Home Blog Page 159

India stops new visas for Canadians, asks Ottawa to downsize missions as spat worsens

Roshan Bilung
-
0
India stops new visas for Canadians, asks Ottawa to downsize missions as spat worsens

India stops new visas for Canadians, asks Ottawa to downsize missions as spat worsens

NEW DELHI(Reuters) – India on Thursday suspended new visas for Canadians and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country, sharply escalating a spat triggered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusations linking New Delhi to a Sikh separatist’s murder.

India was willing to look into specific information in connection with the accusations, its foreign ministry said, adding that Canada has not shared anything so far.

READ MORE : Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says

A blanket suspension of new visas by India for a Western country is unheard of and marks the lowest point of India-Canada relations.

The announcement came hours after Canada’s high commission in India said it would temporarily “adjust” staff presence in the country after some diplomats received threats on social media platforms. The mission did not specify the nature of the threats, and India has said it would provide “all security and all support” to foreign diplomats.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India suspended issuing new visas to Canadian citizens due to “security threats” to its staff in its consulates in Canada.

India did not give details of the nature of these security threats, and Canada’s public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc said in response that Canada was a safe country.

“Accordingly our high commission and consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications,” he told reporters at a weekly briefing on Thursday, adding that the security situation would be reviewed regularly.

Canada is the fourth largest source of foreign tourists with 350,000 visitors in 2019, a number which fell following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Indian government data.

‘RISK TO REPUTATION’

The unprecedented tensions flared up on Monday after Trudeau said Ottawa was investigating “credible allegations” about the potential involvement of Indian government agents in the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government denied any links to the alleged murder.

Canadian officials have so far declined to say why they believe India could be linked to Nijjar’s murder.

The two countries, whose relations have been fraying in recent years over the issue of Sikh separatists, have since announced tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats and issued tit-for-tat travel advisories.

Bagchi said India was “willing to look at any specific information, we have conveyed this to the Canadian side, made it clear to them…but so far, we have not received any such specific information”.

Canada has discussed the issue with key allies such as the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance, which includes the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, with Washington, London and Canberra expressing concern.

Asked if any of these countries, with whom India also enjoys close ties, had raised the issue with New Delhi, Bagchi said: “We have been discussing with them, we have conveyed our position how we see these developments.”

Bagchi also said Canada should be worried about damage to its reputation and not India, when asked about the risk posed by the row to New Delhi’s global standing.

“If there is any country that needs to look at it, it is Canada, its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organised crime,” he said, adding that India had in vain sought action against more than 20 individuals.

India has not provided any details of acts of terrorism carried out by Sikh separatists against its interests in Canada.

THREAT TO TRADE TIES

Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside the northern Indian state of Punjab, with about 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census.

A bloody Sikh insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s in Punjab killed tens of thousands of people before it was suppressed. The separatists wanted the creation of an independent Sikh state called Khalistan.

Although there is hardly any support for the insurgency left in India, small groups of Sikhs in Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States support the separatist demand and occasionally stage protests outside Indian embassies.

New Delhi, which remains wary of any revival of the insurgency, has long been unhappy over Sikh separatist activity in Canada.

The spat is also threatening trade ties, with talks on a proposed trade deal frozen last week.

Canada is India’s 17th largest foreign investor, while Canadian portfolio investors have put billions of dollars in Indian financial markets.

Since 2018, India has been the largest source of international students in Canada, with their numbers rising 47% in 2022 to nearly 320,000.

Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

United States and China launch economic and financial working groups with aim of easing tensions

Kyung An
-
0
United States and China launch economic and financial working groups with aim of easing tensions

United States and China launch economic and financial working groups with aim of easing tensions

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN / 5:46:26 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department and China’s Ministry of Finance launched a pair of economic working groups on Friday in an effort to ease tensions and deepen ties between the nations.

Led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Vice Premier He Lifeng, the working groups will be divided into economic and financial segments.

The working groups will “establish a durable channel of communication between the world’s two largest economies,” Yellen said in a series of planned tweets shared with The Associated Press ahead of Friday’s announcement.

READ MORE : China defends trade with Russia after the US says equipment used in Ukraine might have been exported

Yellen said the groups will “serve as important forums to communicate America’s interests and concerns, promote a healthy economic competition between our two countries with a level playing field for American workers and businesses.”

The announcement follows a string of high-ranking administration officials’ visits to China this year, which sets the stage for a possible meeting between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in November at an Asia-Pacific Economic conference in San Francisco.

The two finance ministers have agreed to meet at a “regular cadence,” the Treasury Department said in a news release.

