Taiwan receives first batch of 108 Abrams tanks from US
Taiwan has received its first batch of 38 advanced Abrams battle tanks from the US in a significant boost to the island’s land defence capabilities.
The self-governed island has received the main battle tanks at a time when it is facing increasing aggression and a rise in military drills from China.
The M1A2 tanks arrived in Taiwan late on Sunday and were sent directly to an army training base in Hsinchu in the southern part of the capital Taipei, the defence ministry said on Monday.
A further 42 Abrams tanks, considered the heaviest in the world, are due to be delivered next year, and at least 28 the year after.
Taipei had placed an order for 108 Abrams tanks in 2019, worth about $1.4bn. The initial batch of 38 represent the first new tanks the island has received in 30 years, according to the island’s state-owned Central News Agency.
It also acquired 40 M-109 A6 self-propelled howitzers and TOW 2B and Javelin anti-tank missiles, the Taiwanese defence ministry had said in its annual report.
The acquisition was intended to build the equivalent of one armoured brigade and “strengthen ground-strike and fire-support capabilities,” the ministry had said at the time.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory, and has threatened to “reunite” the island with the mainland by force if necessary. Despite this, economic ties between the two – especially with China’s financial hub of Shanghai – remain robust, with an emphasis on high-tech exports.
Between Monday and Tuesday, China sent 10 military aircraft and seven aircraft toward Taiwan, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry. Of these, four of the aircraft crossed the middle line of the Taiwan Strait that forms an unofficial border between the sides.
Last week, Taiwanese officials said that China was simulating a blockade with one string of ships off the island and a second one farther out at sea, in waters between Japan’s Okinawa islands and the northern Philippines.
In the face of China’s repeated displays of military might, Taiwan has been upgrading its defences including the latest version of the F-16 fighter jet, missiles, submarines and artillery.
China executes former official in £324m corruption case
China has executed a regional official of the Communist Party over a 3bn yuan (£324m) scam as president Xi Jinping’s campaign to eradicate corruption from the political system intensifies.
Mr Xi, who has been in power for over a decade, has launched a crackdown on corruption involving party members who have failed to implement government policies in accordance with the law. They include both high-ranking “tigers” and lowly “flies”.
Li Jianping, former party chief of an economic development zone in Inner Mongolia’s Hohhot city, was executed on Tuesday following his last meeting with his family, Xinhua reported.
The 64-year-old received a death sentence in September 2022 in one of the most high-profile corruption cases in the country for embezzling money, taking bribes, misusing funds, and working with a criminal syndicate.
Li filed an appeal against his sentence but lost it in August and the death sentence was then approved by the Supreme People’s Court in Mongolia.
The court ruled that Li’s crimes were extremely severe due to the exceptionally large sums of money he had embezzled and received as bribes and that the nature of the offences had a widespread negative social impact.
This is one of the rare cases of a Chinese official being executed on graft charges. Those handed a death penalty are usually given a two-year reprieve from execution and their sentence is later commuted to life imprisonment for good behaviour.
The execution came on the same day as Mr Xi’s speech urging party officials to “turn the knife inward” to root out problems of discipline, including corruption, was released.
The speech made by Mr Xi in a major meeting with the party’s anti-graft watchdog on 8 January was only released on Tuesday. It had not been disclosed previously.
“As the situation and tasks facing the party change, there will inevitably be all kinds of conflicts and problems within the party,” he said.
“We must have the courage to turn the knife inward and eliminate their negative impact in a timely manner to ensure that the party is always full of vigour and vitality.”
Despite his push to weed out corrupt officials, the Community Party has remained plagued by corruption, especially the defence forces.
The party has sacked two former defence ministers in the past two years as allegations of corruption raised concerns over the military’s readiness for war.
In the latest case, the defence ministry disclosed that Admiral Miao Hua, a long-time Xi loyalist who had served on the Central Military Commission, the country’s highest military command body, was under investigation for “serious violations of discipline”.
General Li Shangfu, who was defence minister in 2023, was removed seven months into the job for allegedly taking bribes in exchange for granting favours in violation of military and party discipline.
Wei Fenghe was defence minister for five years prior to that, until he was placed under investigation for “seriously violating political and organisational discipline by helping others gain improper benefits in personnel arrangements”.
