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Hong Kong leader says China’s sentencing of US citizen exposes national security threats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday said the sentencing on spying charges of a U.S. citizen in China, who was also a permanent resident of the semi-autonomous city, illustrated that the territory should “stay vigilant to national security risks hidden in society.” The government said mainland Chinese authorities had informed Hong Kong of the arrest of John Shing-Wan Leung in 2021. He was sentenced Monday to life in prison. Hong Kong’s government was prepared to provide assistance to anyone arrested by mainland authorities upon request but had not yet received any in Leung’s case, authorities said. Neither Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee nor the court in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou that tried Leung, 78, have released details of his alleged crime. Since taking office last year, Lee has taken a hard line toward any signs of dissent, backed up by the uncompromising attitude adopted by Chinese leaders from authoritarian Communist Party head Xi Jinping on ...

Stock market today: World shares mixed after China economic data weaker than expected

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

European shares were trading mostly higher after a mixed session in Asia following the release of data showing China’s economy is weaker than expected, with domestic demand failing to bounce back as much as hoped for after the pandemic. Benchmarks rose in Paris, London and Tokyo but fell in Shanghai and Sydney. U.S. futures edged lower and oil prices logged moderate gains.On Tuesday, the government will report how much sales at retailers across the U.S. grew last month.Germany’s DAX edged 0.1% higher to 15,928.83 and in London the FTSE 100 added 0.2% to 7,788.41. The CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.1% to 7,412.41. The future for the S&P 500 was unchanged while that for the Dow industrials fell 0.1%. China’s economic recovery after the pandemic faces pressure from sluggish consumer and export demand, a government official said Tuesday, with retail sales and other activity in April weaker than expected.Retail sales rose 18.4% over a year earlier, up 7.8 percentage points from March, ...

Trudeau heads to Asia for weeklong trip : In The News for May 16

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 16 …What we are watching in Canada …Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left Monday evening for a weeklong trip to Asia, where he will make his first official visit to South Korea and attend the G7 leaders’ summit in Japan. The trip comes at a time when the world is collectively facing security threats and economic uncertainty magnified by climate change. The government plane left from Ottawa on Monday afternoon, but Trudeau was not on board. He first visited Edmonton to meet with members of the Canadian military who are helping fight wildfires in Alberta. Trudeau boarded for Seoul in Anchorage, Alaska, during a refuelling stop Monday evening. The prime minister is expected to be in Seoul from Tuesday to Thursday, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Ottawa last fall. Since t...

B.C. wildfires put all of Fort St. John on alert, nearby areas on evacuation order

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

Wildfires have prompted the City of Fort St. John, B.C., to tell all of its roughly 21,000 residents to get ready to leave on short notice, while the Peace River Regional District has issued an evacuation order for a large rural area to the north.The Stoddart Creek wildfire discovered on Saturday has grown to 130 square kilometres in size, and the BC Wildfire Service says it continues to spread.The nearby Red Creek fire measures about 29 square kilometres, and the service says human activity is the suspected cause of both out-of-control blazes.Doig River First Nation north of Fort St. John has issued an evacuation order, telling residents to leave right away — although its bulletin urges people to stay calm, saying the community is not in imminent danger and the order is a precaution.An unusual May heat wave has spurred rising wildfire risks in both B.C. and Alberta, with close to 40 communities breaking daily high temperature records on Sunday.Environment Canada heat warnings and a...

Justice Minister David Lametti set to reveal plans to reform bail system

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

OTTAWA — Justice Minister David Lametti is set to make an announcement this afternoon about how his government plans to reform Canada’s bail system, after months of calls for tougher laws from premiers, police and opposition. He is scheduled to hold a news conference with a number of cabinet colleagues, including Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett.Proposed changes to the Criminal Code come amid pressure from the provinces and territories to reduce the number of repeat violent offenders who are granted bail. A number of high-profile cases have brought attention to the issue, including the recent stabbing deaths of a woman and her daughter in Edmonton, which police say were committed by a man who was on bail at the time.The federal Conservatives say that’s the result of what they call a “catch-and-release” system, and have been publicly calling for stronger laws. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms gu...