Yellen, along with other Biden administration officials, traveled to China this year after the Democratic president directed key senior officials to “maintain communication and deepen constructive efforts after he met with Xi in Bali last year.

The groups’ launch also comes after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with China’s vice president on Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

China is one of the United States’ biggest trading partners, and economic competition between the two nations has increased in recent years.

Tensions between the countries reached a fever pitch earlier this year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted traveling over sensitive U.S. airspace. The U.S. military shot the balloon down off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions.

In April, Yellen called out China’s business and human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet while striking a conciliatory tone about how there is “a future in which both countries share in and drive global economic progress.”

Relations between the two countries have become further strained as the Communist nation has grown its ties with Russia despite its continued invasion into Ukraine.

The U.S. last year moved to block exports of advanced computer chips to China, an action meant to quell China’s ability to create advanced military systems including weapons of mass destruction, Commerce Department officials said last October.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Azerbaijan claims full control of breakaway region and holds initial talks with ethnic Armenians

Shasi Kumar
-
0
Azerbaijan claims full control of breakaway region and holds initial talks with ethnic Armenians

Azerbaijan claims full control of breakaway region and holds initial talks with ethnic Armenians

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Azerbaijan regained control of its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in a deadly two-day military offensive and held initial talks with representatives of its ethnic Armenian population on reintegrating the area into the mainly Muslim country, Azerbaijan’s top diplomat told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s determination to guarantee Nagorno-Karabakh residents “all rights and freedoms” in line with the country’s constitution and international human rights obligations, including safeguards for ethnic minorities.

He said the talks with Nagorno-Karabakh in the Azerbaijani city of Yevlakh will continue.

READ MORE : Zelenskyy to speak before Canadian Parliament in his campaign to shore up support for Ukraine

Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, declared victory in a televised address. Bayramov said there is now “a historic opportunity” to seek better relations with Armenia after 30 years of conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian military in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Armenian forces also took control of substantial territory around the Azerbaijani region.

Azerbaijan regained control of the surrounding territory in a six-week war with Armenia in 2020. A Russia-brokered armistice ended the war, and a contingent of 2,000 Russian peacekeepers was sent to the region to monitor it.

The agreement left the region’s capital, Stepanakert, connected to Armenia only by the Lachin Corridor, along which Russian peacekeepers were supposed to ensure free movement. But a blockade by Azerbaijan deprived Nagorno-Karabakh of basic supplies for the last 10 months, until Monday, when the International Committee of the Red Cross was able to make a delivery through another route.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, who called for the emergency meeting of the Security Council along with France, accused Azerbaijan of an “unprovoked and well-planned military attack,” launched to coincide with this week’s annual meeting of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.

“Literally the whole territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,” including Stepanakert and other cities and settlements, came under attack from intense and indiscriminate shelling, missiles, heavy artillery, banned cluster munitions, combat drones and other aircraft, he said.

Mirzoyan said the offensive targeted critical infrastructure such as electricity stations, telephone cables and internet equipment, killed more than 200 people and wounded 400 others, including women and children. More than 10,000 people fled their homes to escape the offensive, he said.

Electricity and phone service were knocked out, leaving people unable to contact each other, and “Azerbaijani troops control main roads in Nagorno-Karabakh, which makes it impossible to visit and get information on the ground,” he said.

“The Azerbaijani social media is full of calls to find the missing children and women, to rape them, dismember them and feed them to dogs,” Mirzoyan told the council.

He said the “barbarity” of Azerbaijan’s aggression and deliberate targeting of the civilian population “was the final act of this tragedy aimed at the forced exodus of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

What Armenia has seen, Mirzoyan said, “is not an intent anymore but clear and irrefutable evidence of a policy of ethnic cleansing and mass atrocities.”

Bayramov strongly denied the allegations of ethnic cleansing. He said representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh asked during Thursday’s talks for humanitarian aid, including food and fuel for schools, hospitals and other facilities that government agencies will provide soon.

Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, told the council: “We need to develop a gradual roadmap to integrate the population of Nagorno-Karabakh into the constitutional order of Azerbaijan, with clear guarantees over their rights and security,”

Russia’s peacekeepers will support these efforts, he said, adding that “the security and rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians are of key importance.”

The quick capitulation by Nagorno-Karabakh separatists reflected their weakness from the blockade.

“The local forces, they were never strong. The Azerbaijani army is much better prepared, much better equipped. … So it was quite obvious, you know, that any military action that was to take place in that area, it would lead to the defeat of the local Armenian side,” Olesya Vartanyan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, told The Associated Press.

