BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed his country’s technological progress in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors while once again insisting his country would annex self-ruled Taiwan. During his New Year’s Eve address broadcast Wednesday evening by state media, Xi praised the country’s advancements in key sectors including military tech and…
HONG KONG — Hong Kongers offered flowers and bowed outside a funeral parlor on Friday to pay tribute to a firefighter who was among the 160 people killed by the city’s deadliest fire in decades. Ho Wai-ho lost his life battling the massive blaze that engulfed seven buildings of a housing complex on Nov. 26….
MIDLAND, Texas — Retired Chinese official Li Chuanliang was recuperating from cancer on a Korean resort island when he got an urgent call: Don’t return to China, a friend warned. You’re now a fugitive. Days later, a stranger snapped a photo of Li in a cafe. Terrified South Korea would send him back, Li fled,…
HONG KONG — Uncomfortable questions are being raised over who is to blame for Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades. As the territory mourns over the high-rise apartment fire that killed at least 151 people, anger and frustration are mounting over building safety lapses, suspected construction corruption and lax government oversight. But bigger issues are…
HONG KONG — Donations for victims of a Hong Kong fire that killed at least 146 people and left thousands homeless reached 900 million Hong Kong dollars (US$115 million), authorities said Monday, in a massive outpouring of sympathy and support. But as questions grew over who to blame for the deadly blaze, the government appeared…
Paul Costelloe, the Irish-American designer who dressed the late Princess Diana and became a stalwart of the London fashion scene, has died, his company confirmed. He was 80. In addition to creating evening wear for Diana, Costelloe established a fashion house that celebrated luxurious fabrics and creative design. He worked in central London and with…
LONDON — Chelsea and Barcelona traded first-half goals in a 1-1 draw Thursday as both teams stayed unbeaten in the Women’s Champions League. Chelsea thought it had a go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute on substitute Catarina Macario’s header, but she was ruled offside and Sonia Bompastor’s team ended the night in sixth place with…
Three months in and it has already been a season of highs and lows for Liverpool. A run of five straight wins to start the team’s Premier League title defense. Then a streak of four consecutive losses. Before the international break, an impressive 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League was celebrated as…
MANILA, Philippines — Most Asian shares surged on Thursday after Nvidia reported stronger than expected quarterly earnings, soothing worries that AI-driven stock prices may have shot too high. U.S. futures and oil prices were higher. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index initially surged as much as 4.2% before giving up some early gains. By early afternoon, it…
Record eight-time champion OL Lyonnes rallied from three goals down at halftime to salvage a 3-3 draw at Juventus in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday. Veteran defender Wendie Renard, who has scored more than 150 goals for Lyon, equalized with a well-taken penalty in the 90th minute following a handball by Juve captain Cecilia…