A young Ghanaian man named Justice Plo Prempeh is preparing to take on a major challenge—he plans to break the Guinness World Record for the longest solo singing marathon.
Justice, a 2025 graduate of Takoradi Technical University, revealed on TikTok that his application to attempt the record has been approved by Guinness World Records.
He posted a screenshot of the confirmation email and shared a poster with more details about the upcoming event.
The sing-a-thon is set to begin at exactly midnight on December 19, 2025. Justice hopes to sing continuously for 120 hours—five full days.
The attempt will follow strict GWR rules and is expected to attract a lot of public attention.
His bold move comes as more Ghanaians are stepping up to pursue world records, a trend that gained popularity after Afua Asantewaa Aduonum’s high-profile singing marathon in December 2023.
Justice’s effort is already generating excitement and shows just how far Ghanaian talent is reaching on the global stage.
After failing her first attempt, which was conducted in December 2023 in Accra, Afua Asantewaa is awaiting the results of her second attempt, which took place on December 21, 2024, in Kumasi.
Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has held strategic talks with the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa, aimed at reinforcing the partnership between the two countries and charting new areas for cooperation.
The meeting, which took place earlier today, emphasized the importance of infrastructure development and economic collaboration as key pillars of the Ghana-China relationship.
Dr. Forson reflected on the longstanding partnership, highlighting a major milestone from his tenure as Deputy Minister: “With China’s support, we built the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant during my time as Deputy Minister. It’s now time to build a second gas processing plant.”
As Ghana gears up for its Mid-Year Budget Review, the Finance Minister noted that several infrastructure projects—such as the Accra-Kumasi Expressway announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo—remain a top priority. He emphasized the critical role of international allies in executing such initiatives.
“We will need support from partners like China,” Dr. Forson stated, invoking a Chinese proverb to underscore the agenda. “If you want to get rich, build roads first.”
He went on to express satisfaction with ongoing collaborations, pointing out the progress made in current projects: “Most Chinese-funded projects in Ghana are near completion, and we hope new ones will commence soon.”
Another key topic on the agenda was Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts. Dr. Forson appealed for continued Chinese support in finalizing the process to stabilize the economy and sustain growth.
Ambassador Tong Defa, in response, reiterated China’s commitment to Ghana’s development goals. “The bilateral agreement and development partnership are ready to be signed,” he affirmed, adding that China remains a reliable partner in Ghana’s transformation journey.
Trade between Ghana and China soared to an all-time high of $11.84 billion in 2024, marking a significant leap in their economic cooperation.
This record-breaking trade volume cements China’s status as Ghana’s leading trading ally and highlights the increasing depth of their economic ties.
Ghana’s exports of gold, cocoa, and crude oil continue to fuel this growing trade relationship, while China supplies essential goods such as machinery, electronics, textiles, and building materials.
The surge in trade reflects the impact of strategic agreements, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which have bolstered investment and infrastructure growth.
China remains a powerhouse in global commerce, reporting a GDP of nearly 135 trillion yuan (approximately $18.5 trillion) in 2024, with a 5% growth rate and a 28% contribution to global economic expansion.
Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1960, Ghana and China have maintained a thriving partnership built on mutual respect and shared economic ambitions. Chinese enterprises have played a vital role in Ghana’s progress, particularly in infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and mining.
With trade and investment continuing on an upward trajectory, both nations anticipate further economic advancements, reinforcing their strategic collaboration.
To commemorate this historic trade milestone, a grand celebration took place at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium during the 2025 Chinese Lantern Festival.
The event brought together esteemed figures, including President John Dramani Mahama, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Mr. Tong Defa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, senior government officials, industry leaders, and members of the Chinese community in Ghana.
The festival showcased a vibrant display of Chinese cultural performances, with traditional music and dance captivating attendees. The highlight of the evening was a spectacular lantern-lighting ceremony, where thousands of glowing lanterns in red, gold, and blue ascended into the night sky, symbolizing unity and a shared vision for prosperity.
Chinese Ambassador Mr. Tong Defa emphasized the importance of the 65-year diplomatic relationship between Ghana and China, describing it as a testament to enduring trust and cooperation.
“China has been Ghana’s largest trading partner and a major investor for many years. Last year, our bilateral trade reached an all-time high of $11.84 billion, demonstrating the strength of our economic cooperation,” Ambassador Tang said.
He highlighted China’s contributions to Ghana’s infrastructure, citing key projects in transportation, healthcare, and education. Reaffirming China’s dedication to Ghana’s industrialization and agricultural modernization, he underscored plans to expand cooperation in technology, manufacturing, and human capital development.
“As we celebrate 65 years of diplomatic ties, we look forward to enhancing our collaboration in infrastructure, technology, and people-to-people exchanges. Our friendship is built on shared aspirations for economic prosperity and social development,” he added.
As part of efforts to strengthen cultural exchanges, he announced that 2026 has been designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, aimed at deepening socio-economic and cultural ties between the two nations.
Delivering the keynote address, President John Dramani Mahama commended the evolving Ghana-China relationship and its critical role in Ghana’s economic transformation.
“Over the years, Ghana and China have witnessed remarkable progress in trade and investment, benefiting both our economies,” President Mahama stated.
He encouraged Chinese investors to explore opportunities in Ghana’s value-added industries, manufacturing, and technology-driven sectors, reiterating the government’s commitment to fostering a business-friendly climate.
“As I mentioned in my inaugural address, Ghana is open for business again. I invite our Chinese partners to explore the vast opportunities available, ensuring a win-win situation for both nations,” he said.
Beyond economic collaboration, President Mahama highlighted the importance of educational and cultural exchanges, acknowledging the benefits Ghanaian students have received through scholarships and technical training programs in China. He also stressed the need for increased cooperation in digital innovation and technology to accelerate Ghana’s economic growth.
With trade at an all-time high and both nations eager to deepen their partnership, the future of Ghana-China economic relations looks promising, setting the stage for greater cooperation and shared progress.
Former Bank of China chairman Liu Liange on Tuesday received a suspended death sentence for bribery and illegal loan issuance, state media reported, according to Reuters.
He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a court in China’s Shandong province. The sentence, per reports, will be executed if he commits further crimes during the period. He would have a life sentence if reprieved.
China’s anti-graft watchdog has intensified its crackdown on the financial sector, targeting high-profile figures such as Liu Liange, former chairman of the Bank of China, and Fan Yifei, a former deputy central bank governor sentenced to death in October for accepting bribes, with a two-year reprieve.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, Liu was found guilty of abusing his position to secure promotions for others and accepting bribes totaling more than 121 million yuan ($17 million). While the court acknowledged Liu’s confession and the recovery of most of the illicit funds, it opted to delay the enforcement of the death penalty.
During his tenure at China Export-Import Bank and the Bank of China, Liu unlawfully approved loans exceeding 3.32 billion yuan, resulting in losses of over 190 million yuan, CCTV reported.
Liu, born in 1961, had a decades-long career in banking and finance, holding roles at the People’s Bank of China and the Export-Import Bank of China before being promoted to chairman of the Bank of China in 2019.
In October 2023, the Chinese Communist Party expelled Liu, accusing him of illegal activities and corruption.
Oil prices remained below $70 per barrel on the global market due to ongoing demand pressure and geopolitical tensions. Yesterday, Brent crude dropped significantly by 3.69%, closing at just over $69.
This marks the first time Brent has dipped below $70 since late 2021, noted ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey in a report.
The crude oil market is showing signs of being oversold, according to technical indicators cited by analysts. However, sentiment remains bearish, with Chinese trade data adding to concerns.
China’s crude oil imports fell 7% year-on-year to 11.61 million barrels per day, leaving cumulative imports down 3.1% so far in 2024, according to the data.
This continued weakness in the oil market is likely to worry OPEC+, and analysts believe the group may need to announce measures to address the anticipated surplus in 2025.
However, if the market downturn persists, there’s a risk that OPEC+ could abandon its output cuts in an effort to push out non-OPEC producers, which could lead to further price declines, the ING strategists warned.
“Even if the group sticks to cuts, compliance is likely to slip. Lower prices mean lower revenues for OPEC members and so as prices weaken there will be growing pressure to pump more in an attempt to try maintain revenues”.
The recent decline in oil prices is expected to result in reduced drilling activity in the US. The WTI forward curve remains in backwardation, with prices for 2025 and 2026 staying below $65, signaling more modest supply growth from the US in those years.
In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA projected US crude oil production to increase by 420,000 barrels per day in 2025, down from last month’s forecast of 460,000 barrels per day. Meanwhile, OPEC’s monthly market report, released yesterday, made slight downward adjustments to demand forecasts but still expects global demand to rise by over 2 million barrels per day this year and by 1.74 million barrels per day in 2025—figures much higher than the IEA’s projection of around 1 million barrels per day growth for both years.
OPEC also reported a 197,000 barrels per day decline in output in August, largely due to production stoppages in Libya, which saw a month-on-month drop of 219,000 barrels per day, leaving OPEC’s total production at 26.59 million barrels per day.
In Europe, natural gas prices experienced significant pressure yesterday, with TTF falling 5.49% to settle below EUR36/MWh. The market’s supply situation remains comfortable, with storage at 93% capacity. However, risks remain, particularly with the possibility of extended Norwegian maintenance and potential disruptions to US Gulf Coast LNG export facilities due to Hurricane Francine.
China Harbour Engineering Co. has reached an agreement to construct a 68-kilometer (42-mile) railway in Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial center known for its heavy traffic congestion.
The project aims to alleviate the gridlock that often leaves commuters stuck for extended periods.
The Lagos state government announced on Thursday that Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance Inc., in collaboration with the Chinese firm, will secure funding for the “design, finance, operation, and maintenance” of the railway.
The announcement was made through an email statement.
The memorandum of understanding for the Green Line Rail Project was signed during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing this week.
At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced various economic incentives for Africa, including $50 billion in financial aid and $10 billion in investments from Chinese companies.
This railway will connect Marina, located in Lagos’s central business district, to the Lekki Free Zone on the city’s outskirts, home to the Lagos Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Refinery, which processes 650,000 barrels of oil per day.
“This rail line is projected to carry over 500,000 passengers daily at launch, rising to over a million as demand grows,” according to the statement.
When completed, the new route will add to an existing so-called Blue Line that was commissioned in August 2023 and a Red Line that began operating this year.
Lagos, about the size of the US state of Rhode Island, is home to more than 20 million people and has one of the fastest-growing populations in Africa.
The state’s poor road and transport infrastructure means residents are forced to sit in traffic for hours, with commuters estimated to spend a total of 14.1 million hours a day in traffic every year, according to a 2021 report by Lagos-based Danne Institute for Research.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo have announced a significant elevation in diplomatic relations between the two countries, upgrading their ties to a strategic partnership.
The announcement came during a meeting on Thursday as part of President Akufo-Addo’s visit to Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
President Xi expressed China’s readiness to strengthen the alignment of its development strategies with Ghana and to provide further assistance to support Ghana’s growth. He emphasized China’s willingness to deepen collaboration in key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, energy, mineral resources, and infrastructure, while also seeking continued support for Chinese enterprises and citizens operating in Ghana.
Xi also reaffirmed China’s commitment to backing Ghana’s position on the global stage. Specifically, he highlighted China’s support for Ghana’s membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term and stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation on international and regional issues.
On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked China for its long-term support to Ghana, saying that the investment and cooperation of Chinese enterprises has greatly promoted Ghana’s economic and social development.
