Latest news with #Mu
The Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Feature: A young Iraqi's journey to top of Chinese proficiency competition
ERBIL, Iraq, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Mohammed Sarkawt Azeez, a freshman at Iraq's Salahaddin University, has claimed first prize in the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for foreign university students in Iraq. Azeez, who goes by the Chinese name Mu Ming, celebrated the win by sharing a photo of his award certificate on WeChat, writing: "I got first place!" His message quickly drew congratulations from friends and classmates. The competition, held on Monday under the theme "One World, One Family," featured three segments: a talent performance, a themed speech, and a Q&A session. Contestants demonstrated a wide range of skills, from Sichuan Opera face-changing and Tai Chi to traditional calligraphy and ink painting. Mu's emotive rendition of the Chinese song "Jin Sheng Yuan" (The Affinities of This Life) drew particular praise from judges and audience members alike. When his name was announced as the winner, Mu stood momentarily in stunned silence before breaking into a wide smile. "I never imagined I could achieve something like this in just seven months," he said, eyes shining with excitement. Mu, a native speaker of Arabic and Kurdish, also speaks English and Turkish. Yet he says learning Chinese has been a completely different experience. "Chinese culture is deep, elegant, and rich in history," he said. "Learning the language has opened my mind. I stay up late practicing pronunciation, memorising characters, and studying Chinese culture." His decision to major in Chinese was driven by a belief that it would "open the door to the world." His parents, he added, have supported him from the start. "They know how passionate I am, and they believe this path will create future opportunities." Now set to represent Iraq at the global finals in China later this year, Mu is preparing for a larger stage. "I know it will be a bigger challenge, but I'm ready," he said. "I want to use this opportunity to grow, to share our culture, and to connect with others." Beyond language learning, Mu's ambitions are broader. He hopes to establish a business platform linking Iraq and China, aiming to introduce more Chinese products to Iraq while promoting Iraqi goods and culture in China. "It's more than just business," he said. "It's a bridge - a bridge of understanding and friendship between our people."
The Age
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Trial date set for reality TV contestant with historical offences
A trial date has been set for a former Channel 7 reality television contestant accused of historical assault offences. Anthony Mu, who appeared on the popular cooking reality show My Kitchen Rules in 2023 alongside his wife Claudean Uamaki-Mu, is facing several assault charges. The identities of the Queensland couple, who were promoted by the Channel 7 network as a 'fiery Italian and a super-chill Samoan with hearts of gold', were suppressed by a non-publication order as it progressed through the courts. Mu's case remains before a local Brisbane court. He remains on bail, and was not present for a brief hearing on Friday morning. Devyn Wanigesekera, who appeared on behalf of Mu's legal team, said the case was listed for trial last Wednesday. It was adjourned last week due to lengthy proceedings for Uamaki-Mu. He said Mu's barrister, Steve Kissick, had estimated a full day for his trial. Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn scheduled for the summary trial to begin for a one-day hearing on July 28. Quinn previously described Uamaki-Mu's charges as extremely serious, saying they involved children, and their protection was paramount. Quinn said some of Uamaki-Mu's charges included pulling a child up by the hair, spitting on a child, and throwing a Tupperware container at the back of a child's head. Her barrister, Simon Lewis, said his client was 'clearly not perfect, and clearly under some stress', and described the behaviour as 'losses of control'.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trial date set for reality TV contestant with historical offences
A trial date has been set for a former Channel 7 reality television contestant accused of historical assault offences. Anthony Mu, who appeared on the popular cooking reality show My Kitchen Rules in 2023 alongside his wife Claudean Uamaki-Mu, is facing several assault charges. The identities of the Queensland couple, who were promoted by the Channel Seven network as a 'fiery Italian and a super-chill Samoan with hearts of gold', were suppressed by a non-publication order as it progressed through the courts. Mu's case remains before a local Brisbane court. He remains on bail, and was not present for a brief hearing on Friday morning. Devyn Wanigesekera, who appeared on behalf of Mu's legal team, said the case was listed for trial last Wednesday. It was adjourned last week due to lengthy proceedings for Uamaki-Mu. He said Mu's barrister, Steve Kissick, had estimated a full day for his trial. Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn scheduled for the summary trial to begin for a one-day hearing on July 28. Quinn previously described Uamaki-Mu's charges as extremely serious, saying they involved children, and their protection was paramount. Quinn said some of Uamaki-Mu's charges included pulling a child up by the hair, spitting on a child, and throwing a Tupperware container at the back of a child's head. Her barrister, Simon Lewis, said his client was 'clearly not perfect, and clearly under some stress', and described the behaviour as 'losses of control'.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Perth Now