Wildfire activity increases in Alberta as hot, dry conditions continue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

The Alberta government says hot and dry conditions are expected to continue in the coming days, providing no relief for the roughly 2,500 people fighting wildfires in the province. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Edmonton on Monday to meet with some of the 300 military personnel called in to help fight wildfires in Alberta.Trudeau and federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair were briefed about the threats from rising temperatures and dryness.As of Monday evening, more than 19,000 people had been forced from their homes and 24 of 87 active wildfires were considered out of control.Wildfires have also been a concern for Alberta’s neighbours, including the Northwest Territories, where the K’atl’odeeche First Nation and town of Hay River, about 120 kilometres from the northern Alberta boundary, are under evacuation orders. In British Columbia, the City of Fort St. John, about 200 kilometres northwest of Grand Prairie, Alta., has issued an evacuation alert...

Statistics Canada to release April reading for inflation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada is expected to release its latest reading on inflation this morning.The agency is set to publish is consumer price index for April.The annual pace of inflation has been slowing in recent months after hitting a peak of 8.1 per cent last year.The report for March showed prices were up 4.3 per cent compared with a year earlier.The Bank of Canada is forecasting the annual inflation rate will fall to about three per cent in the coming months.However, the return of inflation back to the central bank’s target of two per cent is expected to take longer.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2023.The Canadian Press

Daily horoscope for May 16, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Aries.Happy Birthday for Tuesday, May 16, 2023:You are charming, intelligent and excited about life. You also have creative talents. This year is the beginning of a new cycle for you, which means you can expect new beginnings and new adventures. You might take on a leadership role. Be open to new opportunities.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★Your ability to boost your income will increase in the next 24 months. (You can take that to the bank.) Even though Mercury retrograde might delay current financial matters (checks in the mail are late, etc.), your future’s looking good! Tonight: You’re lucky.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★Lucky Jupiter is entering your sign, where it will stay for the next year, bringing you divine protection and boosting your good fortune. This is something that happens only once every 12 years, and when it does, it will grow your confidence and give you an inc...

Spain seizes Brazilian fishing boat with cocaine haul on rough seas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

Spanish authorities have seized a Brazilian-flagged fishing boat off the Canary Islands with 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in a hidden compartment in its machine room, police said on Friday (12 May) as they brought the boat to the port of Las Palmas.Authorities shared a video of the 25-metre (82.02 ft) Efesios 5-20 being approached on rough seas by a speedboat sent from the patrol ship Condor.Officers arrested the crew of six people - five Brazilians and a Venezuelan national. The boat's name - Ethesians 5:20 in English - is a reference to a prayer by Paul the Apostle praising and thanking God.Police said boats transporting drugs from Latin America often transfer their cargoes to other vessels in mid-Atlantic to more easily reach the European market. The Efesios 5-20 caught their attention because it was so close to the Spanish islands off the northwestern coast of Africa.

Miss Manners: Why is it rude to wash your hands in the kitchen?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:14 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Why is it considered rude to wash your hands at a kitchen sink? The dish soap is available, the water is available, so what’s the problem?GENTLE READER: It is? Other than when the cook doesn’t want you underfoot and you could perfectly well use the bathroom sink?Miss Manners suspects that there are people who like to think up strange rules for the purpose of catching other people violating them. And that there are others who will now think of some strange hygienic reason to justify this alleged rule.DEAR MISS MANNERS: With a certain group, I am only invited to events that require gifts. I’ve realized these people are complete users. How do I gently get away from them?GENTLE READER: Sadly, that seems to be the prevalent form of entertaining everywhere. Rather than planning parties just for the fun of getting together with friends, many people only issue invitations to celebrate milestones in their own lives.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss...