday to a newly launched online booking system for public dental clinics after a high absence rate was recorded during the first two working days of its implementation.
The Department of Health announced the arrangement on Friday, after 40 of the 151 people allocated a quota spot at its six dental clinics via a new online registration system failed to show up on Tuesday or Thursday as scheduled, citing reasons such as scheduling conflicts or that they forgot about the booking. The no-shows accounted for 26 per cent of the bookings.
The department added it would continue to monitor the attendance rates.
“If the situation warrants, a mechanism to deter absenteeism and abuse may be introduced as necessary,” a spokesman said.
The department said the waiting list system would be introduced on Monday to fill any vacancies.
Individuals aged 65 or above who have completed the online registration but who were not selected by the computer ballot will be prioritised on the list.
If there is a slot available, they will receive a call to arrange a visit to their first-choice clinic.
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Air Busan flight from Hong Kong aborts landing in Korea amid wheels scare
By Ng Kang-chung
A flight from Hong Kong with 112 passengers on board was forced to abort its landing in Busan, South Korea, after the pilot reportedly failed to confirm that the aircraft’s wheels had been deployed.
The Air Busan Airbus A321 aircraft was eventually cleared to land after air traffic controllers at Busan airport visually confirmed that the landing gear was operating properly, South Korean media reports said on Friday.
The scare came days after the deadliest plane crash on South Korean soil. A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok crash-landed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla province, killing 179 people on board. Only two crew members on the Boeing 737-800 survived Sunday’s crash.
The ill-fated flight carrying 181 people had attempted a wheelless or so-called belly landing amid undercarriage issues suspected to have been caused by a bird strike, skidding and crashing into a runway wall, triggering an explosion.
On Friday, Air Busan flight BX392 departed from Hong Kong at 1.50am, carrying 112 passengers. It reportedly encountered an issue with its landing gear status during its approach to Gimhae International Airport in Busan.
The pilot was unable to confirm if the landing gear was functioning, prompting a decision to circle around for additional checks.
Following the go-around, air traffic controllers visually inspected the landing gear and confirmed it had been deployed correctly. The aircraft subsequently landed without incident.
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By Ng Kang-chung
A flight from Hong Kong with 112 passengers on board was forced to abort its landing in Busan, South Korea, after the pilot reportedly failed to confirm that the aircraft’s wheels had been deployed.
The Air Busan Airbus A321 aircraft was eventually cleared to land after air traffic controllers at Busan airport visually confirmed that the landing gear was operating properly, South Korean media reports said on Friday.
The scare came days after the deadliest plane crash on South Korean soil. A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok crash-landed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla province, killing 179 people on board. Only two crew members on the Boeing 737-800 survived Sunday’s crash.
The ill-fated flight carrying 181 people had attempted a wheelless or so-called belly landing amid undercarriage issues suspected to have been caused by a bird strike, skidding and crashing into a runway wall, triggering an explosion.
On Friday, Air Busan flight BX392 departed from Hong Kong at 1.50am, carrying 112 passengers. It reportedly encountered an issue with its landing gear status during its approach to Gimhae International Airport in Busan.
The pilot was unable to confirm if the landing gear was functioning, prompting a decision to circle around for additional checks.
Following the go-around, air traffic controllers visually inspected the landing gear and confirmed it had been deployed correctly. The aircraft subsequently landed without incident.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Ex-Dassault aerospace physicist leaves US for China to lead new energy research
By Dannie Peng
Eminent computational physicist Chen Hudong – an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) – has left the United States after more than four decades to take up a full-time position in China.
Chen retired in April as scientific director of software multinational Dassault Systèmes, part of the French Dassault Group which also boasts one of the world’s largest manufacturers of combat aircraft, including Mirages and Rafales.
The software industry veteran has joined the College of Energy Engineering (CEE) at the prestigious Zhejiang University in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, according to a recruitment notice that appeared on its website last month.
In the post, the CEE said it plans to set up a team that will be led by Chen to address the strategic needs of China’s energy transition and the development of digitalisation, informatisation and intelligence.
The team will research computational methods and software development to promote the deep integration of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence technologies in energy engineering.
Chen will also be contributing to the high-quality development of new energy and the cultivation of the country’s next generation of excellent talent, it said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Dannie Peng
Eminent computational physicist Chen Hudong – an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) – has left the United States after more than four decades to take up a full-time position in China.
Chen retired in April as scientific director of software multinational Dassault Systèmes, part of the French Dassault Group which also boasts one of the world’s largest manufacturers of combat aircraft, including Mirages and Rafales.
The software industry veteran has joined the College of Energy Engineering (CEE) at the prestigious Zhejiang University in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, according to a recruitment notice that appeared on its website last month.
In the post, the CEE said it plans to set up a team that will be led by Chen to address the strategic needs of China’s energy transition and the development of digitalisation, informatisation and intelligence.
The team will research computational methods and software development to promote the deep integration of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence technologies in energy engineering.
Chen will also be contributing to the high-quality development of new energy and the cultivation of the country’s next generation of excellent talent, it said.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
