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Vice President hits Duterte's leadership style; says it'll be a 'waste' if he becomes next VP
Vice President Leni Robredo (Photo from Robredo’s Facebook page) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Vice President Leni Robredo said it would be a “waste” if President Duterte becomes her successor and implements his familiar style of leadership, Manila Bulletin reported. Robredo, in an interview Friday, Sept. 24 with Ateneo Level Up of Radyo Katipunan, said she wouldn’t want the next vice president of the Philippines to be “too detached” from the job. “(I took care of this office for six years. Hopefully, the governing style that we saw him do as president won’t be his style if he becomes the vice president. As for us…we work as hard as the lowest-ranked employee. It’s a waste. It’s a waste of the groundwork we laid down here if the next vice president would be too detached,” she said. President Duterte is the vice presidential bet of ruling party PDP-Laban for the upcoming May 2022 national elections. He signed his certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) from the party Thursday. “It’ll be a waste of my hard work as well as my hopes that the culture I will have left here would be my legacy,” added Robredo. The opposition leader has often criticized the Duterte administration for its handling of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, Robredo has said that there seems to be “no captain” in government when it comes to its pandemic response.
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Filipino Police academy cadet dies after being punished with five gut punches
Cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy line up during a ceremony. (Photo from Philstar) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: A Philippine National Police Academy cadet died Thursday after being punished by an upperclassman with five punches to the stomach, police said, PhilStar reported. Police Corporal Ramil Legaspi told Philstar that a witness said Cadet Third Class George Karl Magsayo was subjected to a “road test” or a punishment for wrongdoing. Legaspi refused to disclose what Magsayo did to deserve physical punishment unless Philstar showed up at the police station. A report prepared by Legaspi stated that Cadet Second Class Steve Ceasar Maingat was the one who punched Magsayo five times in the gut, causing him to lose consciousness. He was then rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival, the report said. PNPA public information chief Louie Gonzaga said in a statement on Saturday midnight that fellow cadets quickly gave Magsayo first aid and alerted their officers. Gonzaga assured that an investigation is underway to determine the truth behind the “tragic but isolated incident” and that Magsayo’s body will be autopsied to determine the cause of death. “We would like to assure everyone especially the family that we WILL MAKE ANYONE ACCOUNTABLE should the findings so warrant and GIVE JUSTICE TO WHOM IT IS DUE,” Gonzaga said. The PNPA statement did not mention that police had identified Maingat as a suspect
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OCTA Research notes decreasing COVID-19 cases in PH
“It is also downward, but going down slower because of surge in cases in some regions outside NCR Plus,” OCTA Research fellow Guido David told INQUIRER. (Photo from CNN PH) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: COVID-19 cases in the Philippines were on a “downward” trend although its deceleration was slower due to increases in coronavirus infections in some regions outside Metro Manila, independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research said Friday, PH Inquirer reported. “It is also downward, but going down slower because of a surge in cases in some regions outside NCR Plus,” OCTA Research fellow Guido David told INQUIRER in a text message when asked of the trend of coronavirus cases in the country. The country’s COVID-19 reproduction number, or the average number of individuals being infected by one positive case, is currently at 1.04, according to David. Meanwhile, the reproduction number in Metro Manila is at 0.97 from the previous 0.99, he said. David earlier noted that COVID-19 cases in the capital region we're also on a downward trend especially since its reproduction number was already below one. To note, OCTA Research earlier said that the ideal reproduction number is below one. The country currently has 165,790 active cases of COVID-19 while Metro Manila alone has 41,609 active infections.
