Taiwan opposition rushes to register candidates after talks implode on live TV - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan's opposition parties rushed to register their candidates for president on Friday (Nov 24) with hours to go before a deadline, after talks on running a joint ticket collapsed in dramatic fashion on live television amid bitter arguments.

The Jan 13 election is taking place as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, steps up military and political pressure to force the island to accept its sovereignty claims.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and much smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), both campaigning to forge better ties with China, had previously agreed to work together against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but had made no progress on plans for a united presidential ticket.

Late Thursday, the KMT walked out of last-ditch talks held in front of reporters at a hotel conference room and shown live on television with the TPP, after failing to reach an agreement.

The talks were brokered by the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, Terry Gou who is standing as an independent candidate.

In one of the most dramatic moments, the KMT's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih read out a private text message from TPP candidate Ko Wen-je in which Ko said Gou needed to "find a reason" to drop out of the presidential race.

Hou and Ko will on Friday morning go to the election commission to register their separate presidential runs, ahead of a 0930GMT registration deadline. It is unclear who they will announce as their running mates.

Gou, who has trailed far behind in the polls, has not said whether he will also register.

By contrast, a united DPP has been charging ahead in its election campaign, having registered its presidential and vice presidential candidates on Tuesday.

The DPP's Lai Ching-te, currently Taiwan's vice president, has consistently led in the polls.

Speaking at a campaign event late Thursday, Lai talked about his team's busy schedule, discussing policy with voters and the media, and poured scorn on the opposition's disunity.

"Should we dare to hand over the business of running the country to these people?" Lai said. "Of course this is not OK."

Taiwan's stock market mostly brushed off the impact of the ongoing political drama, though travel-related plays dropped on concerns that relations with China would not improve and Chinese tourists would not return to Taiwan.

The tourism and hospitality sub-index was down more than 2 per cent on early Friday trade. The benchmark index was up 0.1 per cent.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tb3Bwb3NpdGlvbi1ydXNoLXJlZ2lzdGVyLXByZXNpZGVudC1jYW5kaWRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdHYtMzk0MzAwMdIBAA?oc=5

2023-11-24 02:43:10Z
CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tb3Bwb3NpdGlvbi1ydXNoLXJlZ2lzdGVyLXByZXNpZGVudC1jYW5kaWRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdHYtMzk0MzAwMdIBAA

Taiwan opposition rushes to register candidates after talks implode on live TV - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan's opposition parties rushed to register their candidates for president on Friday (Nov 24) with hours to go before a deadline, after talks on running a joint ticket collapsed in dramatic fashion on live television amid bitter arguments.

The Jan 13 election is taking place as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, steps up military and political pressure to force the island to accept its sovereignty claims.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and much smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), both campaigning to forge better ties with China, had previously agreed to work together against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but had made no progress on plans for a united presidential ticket.

Late Thursday, the KMT walked out of last-ditch talks held in front of reporters at a hotel conference room and shown live on television with the TPP, after failing to reach an agreement.

The talks were brokered by the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, Terry Gou who is standing as an independent candidate.

In one of the most dramatic moments, the KMT's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih read out a private text message from TPP candidate Ko Wen-je in which Ko said Gou needed to "find a reason" to drop out of the presidential race.

Hou and Ko will on Friday morning go to the election commission to register their separate presidential runs, ahead of a 0930GMT registration deadline. It is unclear who they will announce as their running mates.

Gou, who has trailed far behind in the polls, has not said whether he will also register.

By contrast, a united DPP has been charging ahead in its election campaign, having registered its presidential and vice presidential candidates on Tuesday.

The DPP's Lai Ching-te, currently Taiwan's vice president, has consistently led in the polls.

Speaking at a campaign event late Thursday, Lai talked about his team's busy schedule, discussing policy with voters and the media, and poured scorn on the opposition's disunity.

"Should we dare to hand over the business of running the country to these people?" Lai said. "Of course this is not OK."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tb3Bwb3NpdGlvbi1ydXNoLXJlZ2lzdGVyLXByZXNpZGVudC1jYW5kaWRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdHYtMzk0MzAwMdIBAA?oc=5

2023-11-24 00:52:49Z
CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tb3Bwb3NpdGlvbi1ydXNoLXJlZ2lzdGVyLXByZXNpZGVudC1jYW5kaWRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdHYtMzk0MzAwMdIBAA

Muslims in shock over anti-Islam party's Dutch poll win - CNA

Mehdi Koc, a 41-year-old insulation installer, said he was shocked by the swing to the PVV, while Taheri said the vote sent different messages to Muslims, although the overwhelming emotion was of disappointment.

"In part, the message is that many people are xenophobic and don't want foreigners or Muslims. But another message is that people are very disappointed in 13 years of Rutte," he said.

However, Taheri, a member of the Labour party, said he could not really separate that from all the "nasty things" Wilders had said about banning headscarves and closing mosques.