Despite the strengthening of relations, the issue of Ghana’s debt to China remains a point of concern. A report submitted to the US Congress by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in December 2023 revealed that Ghana holds the highest amount of debt owed to China, with a total of $31.1 billion in loans accumulated since being declared a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) in 2004. This figure places Ghana ahead of other heavily indebted nations such as Guinea, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
On Monday July 15, China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) revealed an extension of its 144-hour visa-free transit policy to three more entry points.
With this update, the policy now covers a total of 37 ports.
The new additions are Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Henan Province, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport in Yunnan Province, and the Mohan railway port in Yunnan.
“Starting from Monday, eligible foreign nationals can enter China through Zhengzhou aviation port visa-free, with their stay limited within Henan Province. Additionally, people entering Yunnan visa-free are allowed to stay in more areas of the province.”
“Previously, they could only stay in the provincial capital Kunming whereas now, they can visit nine city or prefecture-level areas including Kunming, Lijiang, Dali and Xishuangbanna.”
“The two provinces both boast rich tourist resources. Henan, where many ancient dynasties had established their capitals is home to sites of great historical interest including the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes.”
“Yunnan boasts multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Old Town of Lijiang and the Hani rice terraces. It is also home to more than 20 ethnic groups,” the NIA said.
The NIA stated that currently, nationals from 54 countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Britain, qualify for the 144-hour visa-free policy for short-term activities like travel and business visits.
The NIA noted that expanding the visa-free policy aims to offer more options for international travelers and businesspeople in China.
According to the NIA, the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly contributed to China’s open-door policy by enhancing people-to-people exchanges and fostering international cooperation.
The NIA pledged to continually refine and enhance the policy, aiming to offer a more welcoming experience for foreign visitors.
The NIA reported earlier this month that China saw 14.64 million foreign inbound trips in the first half of 2024, marking a 152.7% increase compared to the previous year.
Of these, 8.54 million travelers entered China without a visa, making up 52% of all inbound trips and representing a 190.1% year-on-year increase.
“In addition to the expanded visa-free policies, China has also initiated a series of other measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals and their stay in China.”
“This includes relaxed visa application requirements and simplified procedures, exemption of border checks for certain transit passengers, and more convenient mobile payment services for foreigners,” the statement said.
The NIA anticipates that the influx of foreign visitors to China will keep increasing throughout the second half of the year.
The statement also noted that with ongoing efforts to simplify travel to China, the country has become a favored spot for international tourists, leading to a rise in social media posts about travel experiences in China.
“China will continue to embrace the world with open arms, inject new dynamism into the world through its development, and create more energy and enthusiasm for people-to-people exchanges,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
Four tutors from Iowa’s Cornell College have been hospitalised after being stabbed by an unidentified assailant at a public park in China.
The incident occurred during a daytime visit to the park in the northern province of Jilin, according to a statement from the college describing it as a “serious incident.”
Iowa Representative Adam Zabner confirmed that his brother, David, was among the injured, describing the event as a stabbing.
China’s foreign ministry has stated that none of the injured individuals are in critical condition.
According to Mr. Zabner, the group had been visiting a local temple on Monday when they were attacked by a knife-wielding assailant at Beishan Park in Jilin City.
He reported that his brother had sustained a stab wound to the arm and was currently undergoing treatment in the hospital.
“He has not yet been released this morning but he’s doing okay,” he told CBS News.
Cornell College said the four instructors had been teaching “as part of a partnership with a university in China.”.
The group had been accompanied by a member of Beihua University at the time of their visit to the park on Monday.
China’s foreign ministry said that the injured were immediately rushed to a hospital, where they received treatment. Spokesperson Lin Jian would not answer questions about whether the assailant was in custody, adding that further investigation was needed.
“This was an isolated incident and the investigation continues.
China is widely considered one of the safest countries in the world and China will continue to take relevant measures to ensure that foreigners are safe in the country.
“We believe this will not damage relations with other countries,” he said.
Earlier, a spokesperson from the US State Department informed the BBC that they were aware of reports regarding a stabbing incident in Jilin but were unable to offer further details.
Circulating images suggest that at least three individuals are seen bleeding and lying on the ground. However, the incident seems to have swiftly disappeared from China’s internet, with searches for terms like “foreigners Jilin” yielding no results on Weibo despite the topic trending.
Instead, internet users resorted to discussing adjacent topics and seeking additional information about the event.
Hu Xijin, a former chief editor of China’s Global Times, previously mentioned on Weibo that China has experienced a rise in foreign visitors and that the Chinese people are generally welcoming to them, referring to the incident as an isolated occurrence.
However, his post has since been removed.
Chinese state media have also provided minimal coverage of the incident. Mr. Zabner revealed that his brother, a doctoral student at Tufts University, had previously visited China and was on his second trip with Cornell College.
Despite tense diplomatic relations, efforts have been made by Beijing and Washington to promote people-to-people exchanges.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a plan to invite 50,000 young Americans to China over the next five years, while Chinese diplomats have criticised a US State Department travel advisory discouraging Americans from visiting China.
China retained its status as Ghana’s primary import source in 2023, with imports totaling GHC 33.9 billion, up from GHC 26.4 billion in 2022, as per the Ghana 2023 Trade Report by the Ghana Statistical Service.
This represented a slight decrease in China’s share from 23.2% to 22.5%.
The Russian Federation entered the top five import sources, surpassing the United Kingdom, mainly importing mineral fuels and oils.
The Netherlands continued as a significant contributor, providing GHC 17.3 billion worth of mineral fuels and oils to Ghana.
India rose to the fourth position with GHC 11.7 billion in imports, while the United States maintained the fifth position with GHC 10.9 billion.
The top ten products accounted for over a third of all imports, led by diesel-automotive gas oil at GHC 27.1 billion, followed by light oils, motor spirit, and super at GHC 22.3 billion.
Sea transport dominated the import mode at 89.1%, followed by road transport at 6.1%, and air transport at 4.7% in 2023.
The opposition Nationalist Party and its friends want to make changes that would give the government more control over how money is spent, including defense spending. This is seen as a way to please China.
It’s not certain if the group of bills will become a law. The Executive Yuan is the part of the government that carries out laws. The leader of this part is the premier. They can decide to reject a law or give it to the president to make it an official law. The president has to do this within 10 days. If the government or president don’t follow the rules, the bills won’t become laws.
Many people came together outside the government building to show they are against the changes. The room where lawmakers meet was decorated with signs supporting the two different sides of the argument. People on the floor started yelling and pushing each other during their arguments.
The Nationalists, also called the KMT, support rejoining with China, which Taiwan separated from in 1949 during a civil war. They won the most seats in the legislature in January, and their candidate Lai Ching-te became president. The party wants Taiwan to be independent from China, and China does not like them.
DPP lawmakers said that KMT and Taiwan People’s Party members are hurting Taiwan’s democracy by giving the legislature more power over the government. They criticized the law for creating a secret system that the KMT has presented as changes.
“Ray Wan, a protester from Kaohsiung, said that there was no talk about the laws this time and the bills are not well-written. ” “Not talking about these unfinished laws will really hurt Taiwan. ”
The KMT is in charge of the legislature and its speaker and allies in the TPP were elected from party lists, so they don’t have to listen to any specific group of people.
For 40 years, Taiwan was ruled by strict military law under the Nationalists, who have lost three presidential elections in a row but still have control over local areas through strong connections with business and social groups. Pro-China business groups have gained a large part of Taiwan’s media market, while younger people use social media for news.
Every day, China sends planes and ships close to Taiwan in an effort to make them more likely to accept being united with China. They also want to make Taiwan’s defenses weaker, even though the US supports Taiwan’s defenses a lot, even though they don’t have official diplomatic relations.
Using robot dogs and small aerial drones in the military is not new. A video from last year showed China’s rifle-armed electronic dogs in a joint training with the militaries of China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It happened in China in November.
It seems like something from the TV show “Black Mirror,” but it’s actually just the newest way of using robots in war.
In recent military exercises with Cambodia, China’s military demonstrated a robot dog with a gun on its back, making it a dangerous weapon.
“A soldier named Chen Wei says in a video from state broadcaster CCTV that it can be used instead of people in urban combat to find the enemy and attack them. ”
The short video shows a robot dog doing different movements like walking, hopping, lying down, and moving backwards. It was made during the China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2024” exercise and controlled by a remote operator.
In one practice, a robot with a rifle leads a group of soldiers into a pretend building.
The second half of the video also shows a gun attached to a drone with six rotor blades. This demonstrates the different types of smart machines that China has.
In 2020, the US Air Force showed how they used robot dogs as part of their Advanced Battle Management System. This system uses computer intelligence and fast data analysis to find and stop threats to US military things.
Drones used in Ukraine have shown that they can help smaller armies with less money to fight against much stronger enemies.
China is one of the top countries that sell drones to other places. But last year, the government put some rules on selling drone technology. They said it was to keep the country safe and protect its interests.
However, the robot dogs are receiving a lot of attention for the People’s Liberation Army.
And the dogs have been appearing on China’s closely controlled social media for at least a year.
The state-run Global Times says that using robotic dogs during military exercises with foreign countries shows that the technology is very advanced.
The robot dogs must be really advanced because new equipment isn’t usually used in joint exercises with other countries. An expert said this to Global Times but didn’t give their name.
Part of a 10-unit apartment building in Tongling city collapsed on Monday afternoon. Rescue workers searched for survivors for many hours. A 12-year-old girl was found alive and is getting emergency help, the news said.
Cranes and backhoes were used to make sure the remaining parts of the building were strong and secure.
It’s not clear yet why the collapse happened. The city has had a lot of rain lately, which has flooded underground buildings.
President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Dr. Joseph Obeng has expressed concern about the increasing presence of Chinese retail businesses in Ghana and has called for amendments to the country’s labor laws in response.
He highlighted that local businesses have lost approximately 40 percent of the market share to Chinese businesses.
Additionally, he noted that while local businesses only import 20 percent of goods, foreign companies, particularly Chinese businesses, import 80 percent.
Dr. Obeng made these remarks during an appearance on TV3’s Hot Issues program on Sunday, May 26.
“Now our major problem is with the Chinese and we are going to go on them seriously. The Chinatown and China Mall, these Chinese companies here and all that are taking a chunk of our business over 40%,” he said.
He attributed the rapid depreciation of the local currency to the presence of foreign businesses with significant capital importing large quantities of goods, which has a detrimental effect on the competitiveness of local traders.
“That is why we tell government that the forex issue, the depreciation of the cedi can be attributed to these group of people because they do not bring the correspondent fund of capital to Ghana.”
He also proposed that Chinese businesses should be required to bring their capital into Ghana to meet a certain threshold before being allowed to import goods.
This, he argued, would ensure that the businesses are genuinely invested in the Ghanaian economy and not just operating as extensions of their parent companies in China.
Dr. Obeng also rejected the notion that local businesses overprice their goods, forcing customers to opt for Chinese businesses.
“That is what you normally say but it is psychological because you know that we go to China to buy the goods and so once they’re here to make their supermarket and wholesales and all that then you think that your are also going to China [Mall] to buy your goods. The consumer, but they are taking advantage of you, they are not serving you quality even the price is not that low that you think and yet psychologically they all troop to the China Mall, Chinatown, go there and see the cars.
“And now they even trade on Sundays, they are taking it all,” he lamented.
Foreigners in retail space: Our major problem is the influx of Chinese. Chinese companies in Ghana are taking over 40% of our businesses in the country – Dr Joseph Obeng, GUTA President#HotIssuespic.twitter.com/aauaBw3ePe
If Ghanaian companies are forced to downsize or close due to competition from Chinese businesses, it could lead to job losses for local workers.
Ghana’s laws on foreign businesses in the country
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act, 2013 (Act 865) stipulates that a person who is not a citizen may engage in a trading enterprise if that person invests in the enterprise, not less than One Million United States Dollars in cash or goods and services relevant to the investments.
