World
Interpol issues red notice for Luna, TerraUSD co-founder Do Kwon
- Interpol granted South Korean prosecutors’ request to issue a red notice for Do Kwon, the South Korean co-founder of the defunct cryptocurrencies Luna and TerraUSD (UST), on Monday.
- South Korean authorities issued an arrest warrant on Kwon — born Kwon Do-hying — and five other individuals linked to the Terraform Labs cryptocurrencies on Sept. 14 for violating South Korea’s Capital Markets Act.
- The 31-year-old Stanford University graduate was reportedly living in Singapore when UST and Luna imploded in May.
- The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed in a statement on Sept. 17 that Kwon was no longer in the city-state at the time of the prosecutors' request.
- “SPF will assist the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) within the ambit of our domestic legislation and international obligations. Do Kwon is currently not in Singapore,” the SPF said.
- Luna, the sister token of UST, fell from a $116 high to less than $0.0002 in April. Global investors reportedly lost an estimated $42 billion from the crash in May, prompting South Korean authorities to open a case against the incident.
A red notice has been issued for Do Kwon, the South Korean co-founder of the defunct cryptocurrencies Luna and TerraUSD (UST), effectively making him a wanted man among the 195 member countries of Interpol.
Prosecutors in Seoul told Bloomberg on Monday that the international police organization has issued a red notice for Kwon, who faces charges for the $60 billion meltdown of Terraform Labs’ Luna and TerraUSD cryptocurrencies.
Asia is home to 6 of the top 20 cities with the most millionaires
- In a recent report by Henley and Partners, a firm that tracks global wealth, Asian cities accounted for six of the top 20 cities in the world with the most millionaires.
- Tokyo took the No. 2 spot with 304,900 millionaires and 12 billionaires.
- Singapore placed fifth with 249,800 millionaires and 26 billionaires.
- In ninth and 10th place were Beijing and Shanghai, respectively.
- Hong Kong reached 12th place, while the final Asian city on the list was Seoul at No. 16.
- When analyzing the world’s 10 wealthiest countries by private wealth in 2022, China, Japan, and India took up the three top spots after the United States.
Asian cities accounted for six of the top 20 cities with the most millionaires in a recent report.
The report was released by Henley and Partners, a firm that tracks global wealth, last week. Through an analysis of over 150,000 high-net-worth individuals and high-priced homes in cities, the firm was able to assess city wealth. High-net-worth individuals are defined as “individuals with net assets of USD 1 million or more.” The list only considered millionaires who are residents of their respective countries.
Teens found guilty of shoving Asian woman into canal in Ireland
- Two teen boys have been convicted of assaulting Xeudan “Shirley” Xiong in Dublin on the evening of Aug. 14. 2020.
- The attack, which was caught on a viral video, saw a group of boys push Xiong into the Royal Canal.
- Prior to the attack, Xiong had endured three other racist, intimidating encounters involving teen boys along the canal.
- The pair of convicted teens, who are both 16, remain held on bail and will return to court for sentencing next month.
A pair of 16-year-old boys have been convicted of shoving a Chinese woman into a canal in a racist attack in Dublin two years ago.
The incident, which was just one of four horrifying incidents involving teen boys that Xeudan “Shirley” Xiong had to endure on the same day, was caught in a viral video posted on TikTok.
Chinese duo arrested for trying to start their own micronation in US-defended Marshall Islands
- Cary Yan, 50, and Gina Zhou, 34, were extradited to New York on Friday in connection with a series of bribery and money laundering practices they allegedly committed to influence the creation of a semi-autonomous region in the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI).
- A former U.S. territory, the RMI is now an independent state but continues to be defended by Washington under a 2004 agreement.
- Yan and Zhou allegedly paid RMI officials to push for a bill that would create their proposed region, which they called the Rongelap Atoll Special Administrative Region (RASAR).
- If created, Yan, Zhou and their associates would attract foreign business and investors to help with its economic and social development.
