What happens now South Korea’s president has been charged with rebellion?

韩国总统尹锡悦成为该国首位被起诉的领导人,距离他首次被拘留不到两周。这位被弹劾并监禁的总统在上个月发布震惊全国的戒严令后,已在总统府内隐居数周,现面临叛乱指控,可能面临死刑或终身监禁。

这一事件引发了韩国的政治动荡,进一步加剧了本已分裂的社会。尹锡悦的法律问题并不仅限于此,另有一项程序将决定他是否会被正式罢免或恢复总统职务。随着首尔即将进行双重法庭听证,支持和反对尹锡悦的力量之间的抗议活动愈演愈烈,局势愈加紧张。

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How the Spring Festival expanded this American’s notion of family

在一次中文课上,我的教授通过生动的教学方式激发了我对中文和中国文化的兴趣。在学习“把”字结构时,我成功地用筷子描述了抓取豌豆的动作,这让我意识到语言学习的乐趣和挑战。教授的鼓励让我决定前往中国深造,探索这个我一直向往的国家。

2013年,我报名参加了杜克大学的中国学习项目,亲身体验了中国的社会变迁和文化多样性。从与农民工共享美食,到在西安的穆斯林区购买柏拉图的《理想国》,每一次经历都让我更加着迷。尤其是与朋友孙权的相识,让我在2014年有机会访问宁波,进一步加深了我对中国的理解和热爱。

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Taiwanese premier calls to roll back ‘absolutely irrational’ military costs freeze

台湾行政院长卓荣泰呼吁撤销对2025年国防预算的“非理性”冻结,警告称这将严重影响岛内安全。他指责反对派在这一问题上“优先考虑党派利益”,影响国家防卫能力。

上周,反对派主导的立法院通过了总额为新台币2.9万亿元(约合882亿美元)的政府预算,比最初提案削减了创纪录的新台币2075亿元,降幅接近7%。在这一预算中,亲民党与国民党联合冻结了创纪录的新台币1607亿元的政府支出,而国防预算则被削减了新台币84亿元,并冻结了包括新台币744亿元的作战费用在内的900亿元的军事开支。卓荣泰对此表示,冻结作战费用“完全不合理”。

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China RedNote users praise Singapore for fining mainland tourist US$220 for public spitting

一位在新加坡的中国居民透露,她的父亲因在公共场合吐痰被罚款300新元(约220美元),而大陆网友对此处罚表示支持。这名居民在社交平台RedNote上分享了这一经历,称新加坡对公共吐痰的处罚力度很大。她的父亲因在一个井盖旁吐痰而被国家环境局的执法人员开罚单。

她表示这是她父亲第一次犯此类错误,并提醒网友们不要试图向国家环境局申诉,因为他们会直接驳回。若她的父亲未能在2月10日前支付罚款,将面临法庭审理,最高可能被罚款2,000至10,000新元(约1,500至7,000美元)。这一事件引发了对新加坡严格公共行为规范的讨论,也反映出不同文化对公共卫生的不同看法。

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US sanctions on Hong Kong judges may ‘result in Beijing taking over trials’

香港基本法委员会成员警告称,如果美国推进制裁法案,北京“理论上”可能接管香港的国家安全审判,这将使案件“超出”当地法院的审理能力。随着美国国会议员提出对香港官员的制裁法案,香港局势的紧张可能进一步加剧,法案件的处理是否还会保持在本地法院成为关注焦点。

委员会成员、立法会议员Priscilla Leung Mei-fun强调,虽然让本地法院处理此类案件是最佳方案,但外部制裁如何改变现状仍难以预测。根据香港基本法,该委员会负责向中央政府提供关于香港小宪法的建议。然而,地方观察人士对Leung的观点表示怀疑,认为现有制裁对香港官员的影响有限,并且激进行动可能引发更强烈的西方反制。

美国国会议员Young Kim和Jim McGovern在本周五联合提出了《香港制裁法》,该法要求美国总统评估是否对涉及人权侵害的某些香港官员实施制裁。法案列出了包括首席法官在内的29名法官和多位执法者,显示出对香港司法体系的直接冲击和对香港政策的不满。

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Hong Kong developer Hang Lung diversifies amid consumer challenges