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Pharmally admits selling expired, substandard face shields to PH government
Krizle Grace Mago was forced to confirm the practice after it was barred by a Senate witness who is an employee at the firm's warehouse. (Photo from Philstar) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., the Duterte administration's favored pandemic supplier admitted to the Senate blue ribbon committee on Friday that it sold expired and substandard face shields to the government meant for doctors and healthcare workers, PhilStar reported. Pharmally executive Krizle Grace Mago was forced to confirm the practice after it was barred by a Senate witness who is an employee at the firm's warehouse. Asked by blue ribbon chairman Richard Gordon if the firm was swindling the government by doing this, Mago replied: "Yes, I believe so." The witness, whose voice and face was distorted for security reasons, said Pharmally instructed warehouse workers to replace the certificates of face shields dated 2020 with new certificates dated 2021. He claimed this practice was still running when he was hired in August until September of this year, adding that no face shields were thrown out regardless of their condition. “Even if the face shields were dented, the boxes were dented, even though they were dirtied, ma'am would still tell us to repack them… even if they are yellowed, even if they are wet," he said in Filipino in a recorded video presented by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. He said Mago was the boss he was referring to. A copy of a document certifying his employment signed by Pharmally corporate secretary.
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Canary Islands: Firefighters retreat as volcano intensifies
Volcanic activity intensified on Friday resulting in more evacuations. (Photo by= EPA) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] CANARY ISLAND: Firefighters on the Spanish Island of La Palma have retreated due to intensifying volcanic explosions. The Cumbre Vieja volcano started erupting on Sunday with thousands evacuated and more than 350 homes destroyed, BBC reported. On Friday, authorities in three more towns told residents to evacuate. A thick plume of smoke now extends four kilometres (2.4 miles) into the air with a number of flights in and out of the airport cancelled. No fatalities have been reported. Volcanic activity increased on Friday and Spanish media is reporting that a new vent has opened up, causing lava to flow. A social media post from the La Palma fire service said firefighters have "withdrawn from the area due to the intensification of explosive phenomena". The firefighters had been conducting preventative work in Todoque neighbourhood. Some 1,000 people in Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and Tacande de Arriba were told to evacuate on Friday due to the intensifying volcanic activity. Local flight operator Binter said it had cancelled all flights to La Palma due to the eruption, with Spanish airline Iberia also halting operations in the area. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Friday that the cabinet would next week declare the island a "catastrophe zone".
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WHO says air pollution kills 7 million a year, toughens guidelines
Mountains are pictured above Kathmandu, Nepal, May 4, 2020. (Photo by= Reuters/Navesh Chitrakar) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] GENEVA: The World Health Organization strengthened its air quality guidelines on Wednesday (Sep 22), saying air pollution was now one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, causing seven million premature deaths a year, AFP reported. Urgent action is needed to reduce exposure to air pollution, said the UN body, ranking its burden of disease on a par with smoking and unhealthy eating. "WHO has adjusted almost all the air quality guideline levels downwards, warning that exceeding the new ... levels is associated with significant risks to health," it said. The guidelines aim to protect people from the adverse effects of air pollution and are used by governments as a reference for legally binding standards. The UN health agency last issued air quality guidelines, or AQGs, in 2005, which had a significant impact on pollution abatement policies worldwide. In the 16 years since however, the WHO said more evidence had emerged showing that air pollution affects health at lower concentrations than previously understood. "The accumulated evidence is sufficient to justify actions to reduce population exposure to key air pollutants, not only in particular countries or regions but on a global scale," the organization said
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UN redoubles green energy push to save climate, boost electricity
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the world to step up its fight against climate change. (Photo by= AFP) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations chief called Friday (Sep 24) for the world to redouble its renewable energy efforts to avert a climate emergency and address global energy poverty, AFP reported. "Today, we face a moment of truth," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who described the mandate as a "double imperative - to end energy poverty and to limit climate change. The comments came as governments and the private sector pledged to spend more than US$400 billion at a high-level summit that called for an acceleration of efforts to avert catastrophic climate change and simultaneously bring electricity to more of the 760 million people around the world who currently lack it. The "energy compact" lists commitments from more than 35 governments and several large companies, including TotalEnergies, Schneider Electric and Google. The aim is to revamp the global energy system, which accounts for about 75 percent of total greenhouse gases, according to the United Nations. Jennifer Layke, global energy director at the World Resources Institute, said the pledges serve "transparency purposes" and enable NGOs to hold companies and governments accountable. But "to deliver on climate, we still have a long way to go to get to the level of transformation on the energy transition that is required," she said.