Trial date set for assault-accused MKR star
A trial date has been set for a former My Kitchen Rules contender who is facing multiple charges of assault. Anthony Mu did not appear before Richlands Magistrates Court when his matter was briefly mentioned on Friday morning. It followed his wife, Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu, last week pleading guilty at the same court to six charges of common assault – receiving a good behaviour bond and no convictions. The pair appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show in 2023. Devyn Wanigesekera, appearing as a town agent for King Criminal Lawyers, fronted court for Mr Mu and his barrister Stephen Kissick. Anthony Mu, a former contestant on My Kitchen Rules in 2023, will stand trial in the Magistrates Court on raft of charges, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, in July. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Mu is facing eight counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (two while in company), two counts of common assault and one count of observations in breach of privacy. The court on Friday was told Mr Mu's trial was meant to go ahead last week alongside Ms Uamaki-Mu's matters, but it was adjourned due to lengthy case conferencing for Ms Uamaki-Mu's matters. 'The purpose of a mention today is to re-list the trial,' Mr Wanigesekera said. 'My instructions are (to request) one full day, as an estimate.' Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn said there was little chance of obtaining a hearing date on June 11. A hearing date was organised for July 28. Mr Mu remains on bail. Mr Mu was not present at Richlands Magistrates Court on Friday when his matter was briefly mentioned. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia Last Thursday, Ms Uamaki-Mu pleaded guilty to six charges of common assault following lengthy conferencing between her legal team and police prosecutors. The court was told the six charges related to assaults Ms Uamaki-Mu inflicted on children. Mr Quinn noted some details included Ms Uamaki-Mu pulling the hair of children, hitting one in the back of a head with a hairbrush, spitting on a child and throwing a plastic Tupperware container that hit a child on the back of the head. The court was told there was another incident in which a child was kicked in the stomach and yanked up by the hair. Another involved grabbing and throwing a child into a wall. Last week, Mr Mu's wife Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu pleaded guilty to six counts of common assault, walking from court with no conviction recorded. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia 'Another … involved pulling the child to the ground and poking the child in the face with your finger,' Mr Quinn said. Ms Uamaki-Mu walked from court with a 12-month good behaviour bond and $1000 recognisance, and no conviction recorded. She is still due to stand trial in the District Court on 12 charges, including unlawful assault occasioning actual bodily harm, indecent treatment and rape. Dozens of charges against her were dismissed during a committal hearing in January, where Magistrate Stuart Shearer there were 'no particulars' or evidence to support each charge or that it was duplicitous with another charge. Domestic Violence helplines mental health helplines
Asia Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Asia Times
Why India-Pakistan are most likely going to war
India conducted military strikes against Pakistan overnight, hitting numerous sites in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and deeper into Pakistan itself. Security officials say precision strike weapon systems, including drones, were used to carry out the strikes. While there's still much uncertainty around what's happened, it is clear both sides are closer to a major conflict than they have been in years – perhaps decades. We've seen these kinds of crises before. India and Pakistan have fought full-scale wars many times over the years, in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. There were also cross-border strikes between the two sides in 2016 and 2019 that did not lead to a larger war. These conflicts were limited because there was an understanding, given both sides possess nuclear weapons, that escalating to a full-scale war would be very dangerous. That imposed some control on both sides, or at least some caution. There was also external pressure from the United States and others on both occasions not to allow those conflicts to spiral out of control. While it's possible both sides will exercise similar restraint