Last year, about 610,000 party officials were punished for violating party discipline, of which 49 were officials above the vice minister or governor level, according to data from the party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Police look for man who killed schoolgirl at Japan McDonald’s
Japanese police are searching for a man who fatally stabbed a 15-year-old schoolgirl and seriously injured a boy at a McDonald’s in southwestern Japan.
The attack, which occurred on Saturday evening, left Saaya Nakashima dead and the boy hospitalised. The assailant reportedly struck without warning, according to police.
Witnesses described the attacker as a man in his 40s who also targeted a male student standing in line with the victim. Although the boy, whose identity remains undisclosed, survived the violent assault, he suffered serious injuries.
The incident occurred around 8.30pm on Saturday as the two victims stood near the back of the queue.
The attack in Kitakyushu city in Fukuoka prefecture occurred in under a minute, with around 10 customers present.
Nakashima died from a stab wound to the abdomen, while the boy, injured in the waist, remains hospitalised and described the attacker as “a complete stranger”.
Both students were on their way home from a cram school, according to national broadcaster NHK, when they decided to make a quick stop at the fast food outlet.
Police are investigating the incident as murder but have not found any links between the victim and the attacker.
While violent crime is rare in Japan due to strict gun laws, occasional stabbings and shootings still happen, including Shinzo Abe’s 2022 assassination.
In 2019, a 51-year-old attacker in Kawasaki stabbed and killed two people, including a schoolgirl, and injured over a dozen others in a rampage targeting children waiting for a bus. He later fatally stabbed himself.
In response to the McDonald’s attack, Kitakyushu city cancelled all extracurricular activities and events at city-run schools and kindergartens on Sunday.
Zoo elephant dies after being swept away on tourist island
An elephant in zoo on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali was found dead on Tuesday after being swept away.
Molly, a 45-year-old female Sumatran elephant was one of two being guided by a mahout to a holding area outside of the zoo grounds through a river on Monday afternoon. The activity was part of their daily routine of mental and physical stimulation.
The first elephant had made it across and Molly was in the river when the current suddenly increased due to heavy rain upstream, the zoo said in a statement.
“In this situation, Molly lost her balance and was swept away by the current,” it said. The mahout was uninjured.
A team from Bali Zoo and Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency conducted an intensive search. The dead elephant was found Tuesday morning in Cengceng river in Sukawati subdistrict in Gianyar district, Bali.
“The entire team at Bali Zoo is deeply saddened by the loss of Molly, a female elephant who has been an important part of our extended family. Molly was known to be a kind and friendly elephant,” the zoo said.
“This was an unavoidable event, but we are committed to conducting a thorough evaluation of our operational procedures and risk mitigation measures, especially during the rainy season, to ensure the safety of all our animals in the future,” said Emma Chandra, the zoo’s head of public relations.
Seasonal rains from around October through to March frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands.
Sumatran elephants are a critically endangered species and fewer than 700 remain on Sumatra island. This subspecies of the Asian elephant, one of two species of the largest mammal in the world, is protected under an Indonesian law on the conservation of biological natural resources and their ecosystems.
Cricket commentator apologises for Jasprit Bumrah ‘primate’ comment
Former England player Isa Guha has apologised for using the word “primate” to describe India bowler Jasprit Bumrah during a commentary stint in Australia.
Guha is working for Fox Sports on the ongoing Test series between the two nations and drew criticism for a segment discussing the seamer’s excellent form in Brisbane.
“Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah,” she said.
Although humans are classified as primates, the word can be viewed with negative racist overtones, and the phrasing attracted criticism from some Indian fans.
Guha, a British Asian whose parents are from Kolkata, moved to address the incident with an on-air explanation ahead of Monday’s action at the Gabba.
“Yesterday in commentary I used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. I’d like to apologise for any offence caused,” she said.
“I set myself really high standards when it comes to empathy and respect of others. If you listen to the full transcript I only meant the highest praise for one of India’s greatest players. And someone that I admire greatly. I’m an advocate for equality and someone who has spent their career thinking about inclusion and understanding in the game.
“I was trying to frame the enormity of his achievement and I’ve chosen the wrong word. For that I am deeply sorry.
As someone who is also of South Asian heritage I hope people would recognise there was no other intention or malice there, and I hope this hasn’t overshadowed what has been a great Test match so far – and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.”
Taipei mayor calls for less confrontation as China continues sending ships, planes near island
The China-friendly mayor of Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, on Tuesday called for less confrontation between the sides, even as Beijing continues to send warships and fighter jets to intimidate the self-governing island democracy.
