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UK official visits Hong Kong after years of strained ties

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — The first British minister visiting Hong Kong in five years said his country will not “duck” its historic responsibilities to people living in its former colony while engaging with China in areas they share common interests. The remarks by Dominic Johnson, minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade, were published in an opinion piece in the South China Morning Post on Tuesday. He wrote that the U.K. will be clear about its right to act when China breaks its international commitments or abuses human rights.Johnson’s trip this week came after relations between Hong Kong and Britain became increasingly tense following the enactment of a Beijing-imposed national security law, which the U.K. earlier called “a clear breach” of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The declaration included a promise to retain Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms for 50 years after it was returned to China’s rule in 1997. Following the introduction of the sweeping securi...

China raids offices of business consultancy Capvision

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s chief foreign intelligence agency has raided the offices of business consulting firm Capvision in Beijing and other Chinese cities as part of an ongoing crackdown on foreign businesses that provide sensitive economic data. Foreign companies operating in China have come under increasing pressure, driven primarily by national security considerations, as Xi Jinping’s government tightens control over business, clashing with efforts to lure back foreign investors after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted. Investigators simultaneously visited Capvision branches in Beijing, Shanghai, and the southeastern manufacturing hubs of Suzhou and Shenzhen, along with other locations the state media reports did not identify. Officers from the Ministry of State Security, police and market regulatory bodies questioned staff, the reports said. There was no word on arrests or detentions, although the reports said investigations had been opened into the company and “personnel...

Russia, holding WWII tributes, rains missiles on Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed his country’s Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square, claiming that “a real war” has been unleashed against Russia — a reference to the war in Ukraine that the Kremlin portrays as being a proxy conflict with the West. “Today civilization is once again at a decisive turning point,” Putin said. “A real war has been unleashed against our Motherland.” He welcomed soldiers fighting in Ukraine who were present at the parade. “To Russia! To our brave armed forces! To Victory!” Putin concluded the speech.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Russia unleashed a barrage of cruise missiles on Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, hours before the start of Moscow’s annual commemorations celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, which this year is taking place amid tight security measures. The Kremlin’s forces launched 25 missiles overnight in a wave of attacks across Ukraine, the Ukrainian air...

Divisive Thai ex-PM vows to return from exile after polls

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s self-exiled former prime minister said Tuesday he wants to return home by July, making his declaration less than a week before the country heads to polls in which his daughter is a frontrunner. Thaksin Shinawatra tweeted for the second time this month that he would like to come home to see his grandchildren. He said he is prepared to face justice, including several convictions on charges including abuse of power and corruption.“I have made a decision that I’ll go home to raise my grandchildren by this July, before my birthday. Please excuse me. It’s been nearly 17 years that I have to be away from my family. I’m already old,” he said. Thaksin, 73, was a populist prime minister when he was ousted by a military coup in 2006. He fled Thailand to escape a prison term in several criminal cases, which he decried as politically motivated. The government of his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was also toppled in a 2014 coup led by the current prime minister and candid...

Serbia's education minister resigns over school shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

Serbian Education Minister BrankoRuzic resigned on Sunday (7 May) after last week's shooting in an elementary school, which killed eight children and a guard, amid public outrage over this and another mass killing just a few days later.The country is still in shock over two recent shootings, the school attack in the capital on Wednesday (3 May) and the rampage that took place outside the city Thursday (4 May). Eight people were killed.Both suspects - a 13-year old boy and a man of 20 years - are currently in custody.The opposition parties who accuse the government of Prime Minister Ana Brnabic for not preventing these two attacks invited their supporters to join a march against the government on Monday evening (8 May) in Belgrade. They demanded Ruzic’s resignation among other things.In his letter of resignation to Brnabic, Ruzic stated that he had made the rational decision to step down as "a man who is responsible, well-educated, a professional, having fulfilled all my public dutie...

Three-bedroom home sells in Palo Alto for $1.6 million

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

1032 Maddux Drive – Google Street ViewA 1,004-square-foot house built in 1952 has changed hands. The property located in the 1000 block of Maddux Drive in Palo Alto was sold on Feb. 27, 2023, for $1,627,500, or $1,621 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, one bathroom, a garage, and one parking space. There’s also a pool in the backyard. The unit sits on a 5,600-square-foot lot.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:A 1,355-square-foot home on the 3200 block of Morris Drive in Palo Alto sold in February 2023, for $2,858,000, a price per square foot of $2,109. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms.On Otterson Court, Palo Alto, in August 2022, a 1,608-square-foot home was sold for $2,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,617. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In March 2023, a 1,987-square-foot home on Louis Road in Palo Alto sold for $3,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,812. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

President Vladimir Putin addresses parade on Red Square, says “a real war” has been unleashed against Russia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin addresses parade on Red Square, says “a real war” has been unleashed against Russia.Source

Oil giant Saudi Aramco’s 1st quarter profit down 20% to $31B

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Oil giant Saudi Aramco reported a first-quarter profit on Tuesday of $31.88 billion, down nearly 20% from the same period last year as energy prices have sunk over global recession concerns. The firm known formally as the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. blamed the drop — compared to $39.47 billion in the same quarter last year — on the lower crude oil prices. Aramco made a $30.73 billion profit in the fourth quarter of last year.“The results reflect Aramco’s continued high reliability, focus on cost and our ability to react to market conditions as we generate strong cash flows and further strengthen the balance sheet,” Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser said in a statement. Aramco separately said that it “believes it is well positioned to withstand fluctuating commodity prices through its low-cost upstream production.” Benchmark Brent crude traded early on Tuesday around $76 a barrel, down from a high of $125 in the last year. Saudi Arabia’s vast oil re...

Boris vs. Charles? Johnson ‘squared up’ to future king over Rwanda plan, aide claims

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

LONDON — Boris Johnson confronted then-Prince Charles over criticism of a controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, Johnson’s former communications chief claimed Tuesday.Guto Harri, who served as director of communications at No. 10 Downing Street, said the former prime minister had “squared up” to the future king at a Commonwealth meeting in Rwanda last June. Johnson’s allies branded the account “inaccurate.”Britain has signed a deal to deport asylum seekers to the East African country — a move criticized by human rights campaigners and challenged in the courts.Johnson and Charles’ meeting took place in the wake of media reports — not explicitly denied by Clarence House at the time — that the then-prince of Wales had branded the proposal “appalling.” Johnson has previously described the meeting between the two men as “a good old chinwag.”But, writing in the Daily Mail Tuesday as he promotes a new podcast...

OBF: Doc has outcoached Mazzulla

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:47 GMT

“What’s up, Doc?”The Celtics enter Game 5 of their series against the Philadelphia 76ers coming off an Elmer Fudd-like performance Sunday at the end of regulation and overtime.The Celtics were hunting “wabbits” and Doc Rivers had all the angles covered. What was daffy about the end of Game 4 was not the lack of a timeout call at the end of regulation or overtime. No, that is the norm. Inexplicably somehow.No, what really bugs us about the end of Game 4 was this troubling fact pattern: Jayson Tatum had the ball in the lane at the end of regulation with 4 seconds to play and did not shoot it. He had the ball and was headed for the rim at the end of overtime with less than 3 seconds to play and, once again, chose not to shoot.Part of this was by design on Tatum’s part. He saw Marcus Smart open for uncontested threes. He gave up the contested shot. He went by the book.It might be time to turn the page.As a rule, coaches preach “unselfishness” at every level starting at the Fidelity Hous...