now, there may be less pressure from other countries to compel them to do so. In this context, tensions can escalate quickly. And when they do, it's difficult to get both sides to back down and return to where they were before. Volunteers recover a body from the rubble of a mosque damaged by a suspected Indian missile near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Photo: MD Mughal / AP India says it was retaliating for a terror attack last month on mostly Indian tourists in heavily militarised Kashmir, which both sides claim. The attack left 26 dead. There was a claim of responsibility after the attack from a group called the Resistance Front, but it was subsequently withdrawn, so there's some uncertainty about that. Indian sources suggest this group, which is relatively new, is an extension of a pre-existing militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been based in Pakistan for many years. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the tourist attack. However, there has been good evidence in the past suggesting that even if the Pakistani government hasn't officially sanctioned these groups operating on its territory, there are parts of the Pakistani establishment or military that do support them. This could be ideologically, financially, or through other types of assistance. In previous terror attacks in India, weapons and other equipment have been sourced from Pakistan. In the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, for instance, the Indian government produced evidence it claimed showed the gunmen were being directed by handlers in Pakistan by phone. But as yet, we have no such evidence demonstrating Pakistan is connected to the tourist attack in Kashmir. India has also repeatedly asked Pakistan to shut down these groups. While the leaders have occasionally been put in jail, they've later been released, including the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack. And madrassas (religious schools) that have long been accused of supplying recruits for militant groups are still permitted to operate in Pakistan, with little state control. Pakistan, meanwhile, claims that attacks in Kashmir are committed by local Kashmiris protesting against Indian 'occupation' or Pakistanis spontaneously moved to take action. These two positions obviously don't match up in any way, shape or form. It remains to be seen what cost either side is willing to pay to escalate tensions further. From an economic standpoint, there's very little cost to either side if a larger conflict breaks out. There's practically no trade between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has likely calculated that its fast-growing economy will not be harmed by its strikes and others will continue to trade and invest in India. The conclusion of a trade deal with the United Kingdom, after three years of negotiations, will reinforce that impression. The deal was signed on May 6, just before the Pakistan strikes. And from the standpoint of international reputation, neither side has much to lose. In past crises, Western countries were quick to condemn and criticize military actions committed by either side. But these days, most take the view that the long-simmering conflict is a bilateral issue, which India and Pakistan need to settle themselves. The main concern for both sides, then, is the political cost they would suffer from not taking military action. Before the terrorist attack on April 22, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed the security situation in Kashmir was improving, and ordinary Indians could safely travel in the region. Those claims were undermined by what occurred that day, making it crucial for the government to respond. And now, if Pakistan doesn't react to the Indian strikes, its government and especially its military would have a cost to pay, too. Despite a patchy record of success, Pakistan's army has long justified its outsize role in national politics by claiming that it alone stands between the Pakistani people and Indian aggression. If it fails to act now, that claim might look hollow. Indian Air Force soldiers arrive at Pampore in Indian-controlled Kashmir on May 7. Photo: Dar Yasin / AP via The Conversation So, how does this play out? The hope would be there's limited military action, lasting a few days, and then things calm down rapidly, as they have in the past. But there are no guarantees. And there are a few others willing to step in and help de-escalate the dispute. US President Donald Trump is mired in other conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his administration's diplomacy has so far been inept and ineffective. When asked about the Indian strike today, Trump replied it was a 'shame' and he 'hopes' it ends quickly. That's very different from the strong rhetoric we've seen from US presidents in the past when India and Pakistan have come to blows. New Delhi and Islamabad will likely have to settle this round themselves. And for whoever decides to blink or back down first, there may be a substantial political cost to pay. Ian Hall is professor of international relations, Griffith University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