尽管中国大陆和香港的消费者信心低迷,但Hang Lung Properties计划通过提供更好的环境和多样化的选择来在行业整合中脱颖而出。该公司首席执行官韦伯·罗表示,提升自身的相关性和客户体验是关键。

最近,Hang Lung Properties报告称,其2024年收益下降约46%,降至21亿港元(约合2.7亿美元),主要由于运营租赁利润下降和融资成本上升,以及部分物业的估值损失。整体租金收入下降6%,其中中国大陆下降4%,香港下降9%。为了应对这些挑战,罗表示,公司必须建设满足多种需求的综合体,并根据最佳适配调整每个零售空间的租户组合。

例如,他提到在昆明春城66综合体新开业的君悦酒店,该酒店拥有331间客房,为综合体的购物中心和66层的办公大楼提供高端住宿服务,建筑总面积约为168,000平方米(约1.8百万平方英尺)。罗强调,公司致力于提升客户体验,力求让顾客在综合体内享受全面的服务,不仅仅是用餐,还可以工作或接待来自国外的同事。

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Donald Trump calls DeepSeek’s strong showing a ‘wake-up call’ for US tech sector

美国总统特朗普认为中国AI初创企业DeepSeek的成功是“醒目的警告”和“积极的”迹象,鼓励美国科技业竞争,并威胁将征税外国生产的半导体芯片,包括台湾的TSMC。他称这将激励美国公司创新,并称“我们有世界上最优秀的科学家”。

特朗普此番言论是在与共和党议员们的集会上做出表态,他表示美国需要通过研发新技术来应对来自中国的竞争,并将在他的领导下促使美国科技公司大展身手。他还称:“我们将使我们的科技公司大放异彩,我们将在未来如同从未有过那样主导”。

DeepSeek是一家中国AI初创企业,该公司的AI推理模型R1已经被公开发布,这一举动引发了投资者的恐慌,导致周一美国科技股价大幅下跌。其中,美国半导体巨头Nvidia的市场价值一度下降了5900亿美元,市场恐慌主要源于中国正在迅速推进的AI技术所带来的担忧。

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North Korea sends ‘a subtle signal’ to Trump about dialogue – via a missile test

North Korea's recent missile test, its first since President Donald Trump's inauguration, is seen as a strategic move to assess the new US administration's openness to dialogue while responding to US-South Korea military drills. The test, personally overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, involved a "strategic" sea-to-surface cruise missile capable of delivering nuclear payloads. Analysts interpret this as a calculated, low-intensity provocation aimed at enhancing North Korea's precision-strike capabilities rather than showcasing long-range missile threats.

This missile test highlights North Korea's ongoing strategy to assert its military capabilities while navigating the geopolitical landscape shaped by US-South Korea relations. Yang Moo-jin from the University of North Korean Studies suggests the test reflects Pyongyang's intent to improve its military precision without escalating to more aggressive actions. In a related statement, North Korea's foreign ministry accused the US of heightening tensions through joint military exercises with South Korea, emphasizing the need for the DPRK to adopt a strong stance to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests against perceived US provocations.

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Scott Bessent wins Senate confirmation as US Treasury Secretary

By Reuters

The US Senate on Monday confirmed Scott Bessent as US President Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary, giving the billionaire hedge fund manager a central role in shaping the new administration’s policy ambitions around tax cuts and spending and managing economic relationships with allies and adversaries alike.

As the 79th Treasury secretary, Bessent will have sway over the nation’s tax collections and its US$28 trillion Treasury debt market, with vast influence over fiscal policy, financial regulations, international sanctions and investments from overseas.

The vote was 68-29, with 16 Democrats supporting the nomination.

Bessent, 62, is already shaping up to be a forceful advocate for Trump’s economic agenda, which centres on reducing taxes and imposing steep tariffs that Democrats, and some economists, argue could undo some of the progress the Federal Reserve has made in getting inflation under control.

In his confirmation hearing, Bessent warned that failure to renew US$4 trillion in tax cuts expiring at the end of this year would be a “calamity” for middle-class Americans, and made the case that tariffs would help combat unfair trade practices, increase revenues, and bolster US leverage in international negotiations.

He also pushed back against the idea that Trump’s policies would be inflationary, and said the administration’s efforts to increase oil production would actually help bring down prices.