- The pair, both Chinese nationals, have been charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), violating the FCPA, conspiring to commit money laundering and committing money laundering.
A Chinese pair has been extradited to New York for allegedly bribing lawmakers in the U.S.-controlled Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) into passing legislation that would create a semi-autonomous region for their financial benefit.
Cary Yan, 50, and Gina Zhou, 34, ran their scheme between 2016 and 2019, according to a Justice Department release. Yan allegedly posed as president and chairman of “the NGO,” while Zhou presented herself as his assistant.
‘Positive thinking’ is ‘very necessary’ for denuclearization of North Korea: South Korean official
- The 2022 Seoul Defense Dialogue gathered 54 countries in collaboration against international security threats.
- On Wednesday, the panelists — led by Beom Chul Shin, the vice minister of the Ministry of National Defense in the Republic of Korea — addressed international cooperation for the denuclearization of North Korea.
- Shin presented three major efforts in the fight for denuclearization and emphasized the need for international cooperation.
- The panelists unanimously agreed that international cooperation was critical when striving towards North Korea’s denuclearization.
- Although North Korea’s nuclear capabilities present itself as a looming threat, Shin maintained an optimistic view.
- “[This] kind of positive thinking is very necessary to solve North Korea’s nuclear problem. So I am still positive. In the end, we are winning,” Shin declared.
The 2022 Seoul Defense Dialogue addressed the complete denuclearization of North Korea, noting “positive thinking” as key.
At the beginning of this week, national security experts from 54 countries gathered at Lotte Hotel in Seoul in collaboration against international security threats. The central theme for the 10th annual Seoul Defense Dialogue is “How to Address Complex Security Challenges: Fostering International Solidarity.” The dialogue began on Tuesday, Sept. 6, and will continue to Thursday, Sept. 8.
Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle speculated as next in line to be pope
Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 65, is thought to be one of the frontrunners to succeed Pope Francis, a move which would radically change the face of the Catholic faith.
London-based news outlet the Catholic Herald published on Aug. 5 that whoever becomes pope next will speak volumes about the future of the Church.
Why Zelenskyy wore a T-shirt designed by a Singaporean teen during a recent international summit
- During the Shangri-La Dialogue, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was seen deviating from his usual attire in favor of a T-shirt designed by 16-year-old Singaporean Ava Soh.
- The shirt he wore featured an NFT of a girl on a ladder, spray painting a large Ukrainian flag.
- The NFT represents a “young Ukrainian girl defiantly painting a new future because self-belief is the best middle finger to oppression,” according to Soh’s company website.
- Ava Soh first created her brand, Daughters of the Revolution, at age 14 to “empower the next generation of 21st century heroines through self love.”
- In his address, President Zelenskyy presented Ava Soh and her initiative as an example of the support Ukraine has gained worldwide, citing it as why Ukraine will prevail.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke from his usual attire in favor of a young Singaporean designer’s T-shirt for a recent international appearance.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy attended the annual 19th Regional Security Summit Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore to present a special virtual address to delegates. The Ukrainian president was seen on screen deviating from his usual green or brown attire by wearing a black T-shirt designed by 16-year-old Singaporean Ava Soh.
WHO chief censored in China after he said its zero-COVID policy is unsustainable
- WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was censored in China after calling the country’s zero-COVID policy unsustainable at a press briefing.
- The official’s comments, as well as his images and videos containing those comments, were immediately scrubbed from Weibo and WeChat, according to reports.
- Tedros was seen as an ally of China early in the pandemic when the WHO praised Beijing for its response and echoed its statement that there was “no clear evidence” of human-to-human transmission.
- In response to Tedros’ comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China hopes relevant people can “view China's policy of epidemic prevention and control objectively” and “refrain from making irresponsible remarks.”
The world’s top health official has reportedly been censored in China after calling its zero-COVID policy unsustainable and stressing the importance of a shift in strategy.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the criticism at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Report: Xinjiang cotton found in Adidas, Puma and Hugo Boss tops
- Research suggests Xinjiang cotton is being used in T-shirts from some of Germany’s biggest apparel companies, including Adidas, Puma and Hugo Boss.