Bayramov said Armenia kept more than 10,000 “armed formations” and heavy military equipment in Nagorno-Karabakh after the 2020 agreement. During the operation that started Tuesday, more than 90 of their outposts were taken, along with substantial military equipment, he said.

He held up photos of equipment he claimed was seized.

Mirzoyan urged the Security Council to demand protection for civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh; to immediately deploy a U.N. mission to monitor the human rights, humanitarian and security situation; to seek return of prisoners of war; and to consider deploying a U.N. peacekeeping force to the region.

Azerbaijan’s move to reclaim control over Nagorno-Karabakh raised concerns that a full-scale war in the region could resume. The 2020 war killed over 6,700 people.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was “deeply concerned” about Azerbaijan’s military actions and was closely watching the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a phone call Thursday with Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin also urged that the rights and security of the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh should be guaranteed, according to the Tass news agency.

Aliyev apologized to Putin during the call for the deaths of Russian peacekeepers in the region Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Azerbaijan’s prosecutor-general’s office later said five Russian peacekeepers were shot and killed Wednesday by Azerbaijani troops who mistook them amid fog and rain for Armenian forces. One other Russian was killed by Armenian fighters.

Meanwhile, protesters rallied in the Armenian capital of Yerevan for a third day Thursday, demanding that authorities defend Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and calling for the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. At least 46 people were arrested in a large protest outside the main government building in the city center, police said.

The conflict has long drawn powerful regional players, including Russia and Turkey. While Russia took on a mediating role, Turkey threw its weight behind longtime ally Azerbaijan.

Russia has been Armenia’s main economic partner and ally since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union and has a military base in the country.

Pashinyan, however, has been increasingly critical of Moscow’s role, emphasizing its failure to protect Nagorno-Karabakh and arguing that Armenia needs to turn to the West to ensure its security. Moscow, in turn, has expressed dismay about Pashinyan’s pro-Western tilt.

While many in Armenia blamed Russia for the defeat of the separatists, Moscow pointed to Pashinyan’s own recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.

“Undoubtedly, Karabakh is Azerbaijan’s internal business,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “Azerbaijan is acting on its own territory, which was recognized by the leadership of Armenia.”

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna condemned Azerbaijan’s offensive and said it is essential that the ceasefire announced Wednesday is respected.

What is at stake, Colonna said, is whether the ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh can continue living there with their rights and culture respected by Azerbaijan. “Today they have the responsibility for the fate of the population,” she said.

If Azerbaijan wants a peaceful and negotiated solution, Colonna said, “it must here and now provide tangible guarantees” and commit to discussions and to not using or threatening the use of force.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also condemned Azerbaijan’s military assault, which she said was launched despite the government’s assurances to refrain from the use of force.

She called for a complete cessation of violence and lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan that “can only be achieved at the negotiating table.”

Baerbock urged both countries to return to European Union-mediated talks.

___
Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in London; Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia; Aida Sultanova in London; Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia; and Siranush Sargsyan in Stepanakert contributed to this report.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Zelenskyy to speak before Canadian Parliament in his campaign to shore up support for Ukraine

Shasi Kumar
-
0
Zelenskyy to speak before Canadian Parliament in his campaign to shore up support for Ukraine

Zelenskyy to speak before Canadian Parliament in his campaign to shore up support for Ukraine

TORONTO (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will speak to the Canadian Parliament on Friday as part of his campaign to bolster support from Western allies for Ukraine’s war against the Russian invasion.

Zelenskyy flew into Canada’s capital late Thursday after meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and lawmakers in Washington. He spoke at the United Nations’ annual meeting Wednesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also planned to speak to Parliament on Friday, gave Zelenskyy a warm welcome on the tarmac at Ottawa’s airport.

READ MORE : Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says

It is Zelenskyy’s first visit to Canada since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He previously addressed the Canadian Parliament virtually after the war started.

After their speechs, Zelenskyy and Trudeau are scheduled to go to Toronto to meet with the local Ukrainian community. Canada is home to about 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent, close to 4% of the population.

Canada’s U.N. ambassador, Bob Rae, said it is important for Zelenskyy to see the extent to which Canada supports Ukraine in the war.

“We have done a lot to help him and we need to do more,” Rae said. “We’re going to continue to do everything we can to support the Ukrainian people.”

Canada has provided more than $8.9 billion Canadian (US$6.6 billion) in support to Ukraine in what Trudeau’s government calls the highest per-capita direct financial support to Ukraine in the Group of 7 industrial nations.