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Cambodia halts 'Festival of the Dead' after COVID-19 outbreak
Worshippers around Cambodia visit pagodas during the two-week Pchum Ben festival to offer prayers and food to the spirits of their ancestors. (Photo by= AFP) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has cancelled its "Festival of the Dead" - an annual holiday where the Buddhist faithful pay respects to deceased relatives, after a coronavirus outbreak among monks in the capital, AFP reported. Worshippers around the country visit pagodas during the two-week Pchum Ben festival to offer prayers and food to the spirits of their ancestors. This year's observance began on Wednesday (Sep 22) but will come to an early end on the weekend after nearly 50 Buddhist monks tested positive for coronavirus and authorities locked down their temple in Phnom Penh. The festival cancellation was "necessary to control the spread of COVID-19 ... at the time that Cambodia is reopening schools and is planning to reopen the country," Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a Thursday night statement. Cambodia largely avoided the spread of the pandemic last year but surging infections since have seen more than 105,000 cases and nearly 2,200 deaths. It has nonetheless won praise for a swift vaccine drive, with Cambodia's health ministry claiming that over 98 per cent of the country's adult population has received at least one dose.
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Indonesian tofu seller who dropped out of school makes it his life mission to spread love for reading
Rudiat has bought around 3,500 books since he started working more than two decades ago. (Photo by= Jumari Haryadi) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] JAKARTA: It was 6am and the sun had just risen in Pasirhuni village, West Java, but Rudiat was already busy sorting out many books, CNA reported. The tofu seller placed dozens of books in two boxes at the back of his motorbike, along with another box containing bundles of tofu. He then headed off to several villages in the rural Cimaung district. Selling tofu has been Rudiat’s main source of income for the past decade or so. However, he regards spreading literacy as his life mission. When he visits his customers in the villages, the 43-year-old also lends them books. “I bring books which suit them. If I go to a village where the majority of my tofu customers are farmers, I will bring along books about farming like how to raise ducks. Although he earns about 1.5 million rupiah (US$105) per month, lower than West Java’s minimum wage of about 1.8 million rupiah, he has always set aside 2.5 percent of his income to buy books. Initially started as a small personal initiative, Rudiat’s efforts have since won him a group of loyal readers. These days, a few dozen people would convey their reading preferences via text messages daily, before he is scheduled to visit their village the next day.
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Jitender Maan Gogi: India gangster shot dead in Delhi court
The shooting in the Rohini area has raised questions over the security of Delhi's courts. (Photo by= EPA) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Two men posing as lawyers shot dead a notorious gangster inside a courtroom in India's capital, Delhi. They opened fire at Jitender Maan Gogi inside the courtroom in Rohini where a case was being heard against him, BBC reported. Officials say police returned fire, killing the two men. Police suspect a rival gang planned the attack. Gogi was on Delhi police's most-wanted list and he was also an accused in dozens of cases - including murder, kidnapping and fraud - in other states.The incident has raised questions over the security of Delhi's courts. A senior politician said that the incident showed a serious lapse in security planning. Gogi was arrested in Delhi in March last year on charges of murder and extortion. Officials said he was a target of many gangs due to his swift rise in the crime world. Reports say his career in crime began when he was a teenager and initially involved incidents of carjacking and theft. But later he was a prime suspect in many high-profile killings, including that of a popular singer in Haryana state.