Section 28(3) of Act 865 further provides that “trading” includes the purchasing and selling of imported goods and services. A further condition imposed on foreign enterprises that intend to engage in trading by Section 28(4) is that such an enterprise must employ at least twenty (20) skilled Ghanaians.
Section 27(1) of Act 865 generally lays out activities that foreign investors are not permitted to invest or participate in. This list is not exclusive. Other laws have provisions on activities reserved for Ghanaians. These activities include the sale of goods or provision of services in a market, petty trading or hawking or selling of goods in a stall at any place. Other activities not permitted for non-citizens include:
• the operation of taxi or car hire service in an enterprise that has a fleet of less than twenty-five vehicles
• the operation of a beauty salon or a barber shop
• the printing of recharge scratch cards for the use of subscribers of telecommunication services
• the production of exercise books and other basic stationery
• the retail of finished pharmaceutical products
• the production, and retail of sachet water
Meanwhile, a breach of these laws is punishable offenses.
Section 40 of Act 865 provides for a list of offenses. A person commits an offence under Act 865 if the person among others, lets out a stall or store in a market to a foreigner; or otherwise contravenes a provision of this Act.
The effect of this provision is that a person who is not a citizen of Ghana who engages in retail trade without meeting the minimum capital requirements set out in Section 28 of Act 865 commits an offence under Act 865. Ghanaians or non-Ghanaians who let out a stall or a store in a market to a foreigner also commit a breach of Act 865.
The eastern part of China’s military is having war games with the air force, navy, and infantry until Friday. China’s state media said the military drills were meant to show that they will punish Taiwan for trying to become independent. This is because they see Taiwan’s new president as someone who wants to separate from China.
Taiwan sent air and sea forces to keep an eye on the military exercises, which its defense ministry called an unnecessary provocation that shows China’s controlling nature.
In March, Taiwan’s national security council said they thought China would start war games after Taiwan’s inauguration. China usually practices its military exercises during the summer and early fall. Beijing has also conducted military exercises before or after Taiwan’s last two inaugurations.
The drills happening until Friday are a reminder that China wants to control Taiwan and might invade to do so.
China did military exercises all around Taiwan and its smaller islands in 2022, after Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. This made China very mad. Since that time, China has significantly increased its military threats against Taiwan, with almost daily air and sea patrols.
A recent study by the Brookings Institute found that in 2023, 7.4% more people were worried about a war between China and Taiwan compared to 2021.
As a reaction to China’s military threats, Lai’s party, the Democratic Progressive Party, led by its former president Tsai Ing-wen, has started making changes to the military and spending more money on it. They believe that these changes will stop China from invading by making it too expensive. Last year, they made young men serve in the military for one year instead of four months, and they allowed women to be in the reserve forces.
Lai is the son of a coal-miner who became a doctor and then went into politics. In 2017, when he was Taiwan’s premier, he made comments about being a worker for Taiwan’s independence, which has caused problems for him since then.
His first speech as leader of Taiwan didn’t change the current situation of not officially declaring independence. Most people in Taiwan prefer this ambiguous status over formally declaring independence. Many countries, like the United States, don’t consider Taiwan a separate country. This is because of a long-standing conflict between China and Taiwan, which started from a war a long time ago.
Lai said that Taiwan and China are not under each other’s control. This goes against China’s belief that Taiwan is part of its territory.
China’s main government office for dealing with Taiwan criticized Lai’s speech this week, saying it gave a dangerous message of wanting Taiwan to be independent.
Taiwan’s newly inaugurated presidentWilliam Lai has called on China to stop threatening the island and accept the existence of its democracy.
He urged Beijing to replace confrontation with dialogue, shortly after being sworn in on Monday. He also said Taiwan would never back down in the face of intimidation from China, which has long claimed the island as its own.
China responded by saying, “Taiwan independence is a dead end”.
“Regardless of the pretext or the banner under which it is pursued, the push for Taiwan independence is destined to fail,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the daily press briefing on Monday afternoon.
Beijing holds a strong dislike for William Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), viewing them as pro-independence.
Since Lai’s election win in January, China has intensified military incursions around Taiwan’s waters and airspace, raising fears of conflict.
In his inauguration speech, Lai described these actions as the “greatest strategic challenge to global peace and stability.”
Despite his firm stance, the 64-year-old Lai adhered closely to the approach of his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, known for her cautious but steady handling of relations with Beijing.
Lai, a former doctor turned politician, won a three-way presidential race in January, securing an unprecedented third term for the DPP.
He served as Tsai’s vice-president since 2020 and as her premier before that.
In his earlier political career, Lai was known for his more radical pro-independence stance, earning Beijing’s ire and the label of “troublemaker.”
Chinese state media even suggested he should be prosecuted for secession ahead of the polls.
The Chinese government has yet to issue a statement on Lai’s inauguration.
However, the Chinese embassy in the UK held a press briefing over the weekend, urging the UK government not to endorse the event.
Earlier last week, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned that Taiwan’s new leader “must seriously” consider whether he seeks peaceful development or confrontation.
And just as Mr Lai was being sworn in, China’s Commerce Ministry announced sanctions against several US companies “involved in arms sales to Taiwan”.
But on Monday, Mr Lai struck a far more conciliatory note. He reiterated he would not do anything to change the status quo – an ambiguous diplomatic status, which doesn’t recognise Taiwan as a country despite its constitution and sovereign government. China insists on this and accuses major Taiwan allies such as the US of altering this delicate agreement by supporting the island.
Vowing peace and stability, Mr Lai also said he would like to see a re-opening of exchanges across the Taiwan straits including Chinese tourist groups coming to Taiwan. But he said people on the island must not be under any illusion about the threat from China and that Taiwan must further strengthen its defences.
This too was a continuation of Tsai’s policy. Taiwan’s former president believed that strengthening defence and earning the support of key allies such as the US and Japan was key to deterring China’s plans of invasion. Her biggest critics say this military investment risks provoking China, making Taiwan even more vulnerable.
Nevertheless, yearly defence spending increased up to about $20bn (£16bn) under Ms Tsai, and Mr Lai has pledged even more funds. Taiwan has purchased new battle tanks, upgraded its fleet of F-16 fighter jets and bought new ones, and has built and launched a fleet of new missile ships to patrol the 100-mile Taiwan strait.
Last September came the completion of what Ms Tsai considers the crowning achievement of her military program: Taiwan’s first indigenously developed submarine.
President William Lai (C), First Lady Wu Mei-ju (L) and Vice-President Hsiao Bi-khim (R) dance after the inauguration Taiwan’s own allies are watching closely too, to see if his rhetoric is likely to aggravate tensions further. Mr Lai’s caution was also aimed at his American audience.
His vice-president Hsiao Bi-Khim, widely believed to be Ms Tsai’s protege, is yet another source of assurance for Washington. The 52-year-old was born in Japan and mostly grew up in the US, where she also served as Taiwan’s representative for three years.
Mr Lai also faces big challenges at home. Unemployment and cost of living cost the DPP the youth vote in January, and Taiwan’s economy is seen to be heavily dependent on its hugely successful semiconductor industry – it supplies more than half the world’s chips.
And a divided parliament, where the DPP no longer has a majority, is likely to deny him a honeymoon period. The differences spilled into the spotlight over the weekend when lawmakers were caught brawling in parliament over proposed reforms. The bitter dispute and the protests that followed marred Mr Lai’s address.
But how he deals with Beijing will be the biggest question that will determine his presidency, especially as both sides have had no formal communication since 2016.
Lawyer Hsu Chih-ming who attended the inaugurations told BBC Chinese that Taiwan had fared quite well under Ms Tsai but added that there is a need to maintain “good communications” with China.
“Lai said he was a ‘practical worker for Taiwan independence’.I hope he wouldn’t emphasise this too much and worsen cross-strait relations,” he said. “Otherwise all of us wouldn’t be able to escape if a war broke out.”
The second jet was flown by a computer system, and the most important civilian in the Air Force was sitting in the front seat. This show was the best example of how much the Air Force has improved in creating a technology that started in the 1950s. But there’s still more advanced technology to come.
The United States is trying to be better than China in using artificial intelligence in weapons. People are worried that in the future, machines with AI might be used in wars to choose and attack targets without human control. Authorities say this will never happen, at least not in the US. However, there are concerns about what an enemy might do, and the military believes there is no other option but to quickly deploy US capabilities.
Admiral said, “Whether you want to call it a race or not, it definitely is. ” Christopher Grady is the second-in-command of the military’s top leaders. “We both know that this will be a very important part of future battles. ” China is working as hard as we are.
A study of how artificial intelligence has been used in the military, what new technologies are coming soon, and how they will be managed.
This started in the 1960s and 1970s when the Navy made the Aegis missile defense system. Aegis was taught how to find and stop missiles on its own using a set of rules made by people. It can do this faster than a person can. However, the Aegis system could not improve and its actions were only based on the rules it was given.
Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher Berardi said that if a system uses “if/then” it is probably not machine learning. Machine learning is a type of AI that involves creating systems that learn from data. He is assigned to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to help with the Air Force’s AI development.
In 2012, AI got better because computers were able to start analyzing information and writing their own rules using big data and advanced computing power. AI experts named it AI’s “big bang. ”
The new information made by a computer following instructions is called artificial intelligence. Machines can be programmed to make their own decisions based on rules they’ve been given. This is a type of AI that allows them to act on their own.
Trying out a new way for computers to help us find our way instead of using GPS.
The head of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, got to experience modern warfare this month. He flew in an F-16 fighter jet called Vista, which is controlled by artificial intelligence. They did a practice fight over Edwards Air Force Base in California.
While the jet is the most noticeable sign of the AI work being done, there are many AI projects happening at the Pentagon.
Service members at MIT spent a lot of time organizing pilot conversations to help train artificial intelligence. They wanted the AI to understand the important messages from the less important ones during flights. The aim was for the AI to learn which messages are important to prioritize so that controllers can see them quickly.
The military is making a new way to find your way without using GPS satellites.
In a future war, important GPS satellites could be targeted or disrupted. Losing GPS could make it hard for the US to communicate, find their way and do banking. It could also make it difficult for the military to work together.
Last year, the Air Force used a computer program on a laptop fastened to the floor of a military plane to find a different way to use the Earth’s magnetic fields.
We knew that planes could use the Earth’s magnetic fields to find their way, but it hasn’t been possible because planes make a lot of their own electromagnetic noise. There hasn’t been a good way to filter out the Earth’s signals from all the other signals.
“Magnetometers can detect very small changes,” explained Col Garry Floyd, who leads the Department of Air Force-MIT Artificial Intelligence Accelerator program. “If you switch on the flashing lights on a C-17, we could see it. ”
The AI learned from lots of data and figured out which signals to pay attention to. The results were really impressive, according to Floyd. “We’re discussing the quality of tactical airdrops. ”
“We believe we have new tools to use if we have to work in a place where GPS doesn’t work. ” “We will do that,” Floyd said.
The AI has only been tested on the C-17 plane. Other planes will be checked to see if they can work without GPS. If they work, the military will have another way to fly if GPS doesn’t work.
Protestors sang “Glory to Hong Kong” during big protests against the government in 2019. The song was played by mistake instead of China’s anthem at sports events, which made city officials upset.
The last time a song got banned in the city was in 1997 when Britain gave control back to China.
Critics believe that banning the song limits freedom of speech, especially since Beijing has been cracking down on Hong Kong after the 2019 protests. They also said that the ban could cause problems for big technology companies and make the city less attractive for businesses.
Judge Jeremy Poon said the composer meant for the song to be a strong and emotional tool for some people in the city.