More than 175,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada since the war started and n additional 700,000 have received approval to come as part of an initiative that supports temporary relocation of those fleeing the war. The initiative allows for an open work permit for three years with pathways to permeant residency and citizenship.

Zelenskyy is facing questions in Washington about the flow of American dollars that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces.

Ukrainian troops are struggling to take back territory that Russia gained over the past year. Their progress in the next month or so before the rains come and the ground turns to mud could be critical in rousing additional global support over the winter.

Zelenskyy made his first official visit to Canada in 2019.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says

Shasi Kumar
-
0
Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says

Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says

TORONTO (AP) — The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh Canadian is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence provided by a major ally, a Canadian official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The official said the communications involved Indian officials and Indian diplomats in Canada and that some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada.

The official did not say which ally provided intelligence or give details of what was contained in the communications or how they were obtained. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

READ MORE : Fox founder Rupert Murdoch surprise exit from his media empire, handing it to his son Lachlan

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation first reported the intelligence.

The revelation came as India stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens and told Canada to reduce its diplomatic staff as the rift widened over allegations by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh separatist.

Ties between the two countries have plunged to their lowest point in years after Trudeau told Parliament Monday there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the assassination on Canadian soil.

Nijjar, a plumber who was born in India and became a Canadian citizen in 2007, had been wanted by India for years before he was gunned down in June outside the temple he led in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver.

Speaking Thursday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trudeau acknowledged the complicated diplomatic situation.

“The decision to share these allegations on the floor of the House of Commons was not done lightly,” he said. “There is no question that India is a country of growing importance and a country that we need to continue to work with.”

“We are not looking to provoke or cause problems but we are unequivocal around the importance of the rule of law and unequivocal about the importance of protecting Canadians.”

The bombshell allegation set off an international tit-for-tat, with each country expelling a diplomat. India called the allegations “absurd.”

https://apnews.com/5a2230494e404981897655dd6aa2c9e8 

Canada has yet to provide public evidence to back Trudeau’s allegations, and Canada’s U.N. ambassador, Bob Rae, indicated that might not come soon.

“This is very early days,” Rae told reporters Thursday, saying that while facts will emerge, they must “come out in the course of the pursuit of justice.”

“That’s what we call the rule of law in Canada,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company that processes Indian visas in Canada announced services had been suspended. Canadians are among the top travelers to India, with 277,000 Canadian tourists visiting the country in 2022, according to India’s Bureau of Immigration.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi blamed the visa suspension, which includes visas issued in third countries, on safety issues.

“Security threats being faced by our High Commission and consulates in Canada have disrupted their normal functioning,” Bagchi told reporters. He gave no details on the alleged threats.

The announcement quickly rippled across Canada, especially among people with ties to India.

Maitreyi Bhatt, a 27-year-old Indian citizen whose partner is Canadian and needs a visa, was distraught because her wedding is scheduled for late October in India, when he was to meet her family for the first time.

“I’ve been crying all day,” she said. “It’s so difficult. I was just so excited for him to meet my family.”

She said the venue is booked and the couple has non-refundable flights. She said her partner went to the Indian Consulate in Toronto but was escorted out by security.

“People like me are just caught up in this and it’s just not fair,” she said.

Sukhwinder Dhillon, a 56-year-old grocery store owner in Montreal, said he had a trip planned to India to see family and sort out his deceased father’s estate. Dhillon, who came to Canada in 1998, makes the trip every two or three years and has lost two family members since he was last home.

“My father passed, and my brother passed,” Dhillon said. “I want to go now. … Now I don’t know when we’ll go.”

Bagchi, the Indian foreign ministry spokesman, also called on Canada to cut its diplomatic corps in India, saying they outnumbered Indian diplomats in Canada.

The Canadian High Commission in New Delhi said Thursday that its consulates in India were open and continue to serve clients. It said some of its diplomats had received threats on social media, adding that Canada expects India to provide security for its diplomats and consular officers working there.

On Wednesday, India warned its citizens to be careful when traveling to Canada because of “growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate-crimes.”

India’s security and intelligence branches have long been active in South Asia and are suspected in a number of killings in Pakistan. But arranging the killing of a Canadian citizen in Canada, home to nearly 2 million people of Indian descent, would be unprecedented.

India has criticized Canada for years over giving free rein to Sikh separatists, including Nijjar. New Delhi had accused him of links to terrorism, which he denied.

Nijjar was a local leader in what remains of a once-strong movement to create an independent Sikh homeland, known as Khalistan. A bloody Sikh insurgency shook north India in the 1970s and 1980s until it was crushed in a government crackdown in which thousands of people were killed, including prominent Sikh leaders.

