Vietnamese Catholics travel to Mongolia to see pope, ask him to visit - The Straits Times

ULAANBAATAR - Vietnamese Catholics who flew thousands of miles to see Pope Francis in Mongolia had one message for the pontiff: They want him to visit their communist-run country too.

"Visit Vietnam, Papa," some in the group shouted as the pope was driven in a golf cart past a crowd of about 2,000 people of various nationalities on the grounds of the Catholic cathedral in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday.

Vietnam broke off relations with the Vatican after the communists took over the reunited country at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The authorities then viewed the Catholic Church in Vietnam as having been too close to the former colonial power, France.

"I see that he's very near, very near distance. So I really want to cry when I see him," said Cindy Pham from Ho Chi Minh City. "Even when I saw him, the first time at the gate, I ran, ran a lot to see him again."

The prospect of a papal visit to Vietnam, once seemingly impossible, became more realistic last month when the Vatican and Hanoi agreed to have a Resident Papal Representative in Hanoi.

It was a step years in the making which could lead to full diplomatic ties. It was announced on July 27 when the pope received Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong at the Vatican.

"I really hope that he will visit Vietnam in the short term," Pham said, mentioning the hope spawned by president's visit to the Vatican.

Maria Vo, a Vietnamese-born tour guide who now lives in the Philippines, could not contain her excitement as Francis waved from the moving golf cart.

"I cannot tell (you) my feelings right now, because I'm so happy," said Vo, seeing the pope for the first time. "Vietnamese people, we love him and are waiting for him to visit us in Vietnam." REUTERS

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2023-09-02 12:40:58Z
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Many Italian parties are against China's Belt and Road Initiative, foreign minister says - CNBC

Many Italian parties are against Rome's participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative, Antonio Tajani, the country's foreign minister said Saturday, ahead of a critical decision on whether to quit the project.

Rome sent shockwaves throughout the Western world in 2019 when it signed up to the BRI — China's massive infrastructure and investment plan aimed at boosting its influence across the globe. At the time, analysts said that by joining the project, Italy was undermining Europe's ability to stand up to Beijing.

When former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi took power in Rome in 2021, he froze the agreement. Two years down the line and with a new government in place, Italy is now having another think about its ties with China.

"The Italian message is very clear we want to work with China, we want to be present in China's market, we are ready for Chinese investment, but as I said, it is important [to have a] level playing field," said Tajani, who also serves as Italy's deputy prime minister.

Italy is due to announce in the coming months if it is officially ending its participation in the landmark Chinese project.

Under the agreement the two parties can end the deal after five years, otherwise the partnership gets extended for another five-year term. Italy has until the end of the 2023 to inform China on whether it wants to end the deal.

Tajani is due to visit China in the coming days. Speaking to CNBC's Steve Sedgwick at the Ambrosetti Forum, he said the trip won't be difficult, but "it is important for us."

Tajani, however, did not confirm any specific time for when Italy will unveil its final decision on whether to continue in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Italian Parliament is checking the situation. In this moment the countries without the Belt and Road Initiative, the European countries, are working better than us. For this, Italy will decide if [to] stay or not [to] stay in the Belt and Road Initiative. In the parliament, many parties are against it," he said.

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2023-09-02 08:43:57Z
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Typhoon Saola slams southern China after battering Hong Kong - CNA

Trains in and out of Guangdong were also suspended until 6pm on Saturday, while the national flood defence agency raised its emergency response for prevention to its second-highest level.

"It's going to affect our life," said Wu Wenlai, 43, who had to close his restaurant in a Shenzhen suburb.

"My eldest son was planning to fly to Chengdu today for university and his flight has been cancelled now."

MORE INTENSE TYPHOONS

Southern China is frequently hit in summer and autumn by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and then travel west.

Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, with more rain and stronger gusts leading to flash floods and coastal damage, experts say.

In Hong Kong, authorities received at least seven confirmed cases of flooding, as well as nearly 40 reports of downed trees. The city's hospital authority reported seven people seeking medical treatment during Saola.

Businesses taped up their glass displays and windows, while high-rise buildings swayed under the whipping gusts.

In eastern Heng Fa Chuen - a coastal residential area and the site of devastation during 2018's Typhoon Mangkhut - officers in orange vests urged storm-watchers to go home, as trees leaned sideways from the heavy gusts.

In the low-lying fishing village of Lei Yue Mun, which is prone to flooding, water seeped into shops, prompting residents to set up sandbags and board up doors.

"I hope we can save the tools needed for our business, like the fridge. We elevated them so the water wouldn't damage the (electronics)," a restaurant operator surnamed Lee told a local TV station.

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2023-09-01 23:45:00Z
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A quarter of registered overseas voters live in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan - CNA

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2023-09-01 12:47:00Z
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Flights cancelled, businesses shut in Hong Kong, Guangdong as Typhoon Saola nears - CNA

HONG KONG: Hundreds of flights were cancelled on Friday (Sep 1) in China's populous Guangdong province and neighbouring Hong Kong ahead of Typhoon Saola's arrival, with the powerful storm forcing some mainland cities to close businesses, schools and even financial markets.

Three tropical cyclones have formed in the northwest Pacific Ocean and South China Sea. Saola and Haikui were labelled typhoons while Kirogi, the most distant from land, was still classified as a tropical storm.

Saola, packing winds of more than 200kmh, will make landfall in Guangdong, which encompasses Hong Kong. It could be among the five strongest typhoons to hit Guangdong since 1949, Chinese authorities warned on Thursday.

Saola could make landfall on Friday night or Saturday morning as a severe typhoon along the coast between the cities of Huidong and Taishan, China's National Meteorological Centre said. Hong Kong and Macau lie in the centre of that coastline.

Weather conditions will deteriorate rapidly as the typhoon makes landfall, the Hong Kong observatory said, with storm surge potentially reaching around 3m higher than the normal tide in some areas.

All schools in Hong Kong were closed on Friday, despite being the first day of term for many.

"We can see that the eye of the typhoon will pass very close to Hong Kong. I'm a bit concerned and hope it won't cause too many casualties," office worker Wai Yi said as she strolled by the sea with her husband in the city's eastern Heung Fa Chuen area.

In Hong Kong on Thursday, crowds were seen jostling at fresh food markets in downtown Wan Chai district with many vegetables already sold out. There were long queues at supermarkets as people stocked up ahead of the storm.

The city's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific said all flights in and out of Hong Kong between 2pm (0600 GMT) on Friday and 10am (0200 GMT) on Saturday have been cancelled.

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2023-09-01 08:26:00Z
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Thai King Commutes Former PM Thaksin's Jail Term to One Year - Bloomberg

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1. Thai King Commutes Former PM Thaksin's Jail Term to One Year  Bloomberg
2. Thailand’s ex-PM Thaksin has submitted request for royal pardon  Al Jazeera English
3. Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin's prison sentence to one year  CNA
4. Thai king reduces former PM Thaksin's eight-year jail sentence to one year  The Straits Times
5. Former Thai Premier Thaksin Submits Petition for Royal Pardon  Bloomberg
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2023-09-01 08:27:57Z
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PM rolls out New Industrial Master Plan 2030 - New Straits Times

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1. PM rolls out New Industrial Master Plan 2030  New Straits Times
2. Malaysia to allocate US$1.8 billion to fund national industrial masterplan  CNA
3. Malaysia unveils $20bn masterplan to transform industry by 2030  Nikkei Asia
4. NIMP 2030 will help grow SMEs and improve livelihoods, says PM  The Star
5. Anwar unveils RM95b New Industrial Master Plan  Malaysiakini
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2023-09-01 03:58:13Z
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