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Migrant camp in south Texas dwindles to a few hundred people
Migrants seeking asylum in the US cross the Rio Grande river into the US after leaving a makeshift migrant camp in Braulio Fernández Ecological Park in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, Sep 23, 2021. (Photo by= Reuters/Go Nakamura) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] CIUDAD ACUNA, Mexico: Only a few hundred mostly Haitian migrants were left camping out under an international bridge in Del Rio, Texas on Friday (Sep 24), down from nearly 15,000 people who had converged there last week as US officials ramped up expulsions to Haiti and some releases into the United States, Reuters reported. Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens, who has been keeping tabs on the number of people in the camp, said there were 225 people left under the bridge that connects the United States and Mexico on Friday morning. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately respond to a request for comment but on Thursday evening had said there were 5,000 people currently in the Del Rio border sector, which would include people who had been moved to federal facilities for immigration processing. Haitians have also set up camp on the Mexican side of the border in Ciudad Acuna, as hundreds retreated back across the Rio Grande after US officials began sending planes of people back to Haiti. Mexican officials urged Haitians to give up hopes of seeking asylum in the United States, telling them instead to return to Mexico's southern border with Guatemala to request asylum in Mexico.
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US House passes abortion rights bill, expected to fail in Senate
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a news conference about the House vote on H.R. 3755, the “Women’s Health Protection Act” legislation to ‘establish a federally protected right to abortion access’ at the Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2021. (Photo by= Reuters/Kevin Lamarque) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives approved legislation on Friday (Sep 24) to protect abortion services against growing Republican-backed state restrictions, including a Texas law that imposes a near-total ban on abortion, but it is unlikely to pass the Senate, Reuters reported. The Democratic-controlled House voted 218-211 largely along party lines to pass the legislation called the Women's Health Protection Act. Just one Democrat voted against the proposal. The bill would protect abortion services and pre-empt many of the restrictions that Republicans have passed at the state level, such as those that require ultrasounds or other tests. It is expected to fail in the evenly divided Senate, where Democrats would need at least 10 Republicans to support it. Republican Senator Susan Collins, a moderate who supports abortion rights, has said she will vote against it. But the vote provides an opportunity for Democrats to demonstrate their support for abortion rights ahead of the 2022 congressional elections, which will determine which party controls Congress in the latter half of President Joe Biden's presidential term. "It is time to trust women, to respect their decisions," Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro said during House debate.
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60 million Americans now eligible for Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots, Biden says
US President Joe Biden hosts a virtual coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Summit as part of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from the South Court Auditorium in the White House complex in Washington, US, Sep 22, 2021. (Photo by= Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] WASHINGTON: Some 60 million people in the United States are now eligible for a Pfizer booster shot against COVID-19, President Joe Biden said on Friday (Sep 24) as a regulatory marathon laying bare divisions within the scientific community on the issue came to a close, Reuters reported. In the end, US health authorities have recommended boosters for three categories of people: those 65 and older, those 18-64 with an underlying medical condition such as diabetes or obesity, and those who are especially exposed to the virus because of their work or where they live. The last, at-risk group is large and includes teachers, grocery store employees, health care workers, prisoners and people living in homeless shelters. A total of 20 million people got their second Pfizer shot long enough ago - at least six months - to qualify now for a booster, Biden said. Biden said people who have received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccinations could get booster shots once studies have been completed and he expected that all Americans would be eligible "in the near term." Some immunocompromised people in the United States have been eligible to receive a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine since early August.
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Quad countries vow to work for freedom in region
President Joe Biden walks to the Quad summit with, from left, Australian PM Scott Morrison, India's Narendra Modi and Japan's Yoshihide Suga, in the East Room of the White House, on September 24 (Photo by=Evan Vucci/AP) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] The leaders of the US, Japan, India and Australia have vowed to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific region at their first in-person summit, amid shared concerns about China, BBC reported. The so-called Quad group of nations agreed to move ahead on a joint plan to provide Covid-19 vaccines around Asia. They also launched a climate initiative pledging to "decarbonise at pace" and "keep climate goals within reach". The four nations will hold annual summits. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the White House summit that his country would resume exports of coronavirus vaccines next month. The Quad group of nations agreed in March to supply a billion doses of vaccine to Asia this year, but Delhi suspended exports during a wave of coronavirus in April. The four leaders also reaffirmed support for free and open order rooted in international law. Without explicitly mentioning China, the four leaders said they were committed to "promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond". After the summit, the leaders pledged "to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas".
