Poilievre says 'Liberal government couldn't care less about the West' after canola tariffs
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Winnipeg Free Press
7 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Final arguments in Jimmy Lai's national security trial in Hong Kong delayed over health concerns
HONG KONG (AP) — The final arguments in prominent Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai's national security trial were postponed Friday after his lawyer said the former pro-democracy newspaper founder had experienced heart palpitations and the judges wanted him to receive medical treatment first. Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was arrested in 2020 under a national security law imposed by Beijing following anti-government protests in 2019. He faces charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to issue seditious publications. If convicted, he faces up to life imprisonment. Lai's landmark case — which has already lasted over 140 days, far beyond the original estimate of 80 days — is widely seen as a trial of press freedom and a test for judicial independence in the Asian financial hub. Closing statements were initially scheduled to begin on Thursday, but were postponed due to heavy rains from Tropical Storm Podul. On Friday, Lai's lawyer, Robert Pang, told the court that Lai felt unsteady and had experienced heart palpitations. Pang said his client does not want to disturb the court proceedings. Judge Esther Toh said Lai had not received medication and a heart monitor, as recommended by a medical specialist. The judges decided to postpone the hearing until Monday. When Lai entered the courtroom, he smiled and nodded at people sitting in the public gallery. Lai's detention has drawn attention from foreign governments. U.S. President Donald Trump, before the election last November, was asked whether he would talk to Chinese leader Xi Jinping to seek Lai's release, and Trump said: 'One hundred percent, I will get him out.' In a Fox News radio interview released Thursday, Trump denied saying he would '100%' save Lai. 'I said, 100%, I'm going to be bringing it up. And I've already brought it up, and I'm going to do everything I can to save him,' he said. Lai's son and rights groups have voiced concerns about his health. His son Sebastien Lai earlier told reporters in Washington that he fears his father could pass away at any time. On Tuesday, global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said Lai has been held in solidarity confinement for over 1,680 days and that his health is deteriorating. In a statement, it called for the international community to take action to ensure the immediate release of Lai and six other former Apple Daily executives involved in the case. But the Hong Kong government rejected in a statement on Wednesday what it called 'slanderous remarks' by external forces, including 'anti-China media organizations,' about the case and Lai's custody treatment. Ahead of the hearing, dozens of people lined up outside the court building to secure a seat in the main courtroom. Some of them also waited for hours in heavy rain on Thursday before the postponement, including resident Margaret Chan. Chan, who arrived before 5:30 a.m. on Friday, said Lai's case showed the world the decline in Hong Kong's press freedom. 'To me, he's a great person. He made such a big sacrifice. He's so rich. He could have predicted this, and he could have left,' said Chan.
Globe and Mail
7 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
China's economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market
BANGKOK (AP) — China's economy showed signs of slowing in July as factory output and retail sales slowed and housing prices dropped further, according to data released Friday. Uncertainty over tariffs on exports to the United States is still looming over the world's second-largest economy after President Donald Trump extended a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May. As officials worked toward a broader trade agreement, China reported earlier that its exports surged 7.2% in July year-on-year, while its imports grew at the fastest pace in a year, as businesses rushed to take advantage of the truce in Trump's trade war with Beijing. But that also reflected a lower base for comparison, and manufacturers have slowed investments, hiring and production as they watch to see what comes. Chinese manufacturers also have ramped up shipments to Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions to help offset lost business in the U.S. Still, annual growth in industrial output fell to 5.7% in July from 6.8% in June, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Investments in factory equipment and other fixed assets rose a meager 1.6% in January-July, compared with 2.8% growth in the first half of the year. Property investments plunged 12% in the first seven months of the year, with residential housing investment dropping nearly 11%. Prices for newly built housing in major cities fell 1.1%, as a prolonged downturn in the property industry lingered. The meltdown in the housing market hit just as the COVID -19 pandemic began, sapping one of the economy's main drivers of growth and causing dozens of developers to default on their debts. The crisis rippled throughout the economy, destroying jobs for millions of people. The government has sought to ensure that most housing that was paid for gets built, but sales remain weak despite a series of moves meant to entice families into back into the market. Since most Chinese families have their wealth tied up in property, the anemic housing market has been a major factor crimping consumer spending. In July, retail sales rose 3.7%, the slowest rate in seven months and down from a 4.8% increase in June. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2% from 5% as university graduates began looking for work. While consumer prices rose 0.4% in July from the month before, prices at the wholesale level slipped 3.6% from a year earlier in another indicator of relatively weak demand.
CBC
7 minutes ago
- CBC
Kelowna market a home away from home for many migrant farm workers
Signs of a fruitful Okanagan harvest can be seen in the sagging branches of cherry trees, a surge of roadside fruit stands, and in the number of people lined up outside of a small Latin market in Kelowna on hot summer mornings. The CBC's Jacqueline Gelineau visited Sans Latin Market, a small slice of Mexico, where migrant workers go to buy tortillas, send money back home, and find community.