He said the court order was needed to get internet companies to take down videos connected to the song that were causing problems. The operators said they will agree to the government’s request if there is a court order.
The ban would affect anyone who shared or spread the song to support Hong Kong breaking away from China. It would also make it against the rules to do anything that makes the song seem like the national anthem in order to disrespect it.
The song can be played for news reporting and school work.
Not following the court order could be seen as disrespecting the court and could mean getting a fine or going to jail.
In the past, the police arrested some people for playing the song in public for other reasons, like playing a musical instrument in public without permission. This was reported by the local news.
By Wednesday afternoon, the song “Glory to Hong Kong,” by an artist named “Thomas and the Hong Kong people,” was still on Spotify and Apple Music in both English and Cantonese. I looked on YouTube for the song and found lots of different videos and versions.
Google said in an email to the AP that it is looking at the court’s decision. Spotify and Apple did not say anything right away.
George Chen, who helps lead the digital practice at The Asia Group, a business and policy company in Washington, said it would be best for tech companies to limit access to the content in question in a specific area to follow the order.
Chen asked the government to think about how to help people feel less worried about the order’s impact on speaking freely.
He said he hoped that these bans won’t become common and set a standard. “He said this will make people very worried about how free Hong Kong’s internet will be tomorrow. ”
In 2020, Beijing made a new law to stop the long-lasting protests and keep the country safe. That rule was used to capture lots of the city’s top democracy supporters. In March, the city made a new security law that was from within the city. This made people more worried that the city’s Western-style freedoms could be reduced even more. The two laws usually focus on very bad crimes.
After the decision was made, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said it is important for the city to maintain national security by preventing people from using the song to cause division and disrespect the national anthem.
Paul Lam, the person in charge of legal matters in Hong Kong, said the court order was not meant to stop internet service providers from working as usual. He said the government will tell the providers to take down the related content as ordered by the court.
Lam said that the things the ban stops could be seen as crimes even without the court order. He also said that the ban only covers a few things.
However, Eric Lai, who works at Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said that while it’s normal for courts to trust the government when it comes to national security in other places, the court has not been able to make sure that citizens’ basic rights, like free speech, are still protected.
“He said it’s disappointing that they agreed to use lawsuits to help enforce the national security law. ”
Amnesty International said the injunction was a pointless attack on freedom of speech and goes against global human rights laws.
Sarah Brooks, who is the China Director for Amnesty International, said that the government’s recent win in the appeal court, after losing the case last year, is a concerning sign. It shows that the government is becoming more unwilling to protect human rights and fulfill their responsibilities.
Brooks asked leaders to stop trying to limit people’s rights in the name of keeping the country safe.
Last year, the government took Google to court because Google refused to show China’s national anthem as the first result when people searched for the city’s anthem. Instead, Google displayed a protest song. Last July, a court said no to their first request. Many people saw this as a setback for officials who wanted to stop the protestors.
The government’s appeal said that if the president thinks a rule is needed, the court should approve it unless it won’t do anything. This information comes from a legal paper on the government’s website.
The government told schools to stop playing the protest song. It used to say it followed the rules in the city’s constitution, but it also said that freedom of speech has some limits.
The reason for the attack at Zhenxiong County People’s Hospital in Yunnan province was not given. The police said the suspect is a man from a village in the same area. The hurt people were getting medical help.
A person told Red Star News online that they barely got away from the attack and that some of the hurt people were doctors. A video from someone who saw the incident showed people who were hurt and lying on the ground. In the video, an older person was seen trying to help someone else. This was mentioned in a post on Red Star’s social media.
Before, the news said 23 people got hurt, but the police now say it was actually 21 people. A video on Guizhou Province Television showed a man getting arrested by the police.
Zhenxiong county is a place that is 360 kilometers (220 miles) to the northeast of Kunming, which is the capital of Yunnan province. It is also close to the border with Sichuan province.
In a report on Friday, commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said that some election results in a few areas may have been influenced, but it’s not certain.
Hogue listened to a lot of information and looked at secret papers. He found that nobody, not even Beijing, affected Canada’s voting system during the two national elections.
“Our system is still strong,” said Hogue after her report was released. People voted and their votes were counted properly. There is no evidence of any interference.
She said that trying to influence the government didn’t make a difference in the last two elections.
The investigation recently finished 10 days of public meetings to look into claims of China, India, Russia, and other countries influencing the last two elections.
“I found out that other countries trying to influence us is a common thing, not only in Canada but everywhere. ” Hogue said he also learned that the government tries to respond to the problem, whether or not there is an election happening.
“Foreign interference is similar to a crime. ” It is always there. Its ways change over time. Although the government can try to find solutions, it may not be possible to completely get rid of it. With that being said, we should stop it and lessen its impact.
The Liberals started a new rule in 2019. If a group of government officials decides that something might affect Canada’s ability to have a fair election, they will tell the public about it.
There was no announcement about the 2019 or 2021 elections. The Liberals won the election with less than half the votes and the Conservatives became the main opposing party.
Hogue said she can’t rule out the chance that foreign interference could have affected the results in some specific ridings. “In my opinion, only a few ridings are affected and we don’t know for sure how much foreign interference will ultimately impact the situation. ”
She examined the competition for the Liberal nomination in the Toronto area of Don Valley North in 2019, and Han Dong was chosen as the candidate.
The Canadian security agency found a possible plan involving a bus of Chinese students with fake papers, but Hogue said there was not enough proof to know what really happened.
She said that in the 2021 election in British Columbia’s Steveston-Richmond East, there is a good chance that Chinese interference hurt Conservative candidate Kenny Chiu’s chances of winning the seat.
In general, Hogue found that foreign meddling probably affected some votes in the 2019 and 2021 elections, and also hurt the rights of voters to have a fair and free election without outside pressure or secret influence.
“This has probably not been a big problem so far, but it might get worse in the future. ”
Politicians might change what they say and do because of foreign interference. This might happen more if we don’t protect against it, Hogue said.
“This would really hurt our democracy because it goes against the idea that politicians should be able to share their opinions and the opinions of the people they represent without being influenced by another country in secret. ”
The investigation will now focus on bigger problems with government policies, like how good they are at stopping foreign interference.
“Trying to interfere in Canadian matters has been happening for a long time. By the 1980s, there were clear warnings that Beijing was trying to influence and take advantage of the Chinese community in Canada. ”
Last February, the Globe and Mail reported that China tried to help the Liberal party win the 2021 election and prevent Conservative politicians who were not friendly to China from winning.
Next month, the government said that someone independent would check for foreign interference in the elections. This is one way they are trying to stop meddling and make people feel more confident about the elections.
David Johnston, a person in charge of a big job, said in a report in May 2023 that there are big problems in the way information is shared and understood between security agencies and the government.
However, he did not find any instances of ministers, the prime minister, or their offices purposefully or carelessly ignoring intelligence, advice, or recommendations.
Johnston said that some information got out and was not understood correctly by some media because they didn’t have enough context.
In the end, he advised not to have a public investigation because a commissioner would face the same problems with keeping things secret as he did.
In September, the government said Hogue would lead a public inquiry, even though there were more leaks to the media and pressure from other political parties.
Futuristic urinals have been introduced in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai, offering automated health monitoring through urine analysis.
These smart toilets, as reported by the New York Post, can quickly and accurately test urine on-site for approximately $2.76 (₹230), providing a convenient way for people to manage their health while using public restrooms.
Shanghai-based documentary filmmaker Christian Petersen-Clausen shared a picture of one of these urinals and described his experience in a series of tweets.
He wrote, ”Recently Health Checking Urinals have begun popping up in Men’s restrooms all over Shanghai. A private company is offering the urine analysis for RMB 20. Naturally, I tried that out.”
‘The whole process is about as easy as one might think. I paid my fee via WeChat and before I even made it down the escalator had my results,” he further wrote as he shared pictures of a man using the toilet and getting his results.
His results, which said he lacked calcium, were “otherwise unremarkable”, he said.
The company seems to be installing them all over China and given how important early detection of health issues is I think this is quite good. pic.twitter.com/FKPFzz2EKO
— Christian Petersen-Clausen (@chris__pc) April 22, 2024
A few days later, he encountered another one of these urinals and conducted another test. “Seems like I’ve been consuming enough milk by now,” he wrote, indicating that the tests were quite thorough. He informed users that his calcium levels had improved.
”The company seems to be installing them all over China and given how important early detection of health issues is I think this is quite good. I don’t think this shall replace a visit to your doctor but it might very well prompt one. A cardiologist told me that thanks to Apple Watches he now saw more people before they had heart attacks. That’s kind of what I am hoping for here,” he added.
The Meizhou city government said that 23 cars were found in a hole after a 17. 9-meter section of the highway collapsed at about 2 am on Wednesday. Thirty other people were hurt, but their injuries were not very serious, according to a statement from the government.
Some areas in Guangdong province have had very heavy rain and flooding in the last two weeks, also there has been hail. A big storm in Guangzhou last weekend killed five people.
The ground under the highway looked like it had sunk in, and the road above it had also collapsed. People told the news that they heard a big noise and saw a big hole appear behind them after they drove past the part that fell down.
Videos and pictures on the local news showed smoke and fire at the place, with the guardrails on the highway slanting into the flames. A bunch of burnt cars were visible on the hill coming down from the road.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Cambodia on Sunday for a three-day visit to strengthen the relationship between China and Cambodia, which are very close allies in Southeast Asia. He went to three countries for a visit – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and now he’s in the last one.
He is visiting Cambodia and there are worries about two big Chinese projects there – a canal and a naval base. Some people think these projects could help China’s military plans in Southeast Asia.
China is Cambodia’s best friend and supporter, and it has a big impact on its economy. Many Chinese-funded projects, like airports and roads, as well as hotels, casinos and buildings, show the strong involvement of China in different areas. Cambodia owes more than 40% of its $10 billion debt to China.
Wang will have two meetings, one with Prime Minister Hun Manet and another with his father, Hun Sen. Hun Sen used to be the leader of Cambodia for 38 years before stepping down last year and his son took over. Hun Sen is now the president of the Senate. Wang got to meet with King Norodom Sihamoni.
Hun Manet is following his father’s pro-China foreign policy without changing it. In August 2023, Wang went to Cambodia not long after Hun Sen said he would stop being the prime minister and let his oldest son take over.
Cambodia wants to build a 180-kilometre long canal with the help of China. It will cost US$1. 7 billion and connect Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand.
Neighboring Vietnam is worried about the plan. Some experts think that the 100-meter wide and 5. 4 meter deep canal could help China send military forces closer to Vietnam’s southern coast. Vietnam and China don’t get along because China says some of Vietnam’s land and ocean is theirs. In 1979, China also came into Vietnam for a short time.
The United States has also given its opinion on the project and asked the government of Cambodia to be open and honest about it. Wesley Holzer, a person who works for the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, said that people in Cambodia and nearby countries would be helped by knowing about any big projects that could affect water, farming, and safety in the area.
Hun Manet, speaking on Thursday to government officials and villagers in southern Takeo province, ignored the worries of Vietnam and promised to continue with the project. He believes the project will be very helpful for Cambodia.
China is building a navy base in Thailand that worries other countries, like the United States, because they think it will help China’s navy become stronger.
The Ream base became known in 2019 when The Wall Street Journal said a first version of a deal would let China use the base for 30 years. They could have military people there, keep weapons, and park warships.
Hun Sen said there was no agreement and that Cambodia’s constitution doesn’t allow foreign military bases. He also said that ships from any country are welcome to visit.