While the active insurgency ended decades ago, the Indian government has warned that Sikh separatists are trying to stage a comeback and pressed countries like Canada, where Sikhs comprise over 2% of the population, to do more to stop them.

At the time of his killing, Nijjar was working to organize an unofficial Sikh diaspora referendum on independence from India.

New Delhi’s anxieties about Sikh separatist groups in Canada have long been a strain on the relationship.

In March, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government summoned the Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi, its top diplomat in the country, to complain about Sikh independence protests in Canada.

Signs of a broader diplomatic rift emerged at the summit of the Group of 20 leading world economies hosted by India earlier this month. Trudeau had frosty encounters with Modi, and a few days later Canada canceled a trade mission to India planned for the fall. A trade deal between the two is now on pause.

___
Associated Press journalists Ashok Sharma and Krutika Pathi in New Delhi contributed reporting.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Fox founder Rupert Murdoch surprise exit from his media empire, handing it to his son Lachlan

Kyung An
-
0
Fox founder Rupert Murdoch surprise exit from his media empire, handing it to his son Lachlan

Fox founder Rupert Murdoch surprise exit from his media empire, handing it to his son Lachlan 

MEDIA / 11:20:21 AM

NEW YORK (NPR/AP) – Rupert Murdoch, the media magnate who built an unmatched global media empire over seven decades from a single newspaper he inherited in his native Australia, announced on Thursday that he would step down.

“I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change,” Murdoch wrote in a memo to employees at Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the many other properties that make up his two corporations, Fox Corp. and News Corp. “The time is right for me to take on different roles.”

Murdoch’s career has been marked by a singular drive for business success, an eagerness to have sway over elections and policies, and the repeated eruption of scandals. Fox News, which he founded in 1996, has played an increasingly prominent role in his profits, his influence, and his crises.

READ MORE : Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of ‘Beetlejuice’ over reports of rude behavior

Lachlan Murdoch said that “we are grateful that he will serve as chairman emeritus and know he will continue to provide valued counsel.”

Fox News Channel has profoundly influenced television and national politics since its start in 1996, making Murdoch a hero to some and pariah to others. The 24-hour network converted the power and energy of political talk radio to television. Within six years, it outrated CNN and MSNBC, and still does.

But it’s been a rough year for Fox, which was forced to pay $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit related to its coverage of false claims following the 2020 presidential election. Fox also fired its most popular personality, Tucker Carlson.

Stock in Fox Corp., while positive this year, began to decline early in 2022, due in part to lawsuits and investor anxiety.

Besides Fox News, Rupert Murdoch started the Fox broadcast network, the first to successfully challenge the Big Three of ABC, CBS and NBC, with shows like “The Simpsons.” He owns The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. He slimmed his corporate holdings with the 2019 sale of many entertainment assets to the Walt Disney Co.

Murdoch has also controlled the New York Post, which, like Fox, has promoted his conservative world view.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==
FILE – Rupert Murdoch attends the WSJ. Magazine 2017 Innovator Awards at The Museum of Modern Art in New York on Nov. 1, 2017. The media magnate is stepping down as chairman of News Corp. and Fox Corp., the companies that he built into forces over the last 50 years. He will become chairman emeritus of both corporations, the company announced on Thursday. His son, Lachlan, will control both companies. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Despite Murdoch’s advanced age, Thursday’s announcement took some by surprise.

“I do find it shocking because I figured that Rupert would be around until he couldn’t take a breath,” said writer Claire Atkinson, who’s working on a biography of Murdoch.

In a letter Thursday to staff, Murdoch thundered about elites who have “open contempt for those who are not members of their rarified class.” Murdoch’s letter made it clear he doesn’t consider himself one of them, despite his status as a media executive and his family’s wealth, estimated by Forbes in 2020 at about $19 billion.

He also indicated his retirement won’t include much beach time.

“I can guarantee you that I will be involved every day in the contest of ideas,” he wrote. “Our companies are communities, and I will be an active member of our community. I will be watching our broadcasts with a critical eye, reading our newspapers and websites and books with much interest.”

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==
FILE – News Corp. Exeuctive Chairman Rupert Murdoch, center, and his sons, Lachlan, left, and James Murdoch attend the 2014 Television Academy Hall of Fame in Beverly Hills, Calif, March 11, 2014. Media magnate Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of News Corp. and Fox Corp., the companies that he built into forces over the last 50 years. He will become chairman emeritus of both corporations, the company announced on Thursday. His son, Lachlan, will control both companies. (Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP Images, File

Murdoch and his family, particularly children James, Lachlan, Elisabeth and Prudence, were said to be the model for the HBO drama “ Succession.”