As Trump’s top economic official, Bessent will face a range of challenges, the most immediate of which will be managing federal cash flows after the government hit its statutory debt limit on Trump’s second day in office.

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Year of the Snake: ANZ expects Hong Kong’s economy to benefit from capital flow, rate cut

北京最近的措施将推动更多资金流入香港股市,成为蛇年城市经济增长的关键驱动力。根据澳新银行集团的区域首席经济学家Raymond Yeung的分析,进一步的降息将刺激房地产交易,而游客的涌入也将有利于香港经济的发展。

Yeung在关于即将到来的农历新年展望的简报中表示:“在蛇年,香港经济预计将增长2.5%至3%。”他指出,未来一年,香港将面临更多的顺风而非逆风。与此同时,中国人民银行行长潘功胜在本月的亚洲金融论坛上提到,将增加来自国家3.2万亿美元外汇储备的“资产配置操作”,以支持香港的资本市场。

此外,潘功胜还表示,监管机构将鼓励更多高质量企业在香港上市和发行债券,并计划扩展跨境债券通计划。这些措施将为香港的经济复苏提供强有力的支持,进一步增强其作为国际金融中心的地位。

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US Justice Department says it has fired employees involved in Trump prosecutions

By Associated Press

The Justice Department said on Monday that it had fired more than a dozen employees who worked on criminal prosecutions of US President Donald Trump, moving rapidly to pursue retribution against lawyers involved in the investigations.

The abrupt action targeting career prosecutors who worked on special counsel Jack Smith’s team is the latest sign of upheaval inside the Justice Department and reflects the administration’s determination to purge the government of workers it perceives as disloyal to the president.

The norm-shattering move, which follows the reassignment of multiple senior career officials across divisions, was made even though rank-and-file prosecutors by tradition remain with the department across presidential administrations and are not punished by virtue of their involvement in sensitive investigations. The firings are effective immediately.

“Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” said a statement from a Justice Department official.

“In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda. This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponisation of government.”

It was not immediately clear which prosecutors were affected by the order, or how many who worked on the investigations into Trump remained with the department.

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China’s strategy for peace in Horn of Africa is slow-going, but will it ever reap rewards?

在2022年2月,面对埃塞俄比亚致命的提格雷战争,北京任命资深外交官薛冰为中国驻非洲之角特使,负责调解该地区的争端。这一任命是在该地区局势严峻的背景下进行的,薛冰的任务充满挑战。

从2020年11月到2022年11月,提格雷人民解放阵线袭击埃塞俄比亚国防军北方指挥部,导致数千人遇难,数百万人流离失所。许多在该地区进行数十亿美元建设和制造项目的中国公司被迫暂停运营,北京也不得不撤离其公民。尽管提格雷战争的枪声已然沉寂,但非洲之角仍然面临着内战和伊斯兰 insurgencies 的困扰。

尽管薛冰的角色充满挑战,但北京的策略是通过对话和促进经济发展来解决问题,这被视为在该地区的主要解决方案。专家指出,尽管这一过程可能缓慢,但中国认为支持发展、避免直接介入争端的方式风险更小,也不容易树敌。

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Netanyahu hopes to meet Trump in Washington as soon as next week, US officials say

以色列总理本杰明·内塔尼亚胡计划最早于下周访问华盛顿,与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普会面。如果此次访问成行,内塔尼亚胡将成为特朗普上任以来首位在白宫会晤的外国领导人。

根据两位知情的美国官员透露,访问的具体安排可能会在特朗普的中东特使史蒂夫·维特科夫本周前往以色列与内塔尼亚胡及其他以色列官员会谈时敲定。尽管白宫尚未对此计划作出正式回应,但内塔尼亚胡的发言人表示,领导人尚未收到正式的白宫邀请。

此外,一位以色列官员透露,内塔尼亚胡预计将在二月份前往白宫,但具体日期尚未确定。维特科夫在纽约市一座犹太教堂的开幕仪式上表示,他将于周三前往以色列,继续关注以色列与哈马斯之间的停火协议。

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How North Korea might take advantage of Trump’s second presidency

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may seize the opportunity for renewed engagement with US President Donald Trump, particularly as Kim has already benefited from Russia's situation in Ukraine. As Trump has previously referred to Kim as a "friend," this friendship could allow North Korea to strategically adjust its approach to negotiations, potentially putting Kim in a favorable position to achieve his goals.