The base is located by the Gulf of Thailand, next to the South China Sea, where China has been very forceful about claiming almost all of the important waterway. The US doesn’t agree with China’s claim of owning a huge area of water, and often sends its military there to show that it’s open for everyone to use.
On December 7th, two Chinese navy ships were the first to park at a new pier at the base, while China’s top defense official visited Cambodia.
The researchers who wrote the article in the journal Science discovered that 45% of China’s cities are sinking at a rate of more than 3 millimeters per year, and 16% are sinking at a rate of more than 10 mm per year. This is happening because the water levels are going down and the weight of the buildings is pushing the land down.
“China has a lot of people living in cities, over 900 million. If the land starts sinking, it could be a big problem for the cities,” said the researchers.
Sinking land in China is causing big problems and costs a lot of money every year. In the next 100 years, about a quarter of the land near the coast could be lower than the sea, putting many people at risk of flooding. This could affect hundreds of millions of people.
Tianjin, a city in the north with over 15 million people, was one of the hardest hit. 3,000 people had to leave their homes because of a sudden earth disaster. Investigators said it happened because there wasn’t enough water and because people had been building geothermal wells.
A lot of China’s old coal areas have been damaged because there was too much mining. Sometimes, officials have to put concrete into the falling apart holes in the ground to make the land stronger.
The problem is not just in China. Another research published in February found that about 6. 3 million square kilometers of land around the world could be in danger. Indonesia is one of the countries that has been hit the hardest, with many areas of the capital city Jakarta now underwater.
Nicholls said cities that are at risk could learn from Tokyo’s example. Tokyo used to sink by about 5 meters until it stopped taking water from the ground in the 1970s.
“We need to take subsidence seriously, but we can’t prevent all of it. So, we should also focus on adapting and building dykes,” he said.
In a study from Singapore in 2022, it was found that out of 44 big cities by the coast with a problem, 30 of them were in Asia.
Matt Wei, who is an expert in studying the Earth, said that when more people move to cities and the population grows, there is a bigger demand for water. This can cause the ground to sink.
The Chinese side didn’t show any sign of changing its stance. They blame Europe and the US for making the fighting in Ukraine last longer by giving them weapons. They also want peace talks to consider both Russian and Ukrainian concerns.
“China is not part of the Ukraine crisis but has consistently supported peace talks in its own way,” said a statement from China after discussions between Xi and Scholz in Beijing.
Scholz, finishing a three-day trip to China, told reporters that he thinks progress has been made to help discussions on ending the war.
China has significant influence in Russia. So I asked President Xi to pressure Russia to make Putin stop the war and bring his troops back.
China has decided not to criticize Russia’s invasion, which is different from the way Western countries are responding. The government says it is not giving military help to Moscow, but it is helping Russia’s economy by trading with them. This is to help Russia deal with the sanctions from Western countries. A recent report from US intelligence found that China has been selling more equipment to Russia in order to help them in their war against Ukraine.
Scholz said the discussions talked about China’s exports of goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
“He said it’s really important to not export any weapons, but we also have to think about items that could be used as weapons too. ” “We can make sure that everything needed is clear and easy to understand here. ”
Last month, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, said that his government is prepared to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is in danger. This is the latest time he has made this kind of threat since taking over Ukraine.
The leaders of China and Germany both said they are committed to the UN Charter and do not support using nuclear weapons.
China wants to help solve the crisis peacefully. They support having a peace conference that both Russia and Ukraine agree to. They want everyone to be able to take part and discuss their ideas for peace.
Xi told Scholz that both countries should be careful about protectionism in trade and look at the issue of manufacturing capacity in a fair way, according to a statement.
The leader of Germany’s visit has shown that there are problems with trade between Europe, the United States, and China. They say China is not playing fair in trade and is using subsidies to make a lot of products, like solar panels and electric cars, which is causing tension.
The EU is thinking about charging fees on Chinese electric vehicles to help European producers. Some people are worried that too many cheap Chinese electric vehicles will come into the European market.
Scholz met with the Chinese Premier Li Qiang to ask for German companies in China to have better access to the market, fair competition, protection for their ideas, and a fair legal system.
“He said that these companies need the right conditions to keep going. ”
Despite some problems between them, China was Germany’s number one trading partner for the eighth year in a row in 2023. They exchanged 254. 1 billion euros ($271 billion) worth of goods and services, which was a little more than what Germany traded with the US. However, this was a 15. 5% decrease from the previous year.
This is Scholz’s second time visiting China since he became chancellor in late 2021. This is his first visit since the German government showed its plan for China last year, which China didn’t like. Li, the leader of China, went to Berlin in June.
Experts in the US and Europe say that the hacking group “APT31” is working for China’s Ministry of State Security. They have targeted White House staff, US senators, British parliament members, and government officials who have spoken out against Beijing. The officials said that defense contractors, people who criticize the government, and security companies were also affected.
US prosecutors said seven Chinese hackers were accused of hacking and accessing the work accounts, personal emails, online storage, and phone records of many Americans.
The global hacking operation was trying to silence people who criticize the Chinese government, break into government offices, and steal important information, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment on the US allegations, but the Chinese Embassy in London said the UK charges were made up and mean.
Britain and the US have put sanctions on a company that they believe is connected to the Ministry of State Security. They made this announcement.
The US government put restrictions on a company called Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology and two people from China, according to the US Treasury Department.
The Workers’ Party of Korea from North Korea, led by Kim Song Nam, arrived in Beijing on Thursday, according to KCNA.
The North Korean leader met with important Chinese government officials.
Wang said that China wants to be friends with North Korea and work together to make things better. This means they want to be closer with each other and work together to have good communication and make a peaceful and stable environment.
Liu and Kim had a long talk about making the relationship between their political parties stronger and being friends. It was reported by Xinhua on Friday.
In both meetings, the leaders talked about making the same decision as their top leaders.
In November, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, said it’s important for North Korea to work together with other countries to make the world a better and safer place. At the beginning of this year, Kim Jong Un from North Korea and Xi promised to be closer friends.
A group of people from Russia, led by Oleg Kozhemyako, who is in charge of a Russian region near North Korea, met with North Korean leaders in Pyongyang and visited a farm with greenhouses on Thursday, according to KCNA.
China Southern Airlines flight CZ8805 was supposed to leave from Sanya and go to Beijing at 10 a.m the plane was supposed to leave at 2 p.m on March 6, but it didn’t leave until around 2:16 p.m the time in the area, as shown on the websites Flightradar24 and Flight Aware, which track flights.
In a video posted by many news channels, a flight attendant talks to a passenger who is suspected of throwing coins. The flight attendant asks how many coins were thrown into the airplane’s engine. The person in the video did not say their name, but they were heard saying “three to five” coins.
The person who reportedly threw coins was taken away by airport police, according to Chinese Southern Airlines.
“The people who fix the airplane checked to make sure it was safe and found that everything was okay before it took off,” the airline’s customer service told the news.
‘A prayer for a safe plane journey’
China Southern Airlines posted a message on their social media account warning people not to throw coins at their planes because it could be dangerous and could result in punishment. But they didn’t mention a specific incident.
In China, there have been more cases of people throwing coins at planes for good luck.
In October, a flight from China Southern Airlines was late in Guangzhou because a person threw coins at the plane. In 2021, a GX Airlines flight from Weifang to Haikou was stopped because some coins wrapped in red paper were found on the ground. In 2017, an old person threw coins at a China Southern Airlines plane in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport before boarding. They said it was to pray for a safe flight.
Daniel Kritenbrink talked to reporters after coming back to the United States from meetings in Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Brunei. He used the trip to show that the US is committed to making sure all countries respect freedom to travel by sea and air and solve conflicts peacefully.
“He said that China is doing things in the South China Sea that break international laws and scare other countries. This is not okay and it makes things more unstable,” said Kritenbrink, who works for the US government and deals with issues in East Asia and the Pacific.
China says that the South China Sea belongs to them, but other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei disagree. They are arguing about who owns the area. It is getting more and more aggressive by being in the ocean where there are lots of resources and a lot of activity. Kritenbrink made his comments at the same time when a Chinese coast guard ship hit a Philippine patrol vessel at sea.
The fighting on Tuesday at Second Thomas Shoal, which is controlled by the Philippines, is the most recent in a series of clashes in the disputed waters. People are worried that this could lead to a bigger fight between China and the U.S and its friends.
“The United States” often sends warships through the Taiwan Strait and does naval exercises in the South China Sea and other areas as allowed by international law. This shows that all countries have the same rights. The strategy also included helping make sure that its partners can defend their own independence and their own interests, he said.
He said that if we do that, we increase our chances of avoiding mistakes and fighting, and once again, bringing peace and stability.
In Beijing, on Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blamed the U.S Causing problems in Taiwan and the ocean near China, without saying the specific place.
“We will only take action in response to unfair actions,” Wang told the media. We recommend that countries outside the area do not create problems, take sides or cause trouble in the South China Sea.
Aside from talking about safety, Kritenbrink said he also talked with officials in the area about money, the environment, energy rules, and other topics.
I met with the new Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Manet, and I brought up the U.S Worries about China being part of making the Ream Naval Base bigger. The project started under Hun Sen’s strict father, Hun Manet. Last year, Hun Manet became the new prime minister after Hun Sen.
Cambodia says its constitution doesn’t allow foreign military bases, but two Chinese navy ships parked there in December. The place on the Gulf of Thailand could help China to get to the Malacca Strait, which is very important for them.
“Many countries, including the United States, are very worried about the building happening at Ream Naval Base and the involvement of China’s military in it. “
He didn’t say how Hun Manet reacted to the worries, but he said that in general “we had a very useful and honest conversation. ”
During his trip to Southeast Asia, Kritenbrink tried to tell officials that even though there are big problems in Gaza and Ukraine, the U.S still cares about them too. still dedicated to the area.
“He said that even though there are many problems around the world, the United States is very focused on the Indo-Pacific region. ”
He said that this place is very important and many important things will happen here in the future. It will also be important for America’s safety and wealth.
China has announced that it plans to invest 7.2% more on defense, making it the second highest in the world after the US. This is about 1. 6 trillion yuan (US$222 billion), similar to last year’s increase.
Disagreements with the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and other countries that also claim the South China Sea are leading to more advanced military technology like stealth planes and aircraft carriers, as well as more nuclear weapons.
The official budget number announced on Tuesday at the start of the annual meeting of the government’s controlled legislature is thought to be much less than what the People’s Liberation Army, the military part of the ruling Communist Party, actually spends when you take into account spending on research and development and buying weapons from other countries, according to many experts from other countries.
This news story is still being updated. Come back later for more information.
The dance group from New York had 85 dancers getting ready for their first show at the Shanghai Grand Theater. They were going to perform “Classic Old and New,” which includes three different dance routines, some modern and some traditional. Susan Jaffe, the artistic director of the group, said this.
The tour shows that China and the United States are starting to share their cultures with each other again. Next week, the Asian country will have concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra to celebrate 50 years since their visit to China in 1973.
ABT will leave Shanghai after four nights of shows and go to Beijing. They will perform their famous version of “Giselle,” a classical romantic ballet, at the National Center for the Performing Arts starting from Nov. 29 to November. Rewrite this text in simple words: 12. Rewrite this passage using simpler words.
Jaffe said this year is very important to him. He became the artistic director of the company less than a year ago and last danced in China in 2000.
“Ballet is a language that everyone can understand,” she said. “We express our feelings and love through our art, and it’s really special for Americans and Chinese people to connect through our art during this time of cultural exchange. We hope it brings healing for both of our cultures. ”
The shows were supposed to happen in 2021 but they were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Zhang Xiaoding, who runs the Shanghai Grand Theatre, said they are excited to start working with ABT again after the pandemic rules are lifted.