Chiang Wan-an was speaking Tuesday at the 15th Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum, which is not sanctioned by Taiwan’s government, whose official position is that Taiwan is already an independent country with no reason to unify with China.
Chiang put a somewhat romantic twist on his remarks, saying “I am a Taipei mayor elected by the people. I have high expectations for whether there is peace, tension, or development across the strait. I think there should be more … lights on fishing boats at dawn and less noise of (war) ships and (war) planes.”
Between Monday and Tuesday, China sent 10 military aircraft and seven aircraft toward Taiwan, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry. Four of the aircraft crossed the middle line of the Taiwan Strait that forms an unofficial border between the sides.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, although economic ties between the sides — especially with China’s financial hub of Shanghai — remain robust, with an emphasis on high-tech.
Shanghai’s representative, Vice Mayor Hua Yuan, told the 102 participants that, “the people of the two sides are all one family.”
Taiwan banned nine Chinese reporters from the gathering, saying they were superfluous, along with a Shanghai official for Taiwan affairs, in response to new, harsh new penalties targeting “diehard Taiwan independence separatists.” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said Beijing’s move had severely disrupted already meager bilateral exchanges and put Taiwanese residents in China at risk.
Faced with China’s massive military, Taiwan has been upgrading its defenses with latest version F-16 fighter jets, missiles, submarines and artillery. On Monday, Taiwan began unloading 38 U.S.-made M1A2T tanks that represent a quantum leap in Taiwan’s outdated land defenses. A further 42 of the tanks are due to be delivered next year, and at least 28 the year after.
Chiang’s Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan in 1949 as Mao Zedong’s Communists swept to power on the mainland and long vowed to retake the lost territory. Recent decades have seen it warm to China’s more capitalist leaders, despite public opinion in Taiwan that favors the status quo of de-facto independence.
The Democratic Progressive Party — which China has refused almost all contact with since 2016 — won a third consecutive four-year term in the presidential office in this year’s election, but the party lost the legislature by a thin majority.
Despite the potential for friction, China has limited its actions thus far to firing missiles over the island, near daily air and sea missions and rehearsals of economic blockades that could be a precursor to a full-on invasion.
Ruling party chief resigns as South Korean president skips hearing
The leader of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party has resigned for backing presidentYoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his attempt to impose martial law.
Han Dong Hoon, once a close ally of Mr Yoon, said he was concerned about violence breaking out if martial law hadn’t been lifted, and defended his decision as a stance against illegal actions. “Martial law in the advanced nation that’s South Korea, in 2024. How angry and disappointed must you have all been?” he said at a press conference on Monday.
“Even though it was done by a president our party produced, being misunderstood as defending illegal martial law that mobilised the military is a betrayal of this great country.
I tried in every possible way to find a better path for this country other than impeachment, but in the end, I could not. It’s all because of my shortcomings. I’m sorry.”
Mr Han’s relationship with Mr Yoon started to deteriorate earlier this year when he suggested that the first lady apologise over allegations of accepting a luxury Dior bag.
The rift widened after it was revealed that Mr Yoon had ordered the arrest of Mr Han and other politicians under martial law.
Mr Han then called for Yoon’s impeachment, describing him as a threat to democracy.
Mr Yoon, meanwhile, failed to appear for questioning in a separate investigation on Sunday, citing the need to finalise his legal defence team.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court has started reviewing Mr Yoon’s impeachment.
A public hearing will take place on 27 December, and the court has up to six months to decide whether to remove Yoon from office.
The impeachment follows accusations of insurrection, abuse of power, and obstructing rights related to the short-lived martial law.
As a result of the impeachment, Mr Yoon’s presidential authority was suspended, with prime minister Han Duck Soo taking over as acting president.
The president commands the armed forces, makes treaties, issues pardons, vetoes bills, and appoints officials.
Mr Yoon was impeached on Saturday following a second vote in parliament. The National Assembly passed the motion with a big majority of 204-85. Mr Yoon was suspended from his duties at 7.24pm local time, according to Yonhap news agency.
In response, the president vowed to “never give up” and urged officials to ensure government stability during what he described as a “temporary” pause in his presidency.
The acting president said he would do his best to run the government stably after the impeachment of Mr Yoon. “My heart is very heavy,” he told reporters after parliament approved the impeachment motion.
