The three organisers of a yearly vigil to mark China’s bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown were sentenced to four and a half months in jail.Three former members of a Hong Kong group that organised annual vigils to mark China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre have been sentenced to four and a half months in jail for not complying with a request for information under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Chow Hang-tung, 38, a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was sentenced at a magistrate’s court…
Author: National Tone
New premier Li Qiang, 63, a close confidant of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, faces the task of reviving China’s flagging economy.China has named Li Qiang, a close confidant of President Xi Jinping, as the country’s next premier, placing him nominally in charge of the world’s second-largest economy, which is now facing some of its worst prospects in years. Li was nominated by Xi and appointed to the position with no dissenting voices at Saturday morning’s session of the National People’s Congress, China’s ceremonial parliament, in Beijing. He replaces outgoing premier Li Keqiang. The 63-year-old received votes from nearly all the…
The comments from a senior presidential aide are the latest signal of a shift by Kyiv to continue the defence of the city in eastern Ukraine.Ukraine has decided to fight on in the ruined city of Bakhmut because the battle is pinning down Russia’s best units in advance of a planned Ukrainian spring counteroffensive, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. The comments by Mykhailo Podolyak on Friday were the latest signal of a shift by Kyiv this week to continue the defence of the small eastern city, where Moscow is trying to secure its first major victory in…
Joan Laporta was elected as Barcelona president for a second time in March 2021 having previously held the role from 2003-2010Barcelona face charges of corruption over payments the club made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira – a former vice-president of Spain’s referees’ committee.It emerged last month that Barca paid Negreira and a company he owns a reported total of 8.4m euros (£7.4m) between 2001 and 2018.A Barcelona court heard on Friday that Barca, former club officials and Negreira had been indicted for “corruption”, “breach of trust” and “false business records”.These lawsuits, brought by the Barcelona public prosecutor’s office, target the…
ELN official says two sides took ‘first steps’ towards a temporary ceasefire as negotiations in Mexico City conclude.Colombia’s government and the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group have hailed progress in their efforts to end decades of armed conflict in the South American nation, as a second round of peace talks concluded in Mexico City. The negotiations come as part of an effort by President Gustavo Petro – the country’s first left-wing leader and former M-19 rebel – to reach peace or surrender deals with armed groups and bring “total peace” to Colombia. The ELN, founded by Catholic priests…
Dan Agyei shocked promotion challengers Salford with a last-minute winner after Crewe came from behind with two late goals to secure a barn-storming 4-3 win in League Two.Salford took a 3-2 lead with five minutes left as Stephen Mallan struck, but Connor O’Riordan levelled for the hosts in the 88th minute before Agyei netted the winner. The Ammies started strongly at Gresty Road with Luke Bolton teeing up Louie Barry for a simple finish in the 19th minute.The Railwaymen were level when Agyei converted from the spot in the 31st minute after Theo Vassell was penalised for taking out Elliott…
An estimated 1,300 people are in danger off Calabria, where 73 people recently drowned in a shipwreck that sparked scrutiny of Italy’s rescue operations.The Italian coastguard has launched multiple rescue operations to save hundreds of refugees packed aboard boats off the Calabria region, less than two weeks after at least 73 people drowned in a shipwreck. “The rescue operations … are particularly complex due to the large number of people on board the boats adrift,” the coastguard said in a statement on Friday. An estimated 1,300 people were believed to be in danger. Coastguard vessels were dispatched to rescue 500…
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner said “it’s a great relief” when asked Friday about arrests made in two carjacking incidents in west Toronto. Toronto police arrested two suspects alleged to have committed carjackings, one of which matches the details of one that victimized Marner and his fiancee in May 2022. Marner has not been officially connected to the incident by police, but he has spoken about it to the media in the past. “It’s nice to have the closure,” he told reporters on Friday. The charges are in relation to two carjackings that took place in The Queensway area…
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Jon Rahm withdrew from The Players Championship on Friday because of a stomach illness, leaving the strongest field of the year without its No. 1 player. .acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container width: 340px; margin: 0 auto; Rahm opened with a 71. He was due to play with second-ranked Scottie Scheffler and third-ranked Rory McIlroy in the second round. He pulled out some 30 minutes before his tee time with what his manager referred to as a “bad stomach bug.” Rahm already is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour this year, allowing him to regain the No. 1…
Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to restore ties and reopen diplomatic missions after a years-long rift that has fuelled tensions in the Gulf and deepened conflicts from Yemen to Syria. The agreement was reached on Friday during talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival Middle East powers. The two leading Shia and Sunni Muslim powers in the Middle East have been at odds for years and have backed opposite sides in proxy wars from Yemen to Syria. Here’s a look at some recent events from their adversarial history: 2011 – Arab Spring The Arab Spring…