Zhu Xiaoyi, a 43-year-old person from Shanghai, who used to take ballet lessons in school, was getting ready to watch the first show of “Classic Old and New” on Thursday. She said sharing of culture between the U. SChina and the United States are very important right now.
I want to learn about different cultures through talking to people from other countries. “Communication and sharing in other areas can go up,” she said.
Washington and Beijing have been talking to each other and getting ready for a meeting between their presidents, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. The meeting will happen at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco later this month.
Last week, the governor of California Gavin Newsom was well-received in Beijing, and the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Washington. Wang said it would be difficult for Biden and Xi to meet.
Both countries are different but they both want more people to visit each other. The United States wants this too. Nicholas Burns, who represents the US in China, spoke on Monday at an event honoring American World War II veterans who supported China in fighting against Japan.
“We are going through a tough time in the relationship between the United States and China,” Burns said. “We are rivals in many ways, strategically. ” “Rewrite this text using simpler language. ” But the people from both countries have always been united.
The ABT did a show in China in March 2013 in Beijing. ABT started in 1939 and was the first American dance company to perform in the former Soviet Union in 1960. This was part of President Dwight Eisenhower’s plan to improve international relations through culture.
A painting of a fancy young woman was being bought for $5,190. There were cheap and colorful landscapes for sale for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money.
The person selling the art didn’t try to hide who made it, even though there were strict rules. The dealer said the goods were painted in North Korea, and now there are rules against selling them.
The person selling the art had mixed gray and white hair and didn’t want to say his name. He worked for a gallery that says it’s the best place in China to buy art from North Korea. The gallery, The Paintings Say Arirang, also has a studio for artists from North Korea in the outskirts of Beijing.
The North Koreans live in a guarded area and they show a very positive, peaceful picture of life in their country. The Arirang studio says they will make very beautiful portraits for a good price.
The gallery is being criticized for using aggressive sales tactics, which experts say is possible because China doesn’t enforce U. Nrules very strictly. Sanctions against North Korea to stop them from building nuclear weapons. Sure, here is the simplified text: A. The United Nations has approved a large number of products from North Korea, such as weapons, coal, and art. The United Nations It has also tried to stop North Koreans from working in other countries so that North Korea can’t take their money to pay for its nuclear program. The United Nations in a report said Arirang broke rules by selling North Korean art and having North Korean artists perform.
China has often said no to the U.N throughout its history. To control people who break the rules about sanctions, and last year blocked a decision by the United Nations. a decision that would have made the rules stricter. The United Nations It was said that Arirang did not answer when asked for information.
The UN found Arirang to be easy. The gallery wants to attract a specific group of people who like the unique art style of North Korean artists.
Arirang was started by Jin Zhe, who is Korean and loves art. He was born in China near North Korea, and he wrote this on Arirang’s website. Jin is the son of a famous painter. He worked at a radio station in China for many years before he went to Pyongyang and became interested in North Korean art. Jin, the person in charge of Arirang, could not be contacted for a statement.
An Arirang worker said on the phone that the studio was open and invited a tour of the whole building. She also mentioned that the studio was selling unique portraits made by artists from North Korea. The worker, a woman named Shen, later said that the base wasn’t open because they didn’t have enough customers.
AP journalists went to the place where paintings are made, but the guards didn’t let them in.
“They don’t care who has more money, they just care about looking good,” said Arirang on WeChat. “They believe that making art is important for our souls and culture, not just for making money. ”
This kind of art is really special because it looks so real, it’s worth a lot of money, and it’s something that people want to collect.
In many places, art is considered a way for people to show themselves. But in North Korea, there are very strict rules. Artists in North Korea work for the government to make art that praises the country and its beliefs.
Their work also gives money to North Korea.
“Song Byeok, an artist who used to paint propaganda posters in North Korea, says that all artists there are controlled by the government. ” North Korean art is controlled by the Kim family and does not have its own unique identity.
Posts on Arirang show a little bit of what the artists’ lives are like in China. In a picture, they hold up beer glasses while cooking on a hot barbecue. Some people show them playing ping pong or visiting old buildings and busy market streets.
Jin wrote on WeChat that almost 1,000 paintings were created in Arirang’s “painting base. ” The artists work very hard and often don’t take breaks, the gallery’s director said.
“It makes you feel calm and carefree,” Jin repeated what one artist said.
Another person told Jin that they couldn’t sleep until they finished their work, Jin said.
BG Muhn, a North Korean art expert at Georgetown University, said that artists are treated well and respected in North Korean society.
“They don’t think they are making propaganda art,” said Muhn, who has met artists on nine trips to North Korea. “They believe they are creating art for the country, to help the country and the people. ”
For many years, North Korean art was mainly made for people in North Korea. In the 1990s, North Korea’s biggest supporter, the Soviet Union, collapsed. North Korea really needed money, so it asked its artists for help.
The government sent artists to Africa and the Middle East to make sculptures and paintings honoring their leaders. Those efforts made a lot of money. At that time, the private art market became interested, especially when South Korea started to encourage trade with North Korea. Many paintings were brought into South Korea through Chinese dealers.
After Kim Jong Un became the leader in 2011, the government in Pyongyang started allowing artists to be more creative. They were told they didn’t have to make pictures that make state leaders look great anymore. Business was very successful: The Mansudae studio in North Korea built a museum in Cambodia and was paid to build statues of soldiers and dictators in Senegal, the Congo, Angola, and many other places in Africa. North Korea made a lot of money selling art.
The success went away when the U.N in 2016 and 2017, the government put restrictions on North Korea because they did nuclear and missile tests. Investigators asked an art seller in Italy some questions and took some paintings in South Korea. Pyongyang’s art sales went down and then stopped completely when North Korea closed its borders because of the pandemic.
But it looks like North Korea might not be as isolated as before. China and North Korea have become closer while their relationships with Western countries have become less friendly. Moscow is trying to be friendly with Pyongyang, and Kim is going to Russia in September to talk about selling weapons while there is a conflict with Ukraine.
Art and cultural sharing are starting again, Jin wrote recently.
Jin wrote on WeChat that art is a big way for people to learn about North Korea. “With continuous hard work and by learning new things, North Korean artists will definitely travel abroad and be known around the world. “
Emergency teams were told about the fire at 4:40 am on Friday, the officials said on Saturday.
Twenty-five trucks with water and 130 firefighters went to put out the fire. The fire was put out by 6:00 in the morning and the search and rescue operation finished at around 2:00 in the afternoon.
Officials said that out of the 44 people sent to the hospital for treatment, one is in critical condition and another is seriously injured.
Aerial pictures of the tall building were posted on Friday after the fire was put out. The photos showed some apartments with blackened walls.
“Fires and other very bad accidents happen a lot in China because they don’t always make sure that safety rules are followed. ”
A lot of deadly fires have been happening in the country. President Xi Jinping said we need to think about this and work harder to prevent safety accidents from happening so often.
The Nanjing fire happened one month after a fire at a school dormitory in China’s Henan province killed 13 children aged nine and ten.
Several days after the fire broke out at a shop in Xinyu, at least 39 people died and nine were hurt. The fire started in the shop’s basement.
The Ghanaian government has reportedly initiated preliminary discussions with China Southern Airlines regarding the possibility of establishing direct flight routes between Accra and Guangzhou.
The objective behind this move is to strengthen bilateral trade connections and enhance travel accessibility from Ghana to other regions in West Africa and ultimately to China.
Dr. Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, Ghana’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China, disclosed in a statement that China Southern Airlines has expressed interest and is currently assessing the feasibility of this initiative.
“It is very important for us to have this direct flight and we are praying that God will help us to get the right airline as we have the likes of China Southern in mind. They have indicated interest and looking at the feasibility.”
“Discussions are far advanced with all relevant agencies and at the end of the day, it is in the interest of Ghana that we can link up with China in terms of commerce. Our businesses must consider must consider this a significant step,” Dr. Hammond said.
He further mentioned that the Ministry of Transport issued a letter regarding this development subsequent to a government delegation’s visit to China, led by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
During a media interaction, Ken Ofori-Atta emphasized that this collaboration aims to bolster Ghana’s aviation sector and foster stronger trade relations between Ghana and China.
In the past three years, Ghana and China have forged a robust trade partnership, with an average trade volume of US$10 billion. However, Ghanaian traders continue to face challenges due to the absence of direct flights to China for conducting business.
Currently, they rely on routes via Dubai, Addis Ababa, and Istanbul, as efforts by the government to establish a domestic carrier remain unresolved.
According to the government, people spent 47% more on tourism within their own country this year compared to last year. The amount spent was about 632. 7 billion yuan (£69. 7bn)
The parties happened after many years of pandemic rules and limits, which were stopped in early 2023.
The data increased because the holiday was one day longer than usual. Ad – selling something
The officials didn’t give details, but based on the numbers we have, it looks like people are spending about 9. 5% less on their trips compared to last year.
According to analysts at Goldman Sachs, many people are still choosing to spend less money on things.
The Spring Festival in China is a really big holiday when lots of people travel. It’s the biggest migration in the world.
Usually, many people in China go back to their hometowns to see their families or go on trips around the country.
During the pandemic, big parties were called off and people were not allowed to travel.
The increase in spending during Lunar New Year is good news for China, even though the country is going through some tough times.
Beijing is dealing with some big problems, like a housing market crisis, low overseas sales, and worries about prices dropping for things people buy.
“New information released on Sunday showed that the amount of money foreign businesses invested in China last year was the smallest it has been in 30 years. ”
Ghana’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, has emphasized the need for Ghanaian businesses to capitalize on the burgeoning commercial and industrial opportunities in China.
Dr Hammond urged businesses to seize the moment amidst efforts to establish a direct flight route from Guangzhou, China to Accra, Ghana.
Highlighting the exponential growth in trade volumes between the two nations, Dr Hammond revealed that trade figures have surged from US$7 billion to US$10 billion in the last three to four years.
However, he underscored the challenge of limited travel options between Ghana and China, with currently only a few airlines servicing the route.
Dr. Hammond emphasized the strategic importance of establishing a direct flight route between Accra and Guangzhou, citing the latter’s significance as a hub for Ghanaian and West African traders. He emphasized that such a connection would not only facilitate trade but also enhance economic cooperation, particularly with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat based in Ghana.
The ambassador stressed the time-saving benefits of a direct flight, highlighting the potential reduction in transit times by 6 to 8 hours, which could significantly enhance business efficiency and productivity.
Acknowledging ongoing discussions supported by Ghana’s Finance and Transport Ministries, Dr. Hammond expressed optimism about the imminent realization of a direct flight route. He disclosed that talks have progressed significantly, with the involvement of relevant government agencies and potential airline partners like China Southern.
Dr. Hammond underscored the pivotal role of collaboration with China in Ghana’s economic development, noting China’s support in securing loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He urged Ghanaian businesses to recognize the efforts made by the Ghanaian government in strengthening ties with China and encouraged them to leverage the favorable business climate in China to expand their enterprises legitimately.
Dr. Hammond reiterated the importance of fostering stronger economic cooperation between Ghana and China, emphasizing the mutual benefits it could bring to both nations. He expressed confidence in Ghana’s ability to capitalize on China’s economic boom for its own advancement, urging businesses to seize the opportunities presented by this burgeoning partnership.
Many flights and train services were stopped, and drivers have been stuck on icy roads for many days.
Many people in China go back to their hometowns during the holiday, causing the biggest yearly migration of people.
Travel has started to increase after Covid-19 restrictions were removed more than a year ago.
Officials predict that people will take 480 million trips during the Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival. The volume is 40% more than last year.