Mr Yoon and several senior officials face potential charges of insurrection for imposing martial law. A joint team from the country’s police, defence ministry, and an anti-corruption agency plan to question Mr Yoon on Wednesday.
Attempts to serve a summons at the presidential office and Mr Yoon’s official residence were rejected by the presidential security service, reports said.
Last Saturday, Mr Yoon narrowly avoided impeachment after most ruling party lawmakers abstained from voting.
But public dissatisfaction has surged in recent weeks, with protests growing in size and Mr Yoon’s approval ratings sinking.
Early on Monday, South Korea’s finance minister, Bank of Korea governor, and top financial regulators convened, pledging continuous monitoring of financial and foreign exchange markets, according to Reuters.
The benchmark KOSPI index rose for the fifth consecutive session, reaching its highest level in over two weeks, as authorities committed to stabilising financial markets and analysts pointed to reduced political uncertainty.
Mr Yoon’s unexpected martial law declaration and the resulting political crisis unsettled markets and raised concerns among South Korea’s diplomatic partners about the country’s ability to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
In one of his first acts as acting president, Mr Han spoke with US president Joe Biden on Sunday, reaffirming South Korea’s unwavering commitment to foreign and security policies based on the alliance between the two countries.
South Korea’s Hankyoreh Shimbun reported that Mr Yoon is prohibited from visiting the presidential office during the Constitutional Court’s review of his impeachment.
While his official duties remain suspended, Mr Yoon can remain at the presidential residence in Hannam, Seoul, and retain office privileges such as the presidential limousine and airplane. He will continue to receive his salary but no compensation for work expenses.
Additional reporting by agencies.
‘Horrific’ scenes as French Indian Ocean territory hit by worst cyclone in 90 years
A cyclone barrelling towards southeast Africa for the last four days caused widespread devastation in Mayotte after it struck the French oversea region as the most powerful storm in 90 years.
Cyclone Chido made landfall on Saturday night with winds reaching over 200kph, Meteo-France said, causing damage to housing, government buildings and a hospital, and leaving at least 11 people dead.
Mayotte, one of the poorest regions under French administration of some 300,000 people, is located in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean.
“At least several hundred people” were feared dead on the island as authorities struggled to assess the damage. “I think there will certainly be several hundreds, maybe we will reach a thousand, even several thousands,” prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said on local media channel Mayotte La 1ere.
The French interior ministry said that “it will be difficult to account for all victims” and a death toll could not be determined at this stage.
Aerial footage showed many settlements flatted as the storm blew away roofs, uprooted trees and damaged public infrastructure.
“What we are experiencing is a tragedy, you feel like you are in the aftermath of a nuclear war,” Mohamed Ishmael from the capital Mamoudzou said. “I saw an entire neighborhood disappear.”
Hundreds of poor people living in shacks with sheet metal roofs were hit especially hard as the storm tore up many of their homes.
The storm damaged power lines, causing outages in most parts of the territory and disrupting the water supply. It also damaged an airport.
“The hospital is hit, schools are hit. Houses are totally devastated,” Mamoudzou mayor Ambdilwahedou Soumaila said. The cyclone “spared nothing”, he added.
French president Emmanuel Macron said a military transport plane with supplies and emergency workers had left to help people suffering the “most horrific” ordeal. “My thoughts are with our compatriots in Mayotte, who have gone through the most horrific few hours and who have, for some, lost everything, lost their lives,” he said.
The cyclone entered northern Mozambique, 800km west of Mayotte, on Sunday, causing heavy rain, strong winds and hazardous sea conditions. It slammed the northern province of Cabo Delgado, affecting nearly two million people.
“Many homes, schools, health facilities have been partially or completely destroyed and we are working closely with government to ensure continuity of essential basic services,” the United Nations Children’s Fund said. “While we are doing everything we can, additional support is urgently needed.”
Internet monitor NetBlocks said on X that heavy rain and winds had damaged power and telecommunications infrastructure in the region.
Save the Children warned that up to 650,000 children and their families were in danger after Chido hit northern Mozambique.
“Cyclone Chido is a catastrophe for children in northern Mozambique. They risk losing their homes, being separated from their families, and suffering limited access to water, sanitation, healthcare and education,” it said.
In Comoros, the storm destroyed 21 homes and left two people slightly injured, authorities said.
The remnants of Chido were expected to sweep southern Malawi, Météo-France reported, with heavy rains and gusty winds. The system could then move towards Zimbabwe, likely causing heavy rain and flooding.