Everything I can: Trump vows to help Hong Kong's jailed leader Jimmy Lai
Lai, 77, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, has pleaded not guilty to charges under Hong Kong's national security law, including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious material. He has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,500 days since December 2020.Beijing has described Lai as a dangerous political agitator. Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, accused him of being 'a key orchestrator and participant in anti-China, destabilizing activities in Hong Kong,' adding, 'We strongly oppose external forces using judicial cases as a pretext to interfere in China's internal affairs or to smear and undermine Hong Kong's rule of law.' The US and China extended their tariff truce for another 90 days on Monday, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said officials from both sides would meet again in the coming months to discuss the future of the economic relationship.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersTune InMust Watch
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First Post
24 minutes ago
- First Post
China continues arming Pakistan, gives another Hangar-class submarine; second since March
Amid the brewing tensions in the Indian subcontinent, reports are emerging that China has delivered the third of the eight new 'advanced' Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan Amid the brewing tensions in the Indian subcontinent, reports are emerging that China has delivered the third of the eight new 'advanced' Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan. With these deliveries, China has been aiming to upgrade Islamabad's naval strength to support its growing presence in the Indian Ocean, India's backyard. According to the Chinese state-run Global Times, the launching ceremony of the third Hangor-class submarine was held in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, on Thursday. It is pertinent to note that the second of the eight submarines China is building for Pakistan was handed over to the country in March this year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Additionally, China has supplied four modern naval frigates to Pakistan in the last few years. The deliveries from China are coming at a time when Beijing is aiming for a steady expansion in the Arabian Sea, where it is developing the Gwadar port in Balochistan, as well as in the Indian Ocean. Pakistan lauds the move While speaking at the launch ceremony of the third submarine, Pakistan's Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2 Vice Admiral Abdul Samad said the Hangor-class submarine's cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability. According to a recent report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China supplied over 81 per cent of Pakistan's military hardware. Some of Pakistan's main orders in the past five years include the country's first spy ship, the Rizwan; more than 600 VT-4 battle tanks, and 36 J-10CE 4.5-generation fighters. China delivered the first of the multi-role J-10CE fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force in 2022, adding to its JF-17 fighters jointly manufactured by both countries. Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told The Global Times that the Hangor-class submarine is characterised by its strong underwater combat capabilities, including comprehensive sensor systems, excellent stealth characteristics, high mobility, long endurance and formidable firepower. New Delhi will be looking at these deliveries closely since it is coming weeks after India and Pakistan engaged in a 4-day military escalation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from PTI.
NDTV
24 minutes ago
- NDTV
Trump Justifies Involvement In Wars Worldwide, Brings Up India-Pak Again
US President Donald Trump has again brought up the recent India-Pakistan conflict, reiterating his claim that the US helped in averting a nuclear escalation between the two Asian neighbours. India maintains that the May conflict ended through a ceasefire sought by Pakistan after suffering heavy damage. Pakistan had credited Trump, echoing him as it has been doing to gain the US attention. Trump said his main goal is to "save lives", trying to justify his involvement in conflicts worldwide, even if those didn't impact the US on a significant scale, in an interview with Fox News, after his unsuccessful summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. His response came to a question by Fox News's Sean Hannity, who sought to know if he wanted to save the world. "Number one, to save lives in all cases, because wars are wars. When you see what would have happened with Cambodia as an example. Now, I'm not involved, but I was involved in negotiating a trade deal. And I said, you guys are going to be fighting Thailand, Cambodia, so many different," the President replied. Bringing up India-Pakistan tensions, he went on to claim that he averted what could have led to a nuclear escalation. "Take a look at India and Pakistan. They were shooting down airplanes already. And that would have been maybe nuclear. I would have said it was going to go nuclear. And I was able to get it done," he said. "Number one is lives. And number two is everything else. Wars are very bad," he added. India and Pakistan had engaged in a brief four-day conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 22. In the massacre, 26 innocent civilians were shot dead in cold blood by Pakistan-linked terrorists while vacationing in the scenic Baisaran valley in Pahalgam. In response, Indian forces had carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror camps deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the mega military offensive, over 100 terrorists were eliminated. Pakistan responded to the aerial attacks with drones and missiles that were eventually brought down by India's air defence. This continued till May 10, when Pakistan approached the Indian side and requested a ceasefire. However, Trump claimed that the hostilities ended due to his involvement that came with a tariff threat - a claim that India has denied multiple times. Trump has also claimed he helped end conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, Iran and Israel, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia, saying this justified a Nobel Peace Prize for the President. The President has brokered about one peace deal or ceasefire per month, on average, in his first six months in office, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this month, reiterating Trump's demand for a Nobel.