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One of NYC's poshest buildings facing $250m lawsuit over building defects
One of the poshest skyscrapers in Manhattan’s so-called Billionaire Row. (Photo by= Getty Images) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Faulty lifts, flooding and intolerable noises are just some of the woes that the billionaire residents of one of New York's poshest buildings say they face daily. Now, the occupants of 432 Park Avenue are suing its developers for failing to address some1,500 alleged defects, BBC reported. The lawsuit claims that the building's problems have "endangered and inconvenienced" residents and guests. The skyscraper opened in 2015 on Manhattan's so-called Billionaire Row. Buyers have included Jennifer Lopez and former fiancé Alex Rodriguez, Saudi retail magnate Fawaz Alhokair and a member of the family that owns the Jose Cuervo Tequila brand, according to the New York Times. Individual units sold for tens of millions of dollars each, the paper said. The $250m lawsuit filed to New York's Supreme Court on Thursday said issues in the building have included an electrical explosion in June that left residents without power and "horrible" inexplicable noises and vibrations. The figure does not include punitive damages or individual lawsuits that may come later. The building's sponsor - a company formed by developers CIM Group and Macklowe Properties to build the tower - said in a statement to local media that 432 Park is "Manhattan's premier resident" and an "iconic addition" to the skyline.
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Prince Andrew's lawyers accept he was served with US case papers
Virginia Giuffre, then Roberts, was pictured with Prince Andrew in London in 2001. (Photo by= Virginia Roberts) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Prince Andrew's US lawyers have accepted he has been served with legal papers which allege he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre in 2001. It follows a dispute over whether the prince had been formally notified of the civil claim against him, BBC reported. Ms. Giuffre, 38, claims she was sexually assaulted by the prince at three locations including New York City. Prince Andrew, the Queen's 61-year-old second son, has consistently denied the allegation. Court documents show that lawyers for both sides spoke on 21 September and the time for the duke to respond was extended. That response must now be filed to a court in New York by 29 October. A judge ruled last week that Prince Andrew's US lawyer could be served with legal papers. Serving of documents is the critical first stage in any claim for damages - it means that a defendant has been made fully aware of the allegations against them by receiving all of the papers in the case. If a defendant does not take part in the case after they have been served, they risk automatically losing. Ms. Giuffre claims Prince Andrew engaged in sexual acts without Ms. Giuffre's consent.
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Dead Sri Lankan's kin urge Japan immigration to accept responsibility
Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali's younger sister Wayomi speaks to reporters at Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Sept. 23, 2021. (Photo by= Kyodo) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] TOKYO: One of the sisters of a Sri Lankan woman who died in March following mistreatment at a Japanese detention facility has called on the immigration agency to accept responsibility for her sibling's death as she left Japan, Kyodo reported. The family members of Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali, 33, have been demanding that the immigration agency disclose two weeks' worth of security camera footage of her final days and clarify the cause of death, but their requests have not been granted. "I will return (to my country) temporarily, but not because I have given up. I want the immigration authorities to accept their responsibility and prevent the same thing from happening again to other foreigners," Wishma's younger sister Wayomi, 29, told reporters at Narita airport near Tokyo on Thursday. Wayomi said she decided to leave Japan as she has been "mentally distressed" after seeing half of a two-hour edited version of the footage showing how her sister was treated at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau in central Japan. She also said she was worried about the worsening health of her mother in Sri Lanka. Wishma's other younger sister, Poornima, will remain in Japan and continue to urge the agency to fully disclose the footage.