“Rupert is certainly engineering a cleaner exit than Logan Roy’s departure from WaystarRoyco,” said former CNN president Jon Klein, who consulted on the series. “And he’s leaving behind a lot less of a mess.”

That may be the case — for now, said Murdoch biographer Michael Wolff, who next week is publishing a book, “The End of Fox News.”

“He is 92, and that has taken a toll on him, of course, but the company, too,” Wolff told The Associated Press. “He has remained up until today the singular decision-maker, and he can’t communicate what he wants and people don’t understand what he wants” like they did in the past.

Major changes are unlikely right away under Lachlan Murdoch, who’s largely been running things as CEO for a couple of years.

When Murdoch dies, control of the Fox empire will revert to his four adult children, each of whom has an equal say in the business, Wolff said. “That’s when the real new chapter begins,” he said.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Lionel Messi will miss another game for Inter Miami after leaving Toronto match early

Shasi Kumar
-
0
Lionel Messi will miss another game for Inter Miami after leaving Toronto match early

Lionel Messi will miss another game for Inter Miami after leaving Toronto match early

BY TIM REYNOLDS/ 10:04:00 PM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi returned to Inter Miami’s lineup on Wednesday night. It was a short-lived comeback, and now he’s sidelined again.

Messi was subbed off in the 37th minute of Inter Miami’s match against Toronto, after spending a few minutes laboring with what appeared to be a leg issue. Miami came up big without him, winning 4-0 to move within five points of the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

Robert Taylor, who came on for Messi, had two goals and an assist. But Messi’s status overshadowed everything, and Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said after the game that the Argentine star will miss Sunday’s game at Orlando.

READ MORE : Man City vs Newcastle, Highlights; Premier League 2023: City eke out a 1-0 win over Newcastle

“He had an old injury that had been bothering him,” Martino said, as relayed through a team official who translated his remarks from Spanish to English.

In an earlier answer that was not translated, Martino said Messi would miss at least one more match. The 36-year-old Messi had missed two matches — one for club, the other for country — in recent days, after sitting out Argentina’s World Cup qualifying win at Bolivia on Sept. 12, and Inter Miami’s 5-2 loss at Atlanta United this past Saturday.

Fatigue was cited in both cases, and the team did not provide any diagnosis of what is troubling the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner now. The game was scoreless when Messi was subbed out.

It was the second big injury blow for Inter Miami on Wednesday. Jordi Alba — another celebrated midseason addition — had to leave in the 34th minute, shortly before Messi’s night was over. Alba will not play Sunday, either.

“We had to step up,” Taylor said.

Facundo Farias and second-half sub Benjamin Cremaschi had the other goals.

“It shows the depth that we have on our team,” goalie Drake Callender said.

Messi had a couple of chances Wednesday, and appeared to stop running somewhat abruptly after carrying the ball deep into the Toronto box in the 33rd minute. He was barely engaged after that, leaning forward at one point as if to stretch the back of his legs, then eventually took off his captain’s armband — actually trying a long pass while holding the armband — before waiting for play to stop so he could depart.

Messi didn’t even wait to come off the field before unlacing his cleats, lowering his socks and removing his shin guards. He placed the captain’s band onto the arm of DeAndre Yedlin — who was Inter Miami’s captain before Messi began his stint with the team in July — and now it’s anyone’s guess when Messi will wear it again. The team would likely want him to play in the U.S. Open Cup final on Sept. 27.

Martino, per the team’s translation, said Messi was removed from Wednesday’s game “to be safe.”

“We don’t think it’s a muscular injury. That’s also from a conversation that I just had with him,” Martino said via the translation, even though Messi was stretching in a manner that suggested otherwise before leaving the field. “But we have to continue being careful and we’ll look at him the next few days.”

Wednesday’s match was the first of what will be six for Inter Miami in a span of 17 days. The team plays at Orlando on Sunday, then will host Houston in the U.S. Open Cup final on Sept. 27. That will be followed by three more MLS matches in short order: against New York City FC on Sept. 30, at Chicago on Oct. 4 and playing host to Cincinnati on Oct. 7.

The daunting stretch will be even tougher if Messi isn’t around. Miami entered Wednesday seven points behind D.C. United for the final playoff spot in the East, with two matches in hand. D.C. United picked up a point by tying Atlanta on Wednesday, so Inter Miami’s three points for its win cut the deficit to five.