News18
32 minutes ago
- News18
States move to send hundreds of National Guard members to Washington
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Washington, Aug 17 (AP) Three states moved to deploy hundreds of members of their National Guard to the nation's capital as part of the Trump administration's effort to overhaul policing in Washington through a federal crackdown on crime and homelessness. West Virginia said it was deploying 300 to 400 Guard troops, while South Carolina pledged 200 and Ohio says it will send 150 in the coming days. The moves announced Saturday came as protesters pushed back on federal law enforcement and National Guard troops fanning out in the heavily Democratic city following President Donald Trump's executive order federalising local police forces and activating about 800 District of Columbia National Guard members. By adding outside troops to join the existing Guard deployment and federal law enforcement officers, Trump is exercising even tighter control over the city. It's a power play that the president has justified as an emergency response to crime and homelessness, even though city officials have noted that violent crime is lower than it was during Trump's first term in office. So far, National Guard members have played a limited role in law enforcement in D.C. and it's unclear why additional troops are needed. They have been seen patrolling at landmarks like the National Mall and Union Station and assisting with crowd control. A protest against Trump's intervention drew scores to Dupont Circle on Saturday before a march to the White House, about 1.5 miles away. Demonstrators assembled behind a banner that said, 'No fascist takeover of D.C.," and some in the crowd held signs saying, 'No military occupation." Trump was at his Virginia golf club after Friday's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Protest pushes back on federal officers in Washington Morgan Taylor, one of the organisers who coordinated Saturday's protest, said they were hoping to spark enough backlash to Trump's actions that the administration would be forced to pull back on its crime and immigration agenda. 'It's hot, but I'm glad to be here. It's good to see all these people out here," she said. 'I can't believe that this is happening in this country at this time." Fuelling the protests were concerns about Trump overreach and that he had used crime as a pretext to impose his will on Washington. John Finnigan, 55, was taking a bike ride when he ran into the protest in downtown Washington. The real estate construction manager who has lived in the capital for 27 years said Trump's moves were 'ridiculous" because crime is down. 'Hopefully, some of the mayors and some of the residents will get out in front of it and try and make it harder for it to happen in other cities," Finnigan said. Jamie Dickstein, a 24-year-old teacher, said she was 'very uncomfortable and worried" for the safety or her students given the 'unmarked officers of all types" now roaming Washington and detaining people. Dickstein said she turned out to the protest with friends and relatives to 'prevent a continuous domino effect going forward with other cities." National Guard is coming to DC from West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio Gov. Patrick Morrisey, announced Saturday that he was sending a contingent of 300 to 400 Guard troops to Washington, while South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster authorised the deployment of 200 of his state's National Guardsmen and Ohio Gov Mike DeWine said his state would send 150 military police at the request of the US Defence Department. 'West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation's capital," Morrisey said. The West Virginia activation suggests the administration sees the need for additional manpower after the president personally played down the need for Washington to hire more police officers. Maj. Gen. James Seward, West Virginia's adjutant general, said in a statement that members of the state's National Guard 'stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region" and that the troops' 'unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking." Federal law enforcement in Washington draws mixed reactions Federal agents have appeared in some of the city's most highly trafficked neighbourhoods, garnering a mix of praise, pushback and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country. City leaders, who are obliged to cooperate with Trump's order under the federal laws that direct the district's local governance, have sought to work with the administration, though they have bristled at the scope of the president's takeover. On Friday, the administration reversed course on an order that aimed to place the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as an 'emergency police commissioner" after the district's top lawyer sued to contest. After a court hearing, Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, issued a memo that directed the Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement regardless of any city law. City officials say they are evaluating how to best comply. In his order Monday, Trump declared an emergency due to the 'city government's failure to maintain public order." He said that impeded the 'federal government's ability to operate efficiently to address the nation's broader interests without fear of our workers being subjected to rampant violence." In a letter to city residents, Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, wrote that 'our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now." She added that if Washington residents stick together, 'we will show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for American democracy — even when we don't have full access to it." (AP) GRS GRS (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 17, 2025, 09:45 IST News agency-feeds States move to send hundreds of National Guard members to Washington Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
