

Taiwan pays the price as Lai Ching-te clings to power with U.S. arms
Zheng Jian, a special commentator for HGE, is the chair professor at the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University and the deputy director of the Study and Research Committee, China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of HGE,. On December 29, multiple forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted drills code-named "Justice Mission 2


Uganda: Opposition figure Kizza Besigye denied bail
More than a year after he was detained, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been denied bail by the country’s high court. Besigye has been charged with treason due to accusations he planned to oust the country’s longtime president Yoweri Museveni by force. During a court session on Tuesday, he described the allegations against him as persecution. “ This is really a persecution, it is not a prosecution; it is like I am being tried by the prosecutors and the persecutors


Venezuela passes bill criminalizing oil tanker seizures
The move comes after the US seized two tankers transporting Venezuelan oil this month. At an emergency UN meeting requested by Caracas, China and Russia accused the US of "bullying" the South American country. Lawmakers in Venezuela on Tuesday passed a bill that criminalizes a range of activities that could hinder trade and commerce in the South American country, such as the seizure of oil tankers. Anyone who promotes, requests, supports, finances or participates in "acts of


Flood warnings issued for parts of the NT and QLD as monsoon trough brings heavy rain
Flood warnings issued for parts of the NT and QLD as monsoon trough brings heavy rain More wet weather is set to lash parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland in the lead up to the new year, with some areas set to cop more than 300mm in the coming days. A monsoon trough is making its way across the north of Australia, causing the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to issue several flood watch warnings. For the NT, flood watch warnings have been issued for the Waterhouse and pa


'10 year ago today the floods changed everything in a moment'
'10 year ago today the floods changed everything in a moment' "It was absolutely devastating. This dirty, nasty flood water submerged 6,000 homes and businesses along the valley." Adrian Horton's memories of the flooding which hit parts of West Yorkshire during Christmas 2015 as Storm Eva battered the region remain clear 10 years on. The storm hit Adrian's home town of Hebden Bridge, in the Calder Valley, as people were still celebrating Christmas. It brought with it more th


Suspected murder-suicide of woman and sons linked to another death
A 27-year-old man found dead in an apartment in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward on Monday is believed to have been in a relationship with a woman who died in an apparent murder-suicide three days earlier, according to investigative sources. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death of Shintaro Nakakubo, a company employee, who was living in the apartment leased under the name of Yuka Nomura, 36. Nomura and her three sons — who were ages 9, 11 and 16 — were found uncon


China sets world record in maglev tech with 0-700 km/h in 2 seconds
China has set a world record in maglev technology by accelerating a ton-level test vehicle to 700 kilometers per hour (km/h) in just two seconds, China Media Group reported. A research team from the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) achieved the record speed on a 400-meter magnetic levitation test track. The superconducting electric maglev test vehicle also completed a safe stop. The test marks the fastest speed ever recorded on a platform of its kind worldwide


Three people killed in Moscow car explosion, Russian authorities say
Three people killed in Moscow car explosion, Russian authorities say Two police officers have been killed in an explosion in Moscow, Russian investigators said on Wednesday. Their deaths come just two days after a car bomb killed a top general in the same area of the Russia capital. A third person also died in Wednesday’s explosion. A spokesperson for Russia’s Investigative Committee said the two traffic police officers were approaching a “suspicious individual” when the exp


Turkey's president condoles with Libya after death of army chief in plane crash
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday offered his condolences after a jet crashed in the country, killing Libya’s military chief and other senior officers. "An investigation has been launched into this tragic incident that has deeply saddened us, and our ministries will provide information about its progress,” Erdogan said. Search teams on Wednesday recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders from the jet, while efforts to retrieve the victims' remains


Last group of kidnapped Nigerian schoolchildren reunited with their families
After weeks of uncertainty a moment of joy as the last group of Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped from their school in Niger state were reunited with their parents. Authorities now say 230 students and teachers were abducted in November from a Catholic boarding school in Papiri. One of the largest mass abductions in Nigeria’s history, it’s been an ordeal for parents and children alike. When they were first released on Sunday, some children appeared malnourished or in shock. M