Despite its place in the standings, Inter Miami now controls its postseason destiny. Win out in MLS matches, and a team that was at the bottom of the conference before Messi arrived will be in the playoffs.

The Atlanta game halted what had been a 12-match unbeaten streak for Inter Miami since Messi debuted for the team against Mexican side Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on July 21. Inter Miami had gone 8-0-4 in those 12 matches, with three of those games that ended as ties being outcomes for the team to celebrate after advancing on penalty kicks — two in the Leagues Cup, including the final against Nashville for the Miami club’s first-ever trophy, and another in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.

Messi has now appeared in 12 matches over two months for Miami, most of them in Leagues Cup and U.S. Open Cup competition. He ha 11 goals and eight assists, and one goal and two assists in four MLS matches.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

China welcomes Cambodian and Zambian leaders as it forges deeper ties with Global South

Shasi Kumar
-
0
China welcomes Cambodian and Zambian leaders as it forges deeper ties with Global South

China welcomes Cambodian and Zambian leaders as it forges deeper ties with Global South

10:21:57 PM / By Ken Moritsugu The Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China and Zambia upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on Friday, the latest move by America’s chief global rival to forge deeper ties with the Global South.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Zambian counterpart announced the agreement shortly after Xi had exchanged cordial words with another visitor, the new prime minister of Cambodia. The flurry of diplomatic activity came just two days after Venezuela’s president met Xi and the two elevated their countries’ ties to an “all-weather” partnership.

The trio of leaders from Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America speak to China’s growing role in those parts of the world and China’s ambitions to be a global leader. Facing growing pressure from the U.S. and its partners, which fear China’s rise could disrupt the existing international order, the world’s second largest economy is trying to project itself as a powerful nation standing up for the interests of the Global South.

READ MORE : What is the South China Sea dispute?

The collective rise of developing countries has become “an irreversible trend of the times,” Xi told Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Hichilema responded: “We appreciate your role in positively altering the global order so that the Global South can take our rightful place in the league of nations.”

The “all-weather” partnership Xi concluded this week with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is an even closer relationship than Zambia’s. It’s one that China has granted to only a handful nations and signals they will maintain close relations no matter what changes occur in the international situation.

“China aspires to shape a system that aligns with its interests and recognizes its status as a great power,” said Edward Chan, a China studies fellow at Australian National University. “Achieving this goal requires enhancing its ability to influence global discourse, which can be accomplished through garnering more international support.”

Last month, the five BRICS member countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — agreed to invite Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia to join next year in what would become an 11-nation bloc.

China also named a new ambassador to Afghanistan this week, to much fanfare from a Taliban government seeking international recognition.

In much of the developing world, Chinese state banks have financed roads and other infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative, and Chinese companies have built factories, mines, hotels and casinos.

China has in turn won access to natural resources and diplomatic support from many Global South countries on contentious votes at the U.N. and from Cambodia in China’s territorial disputes with other Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea.

Development loans from China and others have saddled some countries, including Zambia, with extremely high debt levels, sometimes sparking debt crises that can stymie economic development. More than 40% of Cambodia’s $10 billion in foreign debt is owed to Chinese institutions.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet made China his first official foreign visit after succeeding his father, Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for 40 years and cultivated his country’s close relationship with China.

Xi told Hun Manet that his father had made historic contributions to bilateral ties. Hun Manet said he would further develop the friendship between their countries.

The U.S. had shown disapproval of Hun Sen’s undemocratic moves and is uneasy over the expansion of a Cambodian naval facility with Chinese assistance. Hun Sen consistently denied that Cambodia had granted China the right to set up its own military base at Ream Naval Base.

After his meetings in Beijing, Hun Manet plans to join other Southeast Asian leaders this weekend in southern China at the 20th ASEAN-China Expo, which promotes cooperation in trade, investment and tourism.

China’s diplomacy has changed dramatically under Xi, said Alfred Wu, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

“China has a near-term goal and also a long-term goal,” he said. “The long term goal will be the number one in the world. But the near-term goal is to be the leader of the Global South.”

___

Associated Press researcher Wanqing Chen contributed to this report.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of ‘Beetlejuice’ over reports of rude behavior

Kyung An
-
0
Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of ‘Beetlejuice’ over reports of rude behavior

Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of ‘Beetlejuice’ over reports of rude behavior

09/14/2023 / 12:21:17 AM / By Emily Olson

Washington (NPR) – U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of a Denver theater on Sunday night after several people seated near her in the audience complained she was creating a disturbance.

In an incident report shared with NPR, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts said it had to remove two guests from a performance of Beetlejuice, the musical, for violating viewing policies.

