China’s defense minister renews threats to take over Taiwan as he opens security forum
China’s defense minister renewed threats that his country would take over self-ruled Taiwan as he opened a security forum in Beijing on Thursday.
The “restoration” of Taiwan to China “is an integral part of the post-war international order,” Dong Jun told an audience of international military officials attending the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an annual event where China aims to project regional leadership and boost military cooperation.
Beijing considers Taiwan — a democracy of 23 million people that has been governed separately from China since 1949 — to be a breakaway province, and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control. China puts military pressure on Taiwan by sending warships and aircraft near the island almost daily.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party reject Beijing’s assertions and maintain that Taiwan is a sovereign country whose future should be decided by its people.
Dong said China would “never allow any separatist attempts for Taiwan independence to succeed” and that it is ready to thwart “any external military interference.”
2008 Malegaon blast: HC issues notice to NIA, 7 acquitted persons on appeal by victims’ kin
The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued notices to the seven persons acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, on an appeal filed by the family members of the victims.
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad also issued notices to the prosecution — National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government — and posted the appeal for hearing after six weeks.
The HC was hearing an appeal filed by the family members of the six persons who lost their lives in the blast against the acquittal judgment.
The appeal challenged a special court judgment acquitting the seven accused in the case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit.
The appeal filed last week claimed that a faulty investigation or some defects in the probe cannot be the grounds for acquitting the accused. It also contended that the conspiracy (of the blast) was hatched in secrecy and hence, there cannot be direct evidence of it.
The petitioners claimed the order passed by the special NIA court on July 31, acquitting the seven accused, was wrong and bad in law and hence deserved to be quashed.
ED conducts searches at 20 locations across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi NCR
ED Hyderabad is conducting searches at 20 locations across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi NCR in connection with Rs 3500 Crore AP Liquor Scam. The searches are being conducted at the premises of entities / individuals who have facilitated payment of kickbacks through bogus / inflated invoices. Premises related to some accused persons are also being searched.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar protecting ‘vote chors’, destroyers of democracy: Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of protecting “vote chors” and people who have destroyed democracy, and cited data from a Karnataka Assembly constituency to claim that votes of Congress supporters were being systematically deleted ahead of elections.
The Election Commission must stop this and provide within a week information sought by the Karnataka CID in an investigation into voter deletions, Gandhi said at a press conference at the Congress’ Indira Bhawan headquarters here.
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said his revelations today were another milestone in demonstrating to the youth of this country how elections are being rigged.
He also made it clear at the outset that these were not the “hydrogen bomb” of revelations that he has promised and those will come soon.
Australia unveils ‘anti-climactic’ new emissions cuts
Australia pledged Thursday to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent from 2005 levels over the next decade, a target activists warned was not ambitious enough.
Under the landmark Paris climate accord, each country must provide a headline figure to the United Nations for cutting heat-trapping emissions by 2035, and a detailed blueprint for getting there.
A leading coal exporter, Australia’s pledge has been closely watched given its bid to host next year’s UN climate summit alongside Pacific island neighbours threatened by rising seas.
The announcement also comes days after a national climate risk assessment warned rising oceans and flooding caused by climate change would threaten the homes and livelihoods of over a million Australians by 2050.
China defence minister slams ‘hegemonic logic’ at Beijing forum
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun denounced “hegemonic logic and acts of bullying” during remarks Thursday at a Beijing forum that were full of thinly veiled references to the United States.
Organisers say about 1,800 representatives from 100 countries, including political, military and academic leaders, are gathering in Beijing for the Xiangshan Forum, considered China’s answer to the annual Shangri-La meeting in Singapore.
The three-day event comes as China presents itself as a mediator of fraught global issues including ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Addressing attendees at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Dong warned of “new threats and challenges” now facing world peace.
“While the themes of the times — peace and development — remain unchanged, the clouds of a Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism have not lifted,” he said.
“Historical memory must serve as a constant warning to recognise and oppose hegemonic logic and acts of bullying that are disguised in a new form.”
Starbucks workers sue over company’s new dress code
Starbucks workers in three states took legal action against the coffee giant Wednesday, saying it violated the law when it changed its dress code but refused to reimburse employees who had to buy new clothes.
The employees, who are backed by the union organising Starbucks’ workers, filed class-action lawsuits in state court in Illinois and Colorado. Workers also filed complaints with California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency. If the agency decides not to seek penalties against Starbucks, the workers intend to file a class-action lawsuit in California, according to the complaints.
Starbucks didn’t comment directly on the lawsuits Wednesday, but the company said it simplified its dress code to deliver a more consistent experience to customers and give its employees clearer guidance.
“As part of this change, and to ensure out partners were prepared, partners received two shirts at no cost,” the company said Wednesday. Starbucks refers to its employees as “partners.”
Trump says Antifa will be designated ‘a major terrorist organisation’
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield quits after 47 years, cites stifling by Unilever
12-million-year-old porpoise fossil unearthed in Peru’s Ocucaje desert
Woman found hanging at Sakhi centre in Jhalawar; family alleges murder
Seven-year-old falls into drain; police launch search operation