China’s weather experts said this winter will be the worst since 2008. The middle part of the country, including places like Hebei, Hubei, and Anhui, has been hit the hardest by the freezing weather.
On social media, Chinese people expressed that the very cold weather ruined their plans to meet up with their family. They put up pictures of themselves stuck in trains and train stations because the power lines were cut.
The Lunar New Year will be on February 10, which is a Saturday.
Three years ago, a snowstorm in Wuhan caused people tostay in the city during Spring Festival because of Covid-19 outbreak. Three years later, we still can’t access it,” as mentioned on X, which used to be called Twitter. The X person posted a video of a very crowded train station with lots of people stuck on the escalators because there were too many people.
Some people said thank you to the ones who went out in the cold to bring food and hot water to the people stuck on the icy roads. One video showed a woman in Xiantao, a city in Hubei province, using a pulley system to fill up water bottles for people stuck on the highway. “You can simply place your bottle in the basket. ” “There’s no need to give money,” she said.
Around 255 cities in the country have had days with really cold temperatures below 0C, which is much colder than before.
Almost 100 highway toll stations in Anhui are not allowing cars to enter because the roads are icy. On Monday, the news reported that 4,000 cars were stuck on the roads.
One person passed away and 13 people got hurt in a city in Hunan province on Monday when a roof fell down because of heavy snow at a market.
The government of China will give 141 million yuan ($20 million) to clear snow from highways and do related work in 11 provinces. This was reported by CCTV.
The very cold weather will get better soon, and the most serious blizzard warning will be lifted by authorities on Wednesday. It will keep snowing in south and central China, but it will get warmer by Friday.
Penny Wong, who is the Foreign Minister, has asked China’s Ambassador to Australia for an explanation. She also said that the government will strongly communicate its response to Beijing.
“We have always asked for fair treatment and kindness for Dr. Yang, following international rules and China’s laws,” she said in a statement.
All Australians want Dr. Yang to be back with his family. We will keep fighting for what we believe in.
Australian leaders have been worried about how he is being treated. But China’s government has told them not to get involved and to respect their legal system.
Chinese spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that Dr. Yang’s case has been carefully handled according to the law and his rights have been respected.
Supporters of Dr. Yang said he was unfairly arrested for political reasons.
“The Chinese government punished him because he spoke out against the bad things happening to people in China and supported important values like human rights, democracy, and the rule of law,” said his friend, Feng Chongyi, who is a professor in Sydney.
Dr Yang used to work for the Chinese government. People called him the “democracy peddler” because he wrote about democracy. But he didn’t directly criticize the government in his writings.
He was living in New York but went to Guangzhou in January 2019 with his wife and her child, who are Chinese citizens, on a visa run. However, he was stopped at the airport.
The 58-year-old’s situation has mostly been kept private since then, including a hidden trial in 2021.
Elaine Pearson, who is the Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, said that the case has raised a lot of worries about whether the proper legal procedures were followed, and the result is very unfair.
“He didn’t have a lawyer when he needed one, and his trial was not fair. He said he was tortured and forced to confess during questioning,” she told the media.
Dr Yang can still ask for a chance to change the decision, Ms. But Yang’s sons in Australia have said before that he is getting sicker and not getting medical care.
Before Albanese went to Beijing last November, Dr. Yang’s sons asked the prime minister for help in getting their father released. They said their father’s health was getting worse.
His arrest, along with Cheng Lei’s in 2020, made the relationship between Beijing and Canberra worse. But things have been getting better since a new government took over in Australia in 2022.
However, Richard McGregor, a senior fellow at the Lowy Institute, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Dr. Yang’s new sentence is likely to severely affect the relationship between the two countries.
“He said the big screen shows how difficult it is for foreigners to get help from the Chinese legal system, and how it punishes people who try to question it. ”
“This sentence is the most extreme and unexpected. ” He will not be able to avoid dying in prison.
In the end of 2020, Jack Ma, who started Alibaba, was not seen in public for three months. He had said some negative things about market regulators before this happened. He was supposed to make his digital payments firm Ant Financial go public, which would have probably made him the richest man in China.
Zhang Bo and Ye Chengchen were found guilty of killing a two-year-old girl and one-year-old boy in 2020. Zhang Bo is the father of the children.
Zhang started cheating on his wife with Ye. After that, he divorced his wife and planned to kill his children.
China’s highest court said the couples were very mean and used cruel methods.
The couple was killed in the city of Chongqing on Wednesday. It’s not known how the person was put to death, but in China, most death sentences are carried out by lethal injection or a firing squad.
Zhang started a relationship with Ye without telling her that he was married or had kids. Despite finding out the truth, Ye still chose to be with him, according to the court.
After Zhang ended his marriage with his wife in February 2020, Ye still thought of their two children as something that made it difficult for her to marry Zhang and as a problem for their future life together.
Ye kept telling Zhang that they would kill someone, and they planned to make it look like an accident. The court found out about this. On November 2, 2020, Zhang dropped his children from the 15th floor of his apartment.
The news that they were killed spread quickly on a popular Chinese social media site called Weibo, getting hundreds of millions of people to look at it.
“One Weibo comment, which got more than 30 thousand likes, said that they deserve it for their crime. ”
“I hope the kids have a happy and peaceful next life,” another person writes.
Chen Meilin, the mother of the two kids, said on Thursday evening that “a bad dream that bothered our family for over three years is finally gone”.
More news came on the same day about Wu Xieyu, a student from a top university who was executed for killing his mother with a dumbbell in 2015.
Judge Linda Chan said “stop doing this” because the developer kept failing to come up with a plan to fix its debts.
The company is a big example of China’s real estate problem because it owes more than $300 billion.
Two years ago, when Evergrande couldn’t pay its debts, it caused a big problem for financial markets around the world.
Evergrande’s executive director, Shawn Siu, said it’s sad, but the company will still do business in China.
The company’s branch in Hong Kong was separate from its business in mainland China, he said in a statement.
We don’t know yet how the ruling will affect Evergrande’s home building business. But the company’s crisis has already left many home buyers waiting for their new properties.
Beijing tried to calm people’s worries about the housing problem. Many people are using social media to talk about their anger at companies like Evergrande.
The court’s decision will probably have an impact on China’s financial markets because authorities are trying to stop the stock market from falling.
The property sector in China makes up about 25% of the world’s second largest economy.
Evergrande’s stock dropped by over 20% in Hong Kong after the news came out on Monday. Buying and selling of stocks has stopped for now.
Liquidation means when a company’s things are taken and sold. The money earned can be used to pay off any money owed.
However, whether this happens may depend on the Chinese government and the liquidation order doesn’t necessarily mean that Evergrande will go out of business and fail.
However, experts are not sure if the change that started on Monday will affect Evergrande’s liquidation order.
The company asked for more time to make a new plan to change their business. They asked for three more months, but only asked for it on Friday at 4pm.
Judge Chan said the new plan is not really a plan and is not well thought-out.
In June 2022, a company called Top Shine Global from Hong Kong, who is an investor in Evergrande, took Evergrande to court. They said that Evergrande did not keep their promise to buy back shares.
But they only deserve a small amount of Evergrande’s huge debts.
Most of the money Evergrande owes is to lenders in China and they have limited ways to ask for their money back.
People who lend money from other countries can take legal action against Evergrande in Hong Kong, where the company is listed, instead of in mainland China.
After a winding up order, the directors of the companies will no longer be in charge.
The court would probably choose a temporary liquidator, who could be a government worker or a professional from a company like Deloitte, says Derek Lai, who is in charge of handling bankruptcies at Deloitte.
After talking to the people the company owes money to, a person will be chosen to handle the closing of the company in a few months.
However, most of Evergrande’s belongings are in mainland China and there are difficult legal issues despite the slogan “one country, two systems. ”
China and Hong Kong have an agreement to accept the appointment of liquidators. However, Mr Lai says that only two out of six applications have been approved by the courts in three pilot areas in mainland China. The Chinese Communist Party wants to make sure that developers stay in business so that people who bought homes before they were built can still get what they paid for.
This means Beijing might decide to ignore the Hong Kong court’s decision.
Mr Lai says that even if the liquidator is accepted in both Hong Kong and mainland China, they have to obey the laws of mainland China when doing liquidation work there.
The parent company’s order to sell off assets right away doesn’t mean that Evergrande’s building projects will stop right now.
Nigel Trayers, who helps companies reorganize at Grant Thornton, says not all the smaller companies will be shut down. Some of them could be taken over by liquidators.
“But they would have to either close the subsidiaries or become the directors of those subsidiaries,” he says.
“To do this, they have to go through each level of the company and there might be some difficulties when they actually try to do it. ”
Mr Lai says that if a company is broke, it’s unlikely that creditors will get all their money back.
People who are owed money from other countries probably won’t get paid before people who are owed money from the same country.
Even if Judge Chan’s rules are not followed in China, it still shows others what they could expect to happen to them.
She is in charge of Evergrande and other companies that couldn’t pay their debts, like Sunac China, Jiayuan, and Kaisa.
In May, she made the decision to close down Jiayuan because its lawyers couldn’t explain why they needed more time to work on their plan to fix the company’s debt.
Daniel Margulies, a partner at the global law firm Dechert in Hong Kong, who specializes in restructuring matters in Asia, said it’s unclear how offshore liquidators would be treated by onshore stakeholders when there are many local creditors and factors to consider.
Evergrande was trying to come up with a new way to pay back its debts, but in August last year, it officially declared that it was unable to pay its debts and filed for bankruptcy in the United States to protect its American assets while it tried to make a deal.
The next month, the chairman Hui Ka Yan was watched by the police.
China is telling its people to be careful of people from other countries who might try to trick them into giving secrets to spies.
The Chinese government’s security agency said that a man named Li Si went to a nightclub during a trip abroad and was then threatened by spies from another country.
The government’s WeChat post said, “Looking for beauty. You could be in danger. ”
Experts say that these warnings show that China’s leaders are feeling unsure and worried.
China’s Ministry of State Security, which is like the country’s secret police, is warning people more and more about the risks of foreign spies.
The government is telling people about the arrests of those who are accused of spying in China. Earlier this month, the government said that Beijing had arrested someone who they think was spying for Britain’s intelligence service, MI6.
“I don’t think honey traps are more common now than they have been at other times. ” Ian Chong, who works with Carnegie China, said that spying has always taken advantage of people’s weaknesses like greed, desire, overconfidence, and other emotions.
I think that the media campaign and the recent warnings about honey traps from the Ministry of State Security show that the Chinese leaders feel insecure and threatened by the outside world. That’s what Mr.
The latest warning was very detailed. It said a tour guide took Mr Li to a place with adult entertainment and let him choose from several women for the night. It didn’t say when or where the incident happened.
They used the photos to threaten and force Mr Li into joining their spy group. The ministry said Mr. Li gave his work laptop because he was afraid.
The spy organization got a computer with 10 years of secret information.
It also said that even after Mr Li returned to China, he was still being forced to give the group secret information. His bad situation was not finished yet.
The ministry said that in the end, Mr. Li was controlled by a foreign intelligence group like a puppet, and this caused a lot of harm to China’s national security. It said that Mr. Li was arrested and will have to go through a tough trial.
The ministry has been sharing a lot of news on their WeChat page since it started in August. Last month, it warned people not to take pictures of military stuff. It also said that groups should not enlist airplane fans to share China’s flight information with other countries.
China is telling its people to be careful of people from other countries who might try to trick them into giving secrets to spies.
The Chinese government’s security agency said that a man named Li Si went to a nightclub during a trip abroad and was then threatened by spies from another country.
The government’s WeChat post said, “Looking for beauty. You could be in danger. ”
Experts say that these warnings show that China’s leaders are feeling unsure and worried.