The theater didn’t name Boebert specifically, but the Colorado Republican identified herself by tweeting, “It’s true, I did thoroughly enjoy the AMAZING Beetlejuice at the Buell Theatre and I plead guilty to laughing and singing too loud!”

READ MORE : Sen. McConnell’s health episodes show no evidence of stroke or seizure disorder but questions linger

“Everyone should go see it if you get the chance this week,” she added. “Please let me know how it ends.”

The report said the people removed were seen vaping and using a cell phone to record the performance, against theater rules.

Theater staff received three different complaints about the behavior, prompting security to issue a warning to the two patrons during intermission. But five minutes into the second act, the staff received a fourth complaint, and mobilized to remove the two patrons.

One of the ushers reported that the guests resisted leaving.

“They told me they would not leave. I told them that they need to leave the theater and if they do not, they will be trespassing. The patrons said they would not leave. I told them I would (be) going to get Denver Police. They said go get them,” the usher in the report.

Surveillance video appears to show Rep. Lauren Boebert being escorted out of Denver’s Buell Theater Next 9NEWS YouTube

Surveillance footage shared with local news outlets appears to show Boebert, seated next to a man in a suit jacket in row E, towards the front of the 2,800-person theater.

As the audience applauds a scene’s end, the pair are confronted by two security guards as surrounding patrons watch on. After a minute of conversation, they get up to leave.

Boebert turns back several times to speak to security guards as she’s escorted through the theater’s lobby. According to the incident report, the pair were saying things like “Do you know who I am?,” “I am on the board” and “I will be contacting the mayor.”

At one point Boebert stops to take a photo of herself, surveillance footage shows. Once outside the theater, she walks hand-in-hand with the man and twirls, as if dancing.

In a statement to NPR, Boebert’s campaign manager dismissed the report as over-blown.

“I can confirm the stunning and salacious rumors: in her personal time, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is indeed a supporter of the performing arts (gasp!) and, to the dismay of a select few, enthusiastically enjoyed a weekend performance of Beetlejuice,” wrote Drew Sexton.

“She appreciates the Buell Theatre’s strict enforcement of their no photos policy and only wishes the Biden Administration could uphold our border laws as thoroughly and vigorously.”

He added that she was not vaping, pointing out that the performance makes use of “heavy fog machines and electronic cigarettes.”

Boebert, who is running for a third term to represent Colorado’s third congressional district, is no stranger to run-ins with police and security guards.

Prior to starting her career in office, she was arrested and summonsed at least four separate times, each on minor charges, according to The Denver Post.

She wasn’t allowed on the House floor during her first days at the U.S. Capitol after she refused to let Capitol Police search her purse after she set off metal detectors placed at entrances to the House floor, part of a new security procedure implemented after Jan. 6, 2021.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Ravindra Jadeja becomes most-successful bowler for India in Asia Cup history

Shasi Kumar
-
0
Ravindra Jadeja becomes most-successful bowler for India in Asia Cup history

Ravindra Jadeja becomes most-successful bowler for India in Asia Cup history

The Indian left-arm spinner has taken 24 wickets in 18 innings overtaking Irfan Pathan’s 22 scalps in 12 innings.

COLOMBO (ANI) – Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja has surpassed Irfan Pathan to become the leading wicket-taker for India in the Asia Cup in ODI formats.

Jadeja reached the milestone in the Super Four stage match against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday. He took two wickets while conceding 33 runs in the match. The Indian left-arm spinner has taken 24 wickets in 18 innings overtaking Irfan Pathan’s 22 scalps in 12 innings.

Kuldeep Yadav is also in the race with 19 wickets in nine innings. Overall, Jadeja is the fifth-highest wicket-taking bowler in the Asia Cup. Muthiah Muralidaran is leading the chart with 30 scalps in 24 innings.

India’s bowling attack combined to end Sri Lanka’s 13 ODI match unbeaten streak and seal their spot in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 with a game to spare, as the hosts were bundled out for 172 chasing a paltry target at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

READ MORE : Cricket Diplomacy: BCCI’s Historic Visit to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 Spurs Hope for Improved Relations

While spinners from either side dominated the game, the pacers, too, played a part in India’s 41-run victory over the co-hosts.

Earlier in the game, Belligerent Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka sliced through India’s top order to help Sri Lanka bundle out Men in Blue for 213.

Youngster Wellalage achieved a remarkable feat as he secured his maiden 5-wicket haul, single-handedly dismantling a formidable Indian batting lineup and bagging the wicket of top batters like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

1...158159160...214Page 159 of 214