A group of UN experts have expressed “grave concern” over the arrest and detention of Jimmy Lai, a former media mogul in Hong Kong who has been charged with violating the territory’s national security law. In a joint communication sent to the Chinese government, the experts from the UN working group on arbitrary detention and several special rapporteurs focused on human rights said Lai’s arrest and multiple prosecutions related to “his criticism of the Chinese government and his support for democracy in Hong Kong”. The involvement of such a large…
Month: May 2023
US Says Chinese Fighter Jet Conducted ‘Unnecessarily Aggressive Maneuver’ Near US Reconnaissance Plane
The U.S. military says a Chinese fighter jet flew close to one of its reconnaissance aircraft during a patrol mission over the South China Sea last week. A statement by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command says a Chinese J-16 fighter jet “flew directly in front of the nose” of the RC-135 plane “in an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver,” forcing the pilot to fly through the turbulence caused by the fighter jet. Video footage of the incident from the cockpit of the U.S. reconnaissance plane showed the plane shaking soon after the Chinese…
Jamie Dimon warns ‘uncertainty’ caused by Beijing could hit investor confidence
JPMorgan chair Jamie Dimon has warned that “uncertainty” caused in part by the Chinese government could hit investor confidence, as fresh data showed the recovery of the world’s second-largest economy was slowing. “If you have more uncertainty, somewhat caused by the Chinese government . . . it’s not just going to change foreign direct investment,” said Dimon in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “It’s going to change the people here, their own confidence.” Dimon, speaking in Shanghai at a banking conference hosted by JPMorgan, pointed to “scary” youth unemployment figures, which at more than…
Chinese factory activity contracts as economic recovery stumbles
China’s factory activity has contracted for a second consecutive month, while growth in the service sector slowed, adding to signs of a slackening post-pandemic recovery in the world’s second-largest economy. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index came in at 48.8 for May, compared with 49.2 in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The non-manufacturing PMI, which covers activity in the service sector and industries such as construction, was 54.5 in May, below the previous month’s figure of 56.4. Economists said several months of manufacturing readings below 50, which…
Chinese scientists develop new gene-editing tool that differs in approach to CRISPR-Cas9
“It means we have established a system of our own, which is essential for clinical and commercial application,” said Yang Hui, corresponding author of the study and a researcher with the Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The study is also important for the development of disease models in basic research and in the field of gene therapy, according to the authors. Advertisement CRISPR-Cas9, a natural defence mechanism used by bacteria to ward off viral attacks, is one of the most…
Shelter Warnings Startle Seoul After North Korea Attempts Satellite Launch
Seoul, South Korea — South Koreans, who typically shrug off North Korean missile launches, were awakened Wednesday by air raid sirens and shelter warnings following an attempted North Korean satellite launch. Just after 6:30 a.m. local time, cell phones in Seoul vibrated with loud alerts, along with an accompanying text message, warning residents to prepare to take shelter. For some, the message was labeled as a “wartime alert.” Outside on Seoul’s mostly empty streets, public emergency systems blasted sirens and verbal warnings, saying the young and elderly should be given…
Shelter Warnings Startle Seoul as North Korea Attempts Satellite Launch
Seoul, South Korea — On Wednesday, North Korea attempted to launch its first military spy satellite. The attempt failed, with the missile crashing into the ocean – but not before startling many South Koreans, who were awoken by air raid sirens. The sirens rang through the streets of Seoul – just after 6:30 on a Wednesday morning. Many residents received a “wartime alert,” saying they should prepare the elderly and young to take shelter. Minutes later, a second message appeared on phones, saying the warning was sent in error. The…
Australia Pushes for Global Accord to Curb Plastic Waste
Sydney — Australian Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been in Paris, France, for talks on a proposed global plastics treaty. A United Nations committee is meeting to work on a global pact that aims to end plastic waste. There is, though, little consensus about what the outcome should be. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics began meeting Monday in Paris to develop the first legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution. Discussions in the French capital are expected to end Friday. The meeting has attracted more than 2,000 people from…
How Taiwan became the indispensable economy
Taiwan Fearing a potential conflict in Asia, western companies are looking to move production out of Taiwan. But turning away from the self-ruled island will come at a high price for manufacturers In the days after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last year, Taiwanese suppliers to American tech giants including Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon were inundated with requests from their customers. Could they produce from outside Taiwan to secure supplies, in case Beijing went to war over the island? Pelosi’s visit had sparked more than a…
Wall Street gives crypto a chance
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