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PM Suga touts Tokyo Olympics success amid divided public in U.N. speech
People gather outside the National Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Aug. 8, 2021. The ceremony was held without spectators from the general public amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by= Kyodo) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Saturday hailed this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as a success, saying in a speech at the U.N. General Assembly that the host country "achieved what we set out to do" despite the pressures of a public that was divided over holding the games during the pandemic, Kyodo reported. In a prerecorded video message, Suga also highlighted the importance of realizing a "free and open Indo-Pacific" amid challenges such as China's growing assertiveness in regional waters and North Korea's recent missile launches. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics went ahead following a one-year postponement amid surging COVID-19 cases in the capital, a move criticized by many as contradicting the government's request for people and businesses to comply with restrictions. "While there were various views about holding the games this summer, we, as the host country of the games, fulfilled our responsibilities and achieved what we set out to do," Suga said. The speech came as Suga was in Washington for a summit with Australia, India and the United States, his final overseas trip before stepping down as prime minister next month. The countries, including Japan, known as the Quad, are stepping up cooperation to counter China's military and economic influence.
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Emma Raducanu: British number one splits with coach after US Open win
Royal tennis fan Kate Middleton and 18-year-old British champion Emma Raducanu came face to face on Friday morning. (Photo by=Jeremy Selwyn/ Pool/ Pool Evening Standard) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] British number one Emma Raducanu has split with the coach who guided her to a first major title at the US Open. BBC Sports reported that Andrew Richardson was hired for the summer tournaments in the United States, which ended with the 18-year-old's improbable victory in New York. Raducanu had entered the tournament as a qualifier, and the world number 150."At this stage of my career I really need someone that has had that WTA Tour experience at that high level," she explained. "Especially right now as I'm so new to it, I think I really need someone just to guide me who has already been through that themselves. Raducanu was speaking after a 'Homecoming Party' staged by the LTA at the National Tennis Centre in London. Joe Salisbury, Alfie Hewett, and Gordon Reid, Britain's other 2021 US Open champions, were also on the stage, and fielded questions from children from three local schools. Earlier they had played tennis with the Duchess of Cambridge, who is a patron of the LTA. The new British number one says she has no prospective coach in mind and would like to do some trials once the season is over. Raducanu is currently 14th in the annual race for the eight places in November's year-end finals in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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Haruki Murakami to leave legacy with library at alma mater Waseda Univ.
The Waseda International House of Literature, or The Haruki Murakami Library, is shown to the media on Sept. 22, 2021, at the university's campus in Tokyo ahead of the Oct. 1 opening of the facility. (Photo by= Kyodo) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] TOKYO: The Haruki Murakami Library will open at the Japanese author's alma mater Waseda University in Tokyo on Friday to house his personal archive, including handwritten manuscripts previously donated, Kyodo reported. During a recent interview with Kyodo News ahead of the opening of the library officially known as The Waseda International House of Literature, Murakami talked about how he envisions his works being passed on. "If you just put things there, people will only come once and never again. I wanted to make it a place that was more alive, and the ideas just grew from there," Murakami, 72, said. The library, standing five stories high with a basement, was designed by 67-year-old Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Facilities include research spaces such as the library, areas for people to interact, and a studio equipped with sound equipment. "I don't have any children, so I wanted to prevent my resources and manuscripts from being lost after my death," Murakami said in explaining his reason for making the donation. Hoping the library will become a center for international exchange in the field of Japanese literature research, he envisions reading sessions by authors and radio program recordings to also be held there.