- Agroisolab researchers explained that nature leaves behind a “signature” in cotton, caused by the “climate and geology” of a place.
- The signature is what scientists call an “isotopic fingerprint,” which enables them to assign the place of origin in a piece of cotton.
- Adidas and Puma made commitments in 2020 to not source any cotton from the Xinjiang region due to allegations of forced labor in the region.
- Xinjiang cotton has been a high point of controversy due to reports that more than half a million ethnic minorities, particularly Uyghur Muslims, are being forced to pick cotton via “labor programs.”
- In response to recent claims made in a report from The Guardian, both Adidas and Puma reiterated that their companies did not source cotton from the Xinjiang region.
Research suggests Xinjiang cotton is being used in T-shirts by some of Germany’s biggest apparel companies, despite their commitments not to source from the Chinese region due to allegations of forced labor.
According to the German public broadcaster NDR on Thursday, scientists from the Agroisolab in Jülich revealed through isotope analysis that shirts from major German clothing labels, including Adidas, Puma and Hugo Boss, have traces of Xinjiang cotton in them.
WHO head: World’s focus on Ukraine over other countries is due to racial bias
- In a virtual press briefing from Geneva on Wednesday, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia and current World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused the international community of racial bias, claiming far less attention was being paid to crises in places like Africa and the Middle East versus Ukraine.
- “I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way,” he said solemnly. “Some are more equal than others. And when I say this, it pains me. Because I see it. Very difficult to accept – but it’s happening.”
- The WHO head cited the crises of Ethiopia, where he is originally from, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria, as also requiring immediate attention.
- Combined, over 66.6 million people are considered in desperate need of humanitarian aid in those four countries alone, not including the millions who have already fled.
- The Ukraine crisis has displaced approximately 6.5 million people within the country, with over 4 million having crossed the border to neighboring countries such as Poland and Hungary.
- Ghebreyesus was especially critical of the media for giving a disproportionate amount of coverage to the Ukrainian crisis and called for the need for “balance” in considering all lives as “precious” in spite of race and ethnicity.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia and current World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused the world of giving just a “fraction” of its attention to Black lives compared to white.
In a virtual press briefing from Geneva on Wednesday, Ghebreyesus called out the world for racial bias, claiming it valued Ukrainian lives over those in other parts of the world, especially Africa and the Middle East.
China peddles pro-Putin documentary as world condemns Russia for atrocities in Ukraine
- China is reportedly organizing viewing sessions for a pro-Putin documentary for selected audiences across the country.
- The documentary, which runs for 101 minutes, was completed last year and does not include the war in Ukraine, but pins the downfall of the Soviet Union to Western influence.
- Russia is facing a new wave of global condemnation as hundreds of dead bodies were reportedly found near Kiev.
- While many world leaders have denounced Russia for its actions, China has stayed silent over the matter.
- Some Chinese social media users have also accused Ukraine of staging the deaths to “frame” Russia.
As Russia continues its military assault on Ukraine, China’s ruling Communist Party (CCP) has reportedly organized viewing sessions for a historical documentary that paints Russian President Vladimir Putin as a hero.
The sessions, allegedly organized around the country, require selected audiences to sit through the 101-minute long “lesson,” which was completed last year and thus excludes the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
US warns allies China will provide financial, military aid for Russia in Ukraine
- U.S. officials are accusing China of preparing to offering its military and economic support to Russia during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
- "It's real, it's consequential, and it's really alarming," an anonymous official was quoted as saying.
- State Department spokesman Ned Price told journalists that the U.S. would be "watching closely" to see if Russia gets support from China or others.
The U.S. has alleged via a diplomatic cable to NATO allies and some Asian countries that China is prepared to provide military and economic support to Russia during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
An anonymous U.S. official privy to the message further stated that China would likely deny such accusations.