China’s Ministry of State Security, which is like the country’s secret police, is warning people more and more about the risks of foreign spies.
The government is telling people about the arrests of those who are accused of spying in China. Earlier this month, the government said that Beijing had arrested someone who they think was spying for Britain’s intelligence service, MI6.
“I don’t think honey traps are more common now than they have been at other times. ” Ian Chong, who works with Carnegie China, said that spying has always taken advantage of people’s weaknesses like greed, desire, overconfidence, and other emotions.
I think that the media campaign and the recent warnings about honey traps from the Ministry of State Security show that the Chinese leaders feel insecure and threatened by the outside world. That’s what Mr.
The latest warning was very detailed. It said a tour guide took Mr Li to a place with adult entertainment and let him choose from several women for the night. It didn’t say when or where the incident happened.
Mr Li works for a company owned by the government. He did not realize that people were watching him until some big foreign soldiers came into his room and took pictures of him without clothes.
They used the photos to threaten and force Mr Li into joining their spy group. The ministry said Mr. Li gave his work laptop because he was afraid.
The spy organization got a computer with 10 years of secret information.
It also said that even after Mr Li returned to China, he was still being forced to give the group secret information. His bad situation was not finished yet.
The ministry said that in the end, Mr. Li was controlled by a foreign intelligence group like a puppet, and this caused a lot of harm to China’s national security. It said that Mr. Li was arrested and will have to go through a tough trial.
The ministry has been sharing a lot of news on their WeChat page since it started in August. Last month, it warned people not to take pictures of military stuff. It also said that groups should not enlist airplane fans to share China’s flight information with other countries.
Ian J Stones is accused of getting secret information for people in other countries, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The spokesperson said he tried to change the sentencing but it was still the same in September.
This information was only told to us in a meeting on Friday.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says that Stones worked in China for a long time with big American companies like General Motors and Pfizer. He is thought to be about 70 years old.
15 years ago, he started a company in Beijing that helps people manage their investments. The Wall Street Journal found this information in corporate records, online profiles, and interviews with people who know him.
Wang Wenbin from Mofa said the court followed the law when handling the case. He also said that Beijing made sure the man’s rights were protected and allowed British officials to visit him and attend his trial.
Stone’s daughter said to the WSJ that embassy officials and one family member were allowed to watch one hearing but not the trial. They were also not allowed to see any legal documents for the case.
She said her father was healthy when he was first taken into custody, but he didn’t get good medical care or enough food, so he got really hurt and his life was in danger.
Ms Stones said that people from the British Embassy have been able to see Stones every four to six weeks to make sure he is ok. But sometimes they didn’t hear from him for a long time and weren’t allowed to visit him.
Mr Wang said that Stones was accused of taking bribes to give information to outside people.
“He said that the court system makes sure that cases are handled according to the law, protecting the rights of Chinese citizens and foreigners. ”
China has been sharing more and more cases of spying by Western countries.
Beijing is trying to make people aware of spying by other countries and asking them to report any strange behavior.
Earlier this month, Chinese officials said they had arrested someone they believe was spying for Britain’s MI6. The BBC could not confirm these statements on its own.
The UK government won’t say yes or no about claims about intelligence.
He also asked for serious action to prevent more deadly incidents in the country.
On Wednesday, another fire happened, just a few days after a fire in Henan province killed 13 children in a school dormitory. Seven workers were later taken in by the police.
Last month, there was a big explosion at a barbecue restaurant in north-western China. 31 people died and the government promised to work on making workplaces safer all over the country.
Last April, a fire in a hospital in Beijing caused the death of 29 people and made survivors jump out of windows to get away.
Host of the Onua Concert Party show on Onua TV, Aba Martins, popularlyknown as Ama Dhope, has shared a hilarious story of how she lost her job as a teacher twice in Ghana due to her bad pronunciation of some English words.
While telling her story of how she survived in China while she was furthering her education, Ama, during an interview on Berla Mundi’s “ The DayShow “on TV3, recounted her distress over common words that cost her two jobs in the Asian country.
According to her, she knew nobody in China during her stay there, but she “was able to manoeuvre her through” because she took on side jobs such as teaching English in some Chinese schools.
She recounts how she lost her first job over the mispronunciation of the lion, which took her out of what she anticipated to be another source of income for her survival.
She said, “In China, I knew nobody, but I was able to manoeuvre my way through because I was doing some side business; I was teaching English. Our phonetics here in Ghana are quite different from those in China.
Pronounciation of words like lion: where we were thought to pronounce it like “ly-yon,” in China it is pronounced LY” + “uhn. You won’t get it easy with mispronunciations.
After managing to get a second job, on another occasion, the comedy show host added, that
“I didn’t know that Thursday should be pronounced as thuhz-day; we were thought ‘Turz-day’ , not knowing it was a dentine.
I was there and the owner of the school walked to me and ordered me to pack my bags because what I was teaching the kids was deadly.
Same with my second school , there I lost my job again over the pronunciation of lion”.
Ama Dhope is a TV host on Onua TV, a Ghanaian television station owned by Media General.
She is the host of the Onua Concert Party show, a comedy and entertainment program that showcases local talents and celebrities.
The NPPA wanted to make rules to stop people from spending too much money and time on gaming.
However, the draft of the rules was not on the NPPA website as of Tuesday morning.
The time for people to share their opinions on the rules had ended on Monday.
They will have less things to buy in the game and they will try to stop people from playing too much.
Some people did not like the idea of giving rewards for logging in every day, and they also did not like the idea of a warning message popping up to tell players if they were acting in a way that didn’t make sense.
The prices of Chinese gaming company stocks went up on Tuesday after a surprising change in direction. This includes the biggest gaming company Tencent Holdings and its rival NetEase.
The value of the two companies dropped a lot, almost $80 billion, after the new rules were suggested in December.
Back then, experts thought that smaller or mid-sized game makers would suffer the most, not the big companies.
A few days later, the NPPA seemed to change its mind about some of the ideas because the market didn’t like the news. After that, share prices went up a little.
Ivan Su, a senior analyst at Morningstar, says that while the industry was somewhat reassured by the move, there is still a lot of uncertainty.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has conveyed the government’s deliberate efforts to position the country as a favored hub for Chinese businesses across the African continent.
In a pivotal engagement held in Accra, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed the government’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with the Chinese Business Community in Ghana. The occasion was part of the Ghana Mutual Prosperity Partnership, signaling a strategic effort to enhance collaboration between the two entities.
“We want to use this platform to tease out the problems you face, equip you for the challenges of the future and increase Ghana’s attractiveness as a base for Chinese businesses on the continent,” Mr Ofori-Atta stated.
The Finance Minister underscored Ghana’s economic resurgence, steady exchange rates, and decreasing interest rates as advantageous elements for businesses eyeing exports to China. Additionally, he highlighted the encouraging trajectory of the Bank of Ghana’s Business Confidence Index, signifying a growing confidence in the overall economic conditions of the country.
Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) is developing an Investment Code to expand incentives for both domestic and foreign strategic investments, with the aim of promoting a predictable and favourable environment for investment.
China holds a crucial position in Ghana’s trade and investment landscape, with an FDI stock of approximately US$1.1 billion. Ghana stands as the 4th largest buyer of Chinese goods on the African continent, consuming approximately US$7.9 billion of Chinese exports in 2022, underlining the strong trade ties between the two nations.
Reflecting on this enduring relationship, Mr Ofori-Atta expressed gratitude for China’s support during challenging times, notably as the first responder for anti-pandemic supplies during the “once-in-a-generation” pandemic. China’s leadership in supporting Ghana’s bid to restructure bilateral debts also showcased commitment to Ghana’s economic recovery efforts, he said.
Chinese businesses play a vital role in driving infrastructure development in Ghana, particularly in sustainable business growth, energy and aviation sectors. Contracts underscore the importance of responsible business practices.
Ambassador Lu Kun of The People’s Republic of China in Ghana highlighted the significance of the two nations’ 60-year diplomatic relations and the role of Ghana in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Bilateral trade volume reached US$9 billion in the first 10 months of 2023, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.8 percent . Ambassador Lu Kun reiterated China’s commitment to sincere cooperation and shared interests.
Chairman Yang Qun of the China Enterprises Chamber of Commerce in Ghana recognized the pivotal role of Chinese business investments in Ghana’s progress. Addressing challenges and acknowledging existing investments, he emphasized the positive impact of Chinese enterprises on Ghana’s economic landscape, contributing to sustainable development and community engagement.
As Ghana and China enter the Chinese New Year, both nations express optimism for a prosperous year ahead, building on their historical partnership and commitment to mutual growth.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has conveyed the government’s deliberate efforts to position the country as a favored hub for Chinese businesses across the African continent.
In a pivotal engagement held in Accra, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed the government’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with the Chinese Business Community in Ghana. The occasion was part of the Ghana Mutual Prosperity Partnership, signaling a strategic effort to enhance collaboration between the two entities.
“We want to use this platform to tease out the problems you face, equip you for the challenges of the future and increase Ghana’s attractiveness as a base for Chinese businesses on the continent,” Mr Ofori-Atta stated.
The Finance Minister underscored Ghana’s economic resurgence, steady exchange rates, and decreasing interest rates as advantageous elements for businesses eyeing exports to China. Additionally, he highlighted the encouraging trajectory of the Bank of Ghana’s Business Confidence Index, signifying a growing confidence in the overall economic conditions of the country.
Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) is developing an Investment Code to expand incentives for both domestic and foreign strategic investments, with the aim of promoting a predictable and favourable environment for investment.
China holds a crucial position in Ghana’s trade and investment landscape, with an FDI stock of approximately US$1.1 billion. Ghana stands as the 4th largest buyer of Chinese goods on the African continent, consuming approximately US$7.9 billion of Chinese exports in 2022, underlining the strong trade ties between the two nations.
Reflecting on this enduring relationship, Mr Ofori-Atta expressed gratitude for China’s support during challenging times, notably as the first responder for anti-pandemic supplies during the “once-in-a-generation” pandemic. China’s leadership in supporting Ghana’s bid to restructure bilateral debts also showcased commitment to Ghana’s economic recovery efforts, he said.
Chinese businesses play a vital role in driving infrastructure development in Ghana, particularly in sustainable business growth, energy and aviation sectors. Contracts underscore the importance of responsible business practices.
Ambassador Lu Kun of The People’s Republic of China in Ghana highlighted the significance of the two nations’ 60-year diplomatic relations and the role of Ghana in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Bilateral trade volume reached US$9 billion in the first 10 months of 2023, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.8 percent . Ambassador Lu Kun reiterated China’s commitment to sincere cooperation and shared interests.
Chairman Yang Qun of the China Enterprises Chamber of Commerce in Ghana recognized the pivotal role of Chinese business investments in Ghana’s progress. Addressing challenges and acknowledging existing investments, he emphasized the positive impact of Chinese enterprises on Ghana’s economic landscape, contributing to sustainable development and community engagement.
As Ghana and China enter the Chinese New Year, both nations express optimism for a prosperous year ahead, building on their historical partnership and commitment to mutual growth.
“It was really loud, and there was also shaking, it felt like a huge earthquake,” she said.
Videos on social media showed people walking on piles of rubble with snow-covered mountains in the background. I see things like clothes and stuff mixed up with the broken bricks.
The landslide happened in a remote area of mountains, where landslides are common because of the location. The reason for this particular landslide is not known. Floods happen a lot.
The place also has a lot of coal mines.
News China said that a person from the village said that most of the people living there are old or young.
Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Guoqing is leading a group of workers to the site to help with the rescue efforts.
In January 2013, a landslide in Zhenxiong county killed at least 18 people.