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China welcomes Huawei executive home, but silent on freed Canadians
Her eyes were "blurring with tears" as she approached "the embrace of the great motherland", Meng said. Meng was arrested in December 2018 in Vancouver after a New York court issued an arrest warrant, saying she tried to cover up attempts by Huawei-linked companies to sell equipment to Iran in breach of US sanctions. (Photo by= Reuters/ Jennifer Gauthier) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] SHANGHAI: Chinese state media welcomed telecoms giant Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, back to the "motherland" on Saturday (Sep 25), after more than 1,000 days under house arrest in Canada, on what they called unfounded charges of bank fraud. But they’ve kept silent about Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians released from Chinese custody in an apparent act of reciprocation by Beijing. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV carried a statement by the Huawei executive, written as her plane flew over the North Pole, avoiding US airspace. After more than two years of legal wrangling, she was finally allowed to leave Canada and fly back to China on Friday, after securing a deal with US prosecutors. Huawei, founded by Meng's father Ren Zhengfei, said in a statement that it "looked forward to seeing Ms Meng returning home safely to be reunited with her family". It said it would continue to defend itself against US charges. Meanwhile, Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, detained by Chinese authorities just days after Meng's arrest, were released a few hours later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said. China has previously denied engaging in "hostage diplomacy", insisting that the arrest and detention of the two Canadians was not tied in any way to the extradition proceedings against Meng.
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Former head of Chinese liquor giant Moutai jailed for life for bribery
Kweichow Moutai is the world's most valuable spirits company. (File photo by=AFP/Jessica Yang) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] BEIJING: The former head of Chinese liquor firm Kweichow Moutai, the world's most valuable spirits company, has been jailed for life for taking more than US$17 million in bribes. Yuan Renguo, 64, was found guilty of accepting cash and properties worth more than 112.9 million yuan (US$17.5 million) while working at Kweichow Moutai between 1994 and 2018, according to a court statement on Thursday (Sept 23), AFP reported. The court stripped Yuan, a former Communist Party cadre and local government advisory group member, of his political rights and confiscated his personal property. Yang is the latest high-profile businessman and Communist Party figure to fall in President Xi Jinping's sweeping anti-corruption campaign. He’s dismissed from public office and expelled from the party on corruption allegations in May 2019. An investigation by the party's graft buster found that Yuan had engaged in "family-style corruption" and facilitated the illegal sale of Moutai for unscrupulous dealers. Meanwhile, Xi's anti-corruption campaign, launched in 2012, has hit baijiu sales particularly hard as bottles of premium brands like Moutai had become a popular gift for charming or bribing Communist Party officials. The company's share price remained unaffected by the ruling and stood at 1,652 yuan, up 0.92 percent in Thursday morning trade.
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Brazil recall eight Premier League players for World Cup qualifiers
Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Ederson are among eight Premier League players called up by Brazil. (Photo by=Getty Images) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Brazil have selected eight Premier League players for October's World Cup qualifiers despite the country remaining on the UK's travel red list. BBC Sports reported that last month most English clubs refused to release players called up by South American countries. Now, anyone travelling to Brazil from the UK must quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in the country and 10 days when they arrive back in the UK. But the Brazil FA said "positive talks" have been held over travel exemptions. Liverpool duo Alisson and Fabinho, Manchester City's Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, Manchester United midfielder Fred, Leeds forward Raphinha and Tottenham defender Emerson Royal have all been called up for matches against Venezuela, Colombia and Uruguay. Former Middlesbrough midfielder Juninho Paulista, the Brazil national team coordinator, said the eight England-based players had been called up with the belief an agreement would be made next week allowing players to avoid travel restrictions. Despite complaints being made by the Brazilian football federation, Fifa has the power to enforce five-day suspensions for players not released to play for their national sides. Brazil have won all eight of their qualifiers so far and are six points clear of Argentina at the top of the South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022.