Meanwhile, Trump’s return to office could send shockwaves through global alliances, especially with South Korea, which might face significant changes in its defence commitments under Trump's demands for greater financial support. This growing pressure could prompt South Korea to pursue increased self-reliance in its national defence, a move that is historically observed when the US considers troop reductions. In contrast, North Korea appears to be preparing to reassert its position and leverage the situation, launching several missile tests shortly before Trump’s inauguration, likely as a demonstration of strength to enhance its bargaining power in future discussions.

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Chinese envoy to Colombia promotes bilateral ties as Bogota clashes with Washington

中国驻哥伦比亚大使在哥伦比亚总统古斯塔沃·佩特罗与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普之间关于移民和驱逐政策的公开争执中,利用这一时机宣传中哥关系的良好发展。大使朱晶阳在当地媒体《时间报》中表示,中哥关系自建立外交关系45年来,正处于“最佳时刻”。他强调两国的文化力量和差异反而能够促进彼此的联系。

此次争端的起因是佩特罗拒绝接受美国遣返无证哥伦比亚移民的航班,指责华盛顿将其视为“罪犯”。这一决定是在有报道称美国官员对被遣返者的虐待后做出的,令华盛顿和波哥大官员感到意外。值得注意的是,在乔·拜登政府期间,哥伦比亚曾接受了数百次遣返航班,这一突然的变化引发了广泛关注。

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US woman Phoebe Dong jailed for more than 3 years over Chinese birth tourism scheme

一名加利福尼亚女性因帮助怀孕的中国女性前往美国生子而被判处超过三年监禁。Phoebe Dong因其公司USA Happy Baby的阴谋和洗钱罪于周一被美国地区法官R Gary Klausner判处41个月刑期。Dong与其丈夫于去年九月被定罪,项目帮助了超过100名中国孕妇在美国生下孩子,获取美国国籍。

在洛杉矶的量刑听证会上,Dong回忆起自己由于中国严格的“独生子女”政策而缺乏兄弟姐妹的成长经历,眼中含泪。联邦检察官指出,Dong和她的现在已分居的丈夫Michael Liu通过巧妙的方法指导孕妇避开入境检查,包括选择较宽松的机场以及穿着宽松衣物来掩盖怀孕的状况。这一案件揭示了因生育政策而引发的跨国生育旅游现象。

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China signals willingness to repatriate ‘confirmed’ Chinese nationals from US

中国表示愿意接收“确认身份”的中国国籍人士从美国回国,作为对美国施加的关税和制裁威胁的回应。这项提议是在特朗普总统表示如果一些国家不合作接受被驱逐者时将采取相应措施的背景下提出的。

虽然美国移民和海关执法局(ICE)近期已向中国发送了五架包机,遣返回美国境内的非法居民,但美国国土安全部官员对北京长期拒绝合作的态度表示不满,特别是在签发旅行证件方面的拖延。为了应对这种情况,国土安全部已警告中国官员可能面临签证制裁的后果,并强调他们需要接受在美被驱逐的数万名中国国籍人士。

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Theft in Netherlands of ancient golden helmet leaves Romania distraught

一件价值连城的文化遗产在荷兰被盗,震惊了罗马尼亚和艺术界。这顶古老的金色科托芬斯提头盔有着2500年的历史,是罗马尼亚达契亚文明的珍贵国宝。它在东荷兰的小德伦茨博物馆展出时遭到窃贼袭击,连同三条金手镯一同被盗。

这起盗窃事件令罗马尼亚当局感到不安,他们原以为将这些珍贵文物借给一个拥有严格博物馆安全措施的国家。博物馆馆长哈里·图潘称这是“黑暗的一天”,而罗马尼亚总统克劳斯·约翰尼斯则强调这些文物对国家文化和身份的重要性,指出它们的失踪在社会上产生了强烈的情感和象征影响。调查人员在博物馆附近发现了一辆被烧毁的汽车,表明窃贼试图掩盖踪迹,至今尚未找到有价值的线索。

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