After his surprise win, Wilders said he wanted to be prime minister for all Dutch people, but that appeared to do little to assuage concerns about what he might do later.

"If you say yes to Wilders now, then you will have to say yes later when he closes down all the mosques because then you cannot go back," Koc said, warning that Wilders will not lose sight of his eventual goals.

Some in the Netherlands think that the Dutch system of coalition government means Wilders will have to compromise on his most radical views, as political analysts also predict.

"He will not make the laws alone (other parties) will join and they have to cooperate," Kemal Yildiz, 54, said.

"It will be fine," Yildiz added.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiYWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvbXVzbGltcy1zaG9jay1vdmVyLWFudGktaXNsYW0tcGFydHlzLWR1dGNoLXBvbGwtd2luLTM5NDI3MTbSAQA?oc=5

2023-11-23 20:44:43Z
2602758070

India orders safety audit of tunnels after collapse in Himalayas - CNA

NHAI officials along with others from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will inspect ongoing tunnel projects and submit a report in seven days, it added.

These would include 12 tunnels in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, six in the Jammu and Kashmir region, and the rest in other states including Uttarakhand.

CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT

The collapsed tunnel is located on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, one of the most ambitious projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

It aims to connect four important Hindu pilgrimage sites of North India through 890km of a two-lane road being built at a cost of US$1.5 billion.

Environmentalists and residents have blamed rapid construction, including work on the Char Dham project, for land subsidence incidents in the region.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9pbmRpYS10dW5uZWwtY29sbGFwc2UtZ292ZXJubWVudC1vcmRlci1zYWZldHktYXVkaXQtMzkzOTcyMdIBAA?oc=5

2023-11-22 14:04:00Z
2597652477

Hamas, Israel agree to deal for release of 50 hostages in exchange for 4-day truce - The Straits Times

Qatar’s chief negotiator, Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, told Reuters the truce meant there would be “no attack whatsoever. No military movements, no expansion, nothing”.

Qatar hopes the deal “will be a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire, and that’s our intention”, he said.

There was no let-up in fighting, pending the start of the truce.

As morning broke on Nov 22, smoke from explosions could be seen rising above northern Gaza in live Reuters video from across the fence.

Israel’s military released footage of soldiers shooting in narrow alleyways and said it had carried out air strikes. It said its “forces continue to operate within the Strip’s territory to destroy terrorist infrastructure, eliminate terrorists and locate weaponry”.

At least 14,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory action. About two-thirds of the coastal enclave’s 2.3 million people are homeless.

Both Israel and Hamas said the truce would not halt their broader missions.

“We are at war, and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals. To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel,” Mr Netanyahu said in a recorded message.

Hamas said in its statement: “As we announce the striking of a truce agreement, we affirm that our fingers remain on the trigger, and our victorious fighters will remain on the look-out to defend our people and defeat the occupation.”

Still, there was some hope of a step towards broader peace.

“We hope the truce will happen, and there will be good solutions, and we hope people will live peacefully, return to their homes and workplaces with stability,” said Mr Abu Jihad Shameya, who fled from northern Gaza and had taken refuge in the main southern city Khan Younis.

“May God not prolong this hardship,” he said.

Release to begin on Thursday

US President Joe Biden said he welcomed the deal.

“Today’s deal should bring home additional American hostages, and I will not stop until they are all released,” he said in a statement.

Three Americans, including a three-year-old girl whose parents were among those killed during the Oct 7 attack, are expected to be among the hostages to be released, a senior US official said.

In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages hold foreign and dual citizenship from some 40 countries. These include Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina and Chile, Israel’s government has said.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL3dvcmxkL21pZGRsZS1lYXN0L2hhbWFzLWlzcmFlbC1hZ3JlZS10by1kZWFsLWZvci1yZWxlYXNlLW9mLTUwLWhvc3RhZ2VzLWluLWV4Y2hhbmdlLWZvci00LWRheS10cnVjZdIBAA?oc=5

2023-11-22 11:35:29Z
2599361480

HK's 'rude' taxi drivers' threat to strike casts spotlight on city's ride-hailing policy - The Straits Times

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s taxi industry scrapped a plan for 1,000 of its drivers to go on strike on Nov 22, after the government pledged to crack down more severely on illegal ride-hailing services threatening the trade.

Industry leaders “temporarily called off the strike” following officials’ offer of “an olive branch”, Mr Wong Yu Ting, chairman of the Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association, told local media late on Nov 21.

The strike had been aimed at drawing attention to the government’s inaction against app-based services like Uber, Mr Wong said.

It was also to express cabbies’ unhappiness over a government-proposed demerit-point system to penalise them for refusing hires, overcharging passengers and other forms of misconduct, he added.

The difficulties faced by the taxi trade have received little public sympathy. Instead, reports of the planned – and now scrapped – strike drew a barrage of criticism over Hong Kong cabbies’ service standards.