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Group behind Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen vigil disbands amid probe
Richard Tsoi, former secretary of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China speaks to the media on Sep 9, 2021. (File photo by= Reuters/Tyrone Siu) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] HONG KONG: A Hong Kong group that organizes an annual vigil on June 4 to remember protesters killed in China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown will disband, it said on Saturday (Sept 25), after facing national security charges, Reuters reported. The democracy group is the latest of the dozens of civil society bodies to fold over the past year, from a key trade union grouping to the largest teachers' union, after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in the city. "I believe Hong Kong people, no matter their capacity, will continue to commemorate Jun 4 as before," Richard Tsoi, the secretary of the group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, told reporters. A vote on Saturday to disband was supported by 41 of its members with four opposed, Tsoi said. Meanwhile, authorities froze HK$2.2 million (US$283,000) of the group's assets this month after it was charged with inciting subversion under the new law. Activist group Student Politicism, which had four current and former members charged this week, will also close, it said on its Facebook page on Friday. Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly denied curbing human rights and freedoms, saying law enforcement has been based on evidence and has nothing to do with the background, profession, or political beliefs of those arrested.
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Quad leaders urge N. Korea to engage in dialogue, refrain from provocations
In this photo the leaders of the “Quad” alliance – US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan’s Yoshihide Suga and Australia’s Scott Morrison in Washington. (Photo by=breakinglatest) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] WASHINGTON: The leaders of the United States, Australia, Japan and India on Friday called on North Korea to engage in dialogue and abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions that prohibit its ballistic missile tests. The call came at the end of the first in-person summit of the four countries, which form the so-called Quad, in Washington. "We reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and also confirm the necessity of immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees," the leaders said in a joint statement. "We urge North Korea to abide by its U.N. obligations, refrain from provocations. We also call on North Korea to engage in substantive dialogue," they added. The leaders are President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan. The four held their first-ever Quad summit virtually in March and reaffirmed their "commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions." Their latest call for dialogue comes after North Korea test-fired a new short-range ballistic missile earlier this month in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
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Price says U.S. holds no hostile intent, hopes N. Korea will respond positively to dialogue offer
Price's remark also comes after Mark Lambert, deputy assistant secretary of state for Japan and South Korea, said the U.S. is open to "exploring meaningful confidence building initiatives with the North." (Photo from middle east online) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] WASHINGTON: On Friday, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department reiterated the U.S. holds no hostile intent toward North Korea while urging the North to come to the dialogue table. Ned Price made the remark after a North Korean vice foreign minister dismissed a proposal from South Korean President Moon Jae-in to declare a formal end to the Korean War, arguing that what he called U.S. hostility against his country was the main destabilizing factor on the Korean Peninsula. "We've said this a number of times now, but we have no hostile intent towards the DPRK, and we are prepared to meet with the DPRK without preconditions," the State Department spokesman said when asked if the U.S. believed a declaration of the war's end could be made as a starting point as proposed by Moon, or if it should wait until the North fully denuclearized. "We hope the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach," added Price in a virtual press briefing held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Price also highlighted joint efforts by his country, South Korea and Japan to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, pointing to a three-way meeting between the countries' top diplomats in New York this week.
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If he wins presidency, Manila Mayor to allow int'l probers to PH for 'drug war' investigation
Isko Moreno formally launches his campaign for the presidency on September 22, 2021. (Photo from Manila Public Information Office) [Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said he will “not lift a finger” to protect incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte if he wins the electoral race next year and the International Criminal Court probe into the “drug war” happens in his term, PhilStar reported. Moreno said he will not prevent international probers to come to the country and look into Duterte’s “drug war,” which claimed thousands of Filipino lives. “I will not prevent anything. Rule of law will be observed under my watch. Why not? If there’s nothing to hide, anyway they’re just investigating. It doesn’t mean you’re guilty or not,” he said in an interview. The interview comes two days after the Manila mayor announced his bid for the presidency, with Dr. Willie Ong, who lost in the senatorial race in 2019, as his running mate. Moreno said a duty of a president is to protect every citizen of the country. He said he will not cover for Duterte, but he will also not press anyone in the investigation. "They will be no cover-up, not to protect anyone. Rule of law will be observed. Every citizen can afford any provision of the Constitution as a matter of right. I will not lift a finger, to cover or help or either way to press unto anyone or exact revenge," he said.
