The rise and fall of a Belt and Road billionaire
By Jenni Marsh, CNN
In the mid-1990s, Ye Jianming had a simple job in a forest, or so his story goes. Twenty years later, he sat atop a $44 billion business empire. Today, he has vanished and, as that empire crumbles, is reportedly under investigation by the Chinese government.
How all that happened remains largely unknown. But one thing is clear: at its height, Ye’s company, CEFC China Energy, aligned itself so closely with the Chinese government that it was often hard to distinguish the two.
The young tycoon appeared to be China's unofficial energy envoy, meeting presidents across the globe and even becoming an adviser to a European government. In 2016, he ranked No. 2 on the Fortune magazine 40 Under 40 list.
Gangsters, cops and Lawyer X: the police informant scandal that has shocked Australia
‘Appalling’ breach of duty castigated and 22 criminals may challenge convictions after revelation that defence barrister doublecrossed her clients
In 2005, eight years after the murder of the underworld figure Alphonse Gangitano kicked off a long and bloody gangland war on the streets of Melbourne, a prominent criminal barrister agreed to become a registered police informant in exchange for a promise that her identity would be kept secret.
The woman – known variously as Lawyer X, EF, and informer 3838 – had represented some of the gangland war’s most infamous figures, including Carl Williams and Tony Mokbel.
Thirteen years later, a royal commission has been announced into what has become one of the biggest legal scandals and most appalling cases of police misconduct in Australian history.
Number of far-right terror attacks increases as overall deaths from terrorism fall, report finds
Majority of far-right attacks carried out by 'lone actors with far-right, white nationalist or anti-Muslim beliefs'
Far-right political terrorism is on the rise in western Europe and north America, a report on global terror has cautioned.
Right-wing groups and individuals killed 66 people between 2013 and 2017, with 17 deaths and 47 of those attacks occurring last year, according to the 2018 Global Terrorism Index.
“There has been a real and significant increase in far-right terrorist activity, particularly in the last two years,” Tom Morgan, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Economics and Peace, which produced the report, told The Independent.
NATO, US put pressure on Russia over INF treaty
The Trump administration has accused Russia of "cheating" on the terms of a treaty on nuclear missiles. Europe could face security concerns if Washington carries through on a threat to withdraw from the pact.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told NATO ministers that Washington would begin the process of withdrawing from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) within 60 days if Moscow did not start complying with the terms of the pact.
"It makes no sense for the United States to remain in a treaty that constrains our ability to respond to Russia's violation," Pompeo said, adding that: "The United States today declares Russia in material breach of the treaty and we will suspend our obligations unless Russia returns to full and verifiable compliance."
Behold the rise of Cambodia’s political princelings
Political dynasties are taking shape as the children of ruling party elites, including PM Hun Sen's offspring, are promoted to positions of prominence and power
PHNOM PENH
The Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), an organization with tight ties to the country’s long-ruling party, had plenty to be pleased about after its recently concluded annual congress.
First, it earned a place in the Guinness World Records for the fifth time for building the world’s longest dragon boat, which was rowed along Phnom Penh’s stretch of the Mekong at the annual Water Festival in November.
The UYFC also arguably set a local record for dynastic promotions inside the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Prime Minister Hun Sen’s vehicle for his recent consolidation of a one-party state and eventual handover of power to one of his offspring.
Mueller investigation: No jail time sought for Trump ex-adviser Michael Flynn
The special counsel investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 US election will not be pursuing a jail sentence for former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Mr Flynn has admitted lying to the FBI.
But in a memo, Robert Mueller said Mr Flynn had provided "first-hand" details about links between the Trump election team and Russian officials.
The heavily redacted memo hints at future revelations that could trouble President Donald Trump.
President Trump has called the investigation a witch hunt and denies there was any collusion between his team and Russian officials to try to secure his election victory.
No comments:
Post a Comment