Mr Alex Liu, managing partner of Hong Kong law firm Boase Cohen & Collins and a panel chairman of the city’s transport tribunal, said: “Unfortunately, the taxi service in Hong Kong has a poor reputation.

“Many customers have first-hand experience of drivers being rude, overcharging, cherry-picking passengers, or taking circuitous routes. There are also concerns over safety, given widely reported accidents involving elderly drivers. Hence, the lack of public sympathy and rising number of complaints.”

Online, Internet users echoed Mr Liu’s views.

“It’s a bit challenging to feel overly sympathetic to taxi drivers when they refuse to adopt electronic payments, there’s an insufficient number of taxis during peak periods, and their HK Taxi app allows them to pick and choose fares, and clients have to resort to bribes,” netizen Josh Lynch wrote on social media platform X.

On Reddit, one user advised cabbies to “examine your own poor service before criticising Uber for stealing your job”.

“Perhaps if the taxi drivers… were polite, professional, and got you to your destination via the most efficient route safely, then ride-hailing services wouldn’t be an issue… It’s time the Hong Kong taxi industry stepped up, and if it can’t, it should step aside,” reader Leslie B. wrote in response to a South China Morning Post report online.

And upon hearing news on the night of Nov 21 that the planned strike had been called off, another X user quipped: “But the taxi association did a great job of uniting Hong Kongers in their shared frustration of the taxi industry. All was not lost.”

Cabs losing out to Uber

Hong Kong’s cabbies have long been notorious for their poor service attitudes. A 2023 survey found that rudeness topped the list of complaints against the city’s taxi drivers.

It is common for them to refuse rides if the requested destination is not to their liking. They have also been known to demand exorbitant fares from unsuspecting tourists or during inclement weather.

They are also falling into obsolescence, as most taxis in Hong Kong accept only cash. Lawmakers’ calls in recent years to get the vehicles outfitted with digital payment systems have been met with strong resistance, as the cabbies seek to avoid taxes and their industry leaders demand that the installation charges be passed on to passengers.

Taxi drivers, especially elderly ones, have also been criticised for being a road safety hazard. Taxis were involved in one out of six traffic accidents in the first eight months of 2023 – the most of any form of public transport – according to government data.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL2FzaWEvZWFzdC1hc2lhL2hrLXMtcnVkZS10YXhpLWRyaXZlcnMtdGhyZWF0LXRvLXN0cmlrZS1jYXN0cy1zcG90bGlnaHQtb24tY2l0eS1zLXJpZGUtaGFpbGluZy1wb2xpY3nSAQA?oc=5

2023-11-22 07:55:00Z
CBMigQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL2FzaWEvZWFzdC1hc2lhL2hrLXMtcnVkZS10YXhpLWRyaXZlcnMtdGhyZWF0LXRvLXN0cmlrZS1jYXN0cy1zcG90bGlnaHQtb24tY2l0eS1zLXJpZGUtaGFpbGluZy1wb2xpY3nSAQA

Hamas, Israel agree to deal for release of 50 hostages in exchange for 4-day truce - The Straits Times

Release to begin on Thursday

Three Americans, including a 3-year-old girl whose parents were among those killed during the Oct 7 attack, are expected to be among the hostages to be released, a senior US official said.

In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages hold foreign and dual citizenship from some 40 countries. These include Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina and Chile, Israel’s government has said.

Israeli media said the first release of hostages is expected on Nov 23.

Implementing the deal must wait for 24 hours to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, reports said.

Ms Kamelia Hoter Ishay, the grandmother of 13-year-old Gali Tarshansky, who is believed to be held in Gaza, said she would not believe reports of a deal until she gets a call that the teenager was freed.

“And then I’ll know that it’s really over and I can breathe a sigh of relief and say that’s it, it’s over,” she said.

Mr Qadura Fares, head of the Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs in the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, told Reuters that among more than 7,800 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel were about 85 women and 350 minors.

Most were detained without charges or for incidents such as hurling rocks at Israeli soldiers, not for launching militant attacks, he said.

Qatar’s chief negotiator in ceasefire talks, Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, told Reuters that the International Committee of the Red Cross would be working inside Gaza to facilitate the hostages’ release.

He said the truce means there would be “no attack whatsoever. No military movements, no expansion, nothing”.

Mr Al-Khulaifi added that Qatar hopes the deal “will be a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire. And that’s our intention”.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL3dvcmxkL21pZGRsZS1lYXN0L2lzcmFlbGktZ292dC1hcHByb3Zlcy1kZWFsLWZvci1yZWxlYXNlLW9mLTUwLWhvc3RhZ2VzLWZyb20tZ2F6YS1pbi1leGNoYW5nZS1mb3ItbXVsdGktZGF5LXRydWNl0gEA?oc=5

2023-11-22 05:20:00Z
2599361480