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Jimmy Lai, the media tycoon of Hong Kong, begins his mitigation hearing ahead of sentencing
The Hong 'Kong High Court heard on Monday Jimmy Lai's mitigation plea, which is the final step before sentencing. This landmark trial in national security has been condemned internationally and could result in Lai being jailed forever. Lai was found guilty last month of being "the mastermind" of two counts, including conspiracy to collude and collaborate with foreign forces in violation of a national security law imposed by China, as well as conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Lai denies all charges. Britain, Europe, and the United States all criticized the verdict. Hong Kong officials say Lai was given a fair trial, and that the new national security law restored stability to the city. In hearings like Monday's, defence lawyers can ask for a lesser sentence than the 10-years-to-life imprisonment Lai may face based on the guidelines of the security law. Lai was seated in a glass dock, with eight defendants including two key prosecution witnesses, Andy Li, and Wayland Chan, Tszwah. They were separated by a half dozen prison guards. LAU'S PROSECUTOR SAYS HIS HEALTH STABLE The prosecutor Anthony Chau has dismissed recent concerns about Lau's deteriorating health in prison. He cited a medical report from January 9 that described his condition as "stable". "No obvious abnormality was detected," Chau said, referring back to the heart palpitations that Lai's lawyers had reported last August. Lai, a long-time critic of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily paper that is now closed, is the most prominent figure facing prosecution as a result of sweeping national security measures in the China-ruled City following massive pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019. The judges found that Lai used his influence, and the Apple Daily newspaper to launch a campaign "to seek the downfall" of the CCP even though it cost the interests of the people of China and Hong Kong. Priscilia Lai, an attorney for Wayland Chan who was a prosecution witness, requested that his sentence be reduced at least in half for serving as a "supergrass", or informant, and providing key evidence against Lai, the others, Three other prosecution witnesses include Chan Pui-man, Apple Daily's former associate publisher, and Yeung Ching Kee, a former editorial writer. Nearly 100 People Queued Outside Court Nearly 100 people waited overnight outside the courthouse before the hearing. Some gathered three days prior to the hearing with sleeping bags and blankets, as well as cardboard sheets that they used for makeshift beds. Lee Ying Chi, who had waited in line for days, said that many people still support Mr. Lai. "We hope he is released immediately." He has done nothing wrong." In a recent interview, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for Lai's release, whom he described as a "positive advocate", but received no response. Five UN Human Rights Council experts have also called for Lai’s release, citing humanitarian reasons. They said his conviction demonstrated a “dramatic decline” in fundamental rights and judicial autonomy.
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Wall Street Journal, January 12,
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These?stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for their accuracy. U.S. prosecutors have opened an investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell for his testimony about the renovation of the building at the Federal Reserve Bank last summer. Allegiant Travel has reached a deal worth $1.1 billion to purchase Sun Country Airlines. This is despite the fact that budget airlines in the U.S. are facing stiff competition from their larger competitors. Walmart plans to expand drone deliveries to '150 more stores in the next year, with a goal of 'over 270 locations before late 2027. Google has released a toolkit for retailers to help them implement AI agents. The goal is to make it easier for brands to reach customers using the technology. The U.S. president Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he might block Exxon Mobil's investment in Venezuela, after the CEO of the oil company called the country "uninvestable", during a White House meeting held last week. Senior officials from the U.S. administration will brief President Donald Trump on Tuesday about specific options for responding to protests in Iran.
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Allegiant acquires Sun Country Airlines for $1.5 Billion
Allegiant, a low-cost airline, will buy Sun Country Airlines for $1.5 billion including debt. Sun Country shareholders receive 0.1557 Allegiant Shares and $4.10 cash per share. This values the stock at about $18.89. That's a 19.8% premium to the Friday closing price of $15.77. The deal will increase the number of destinations that the combined company can serve in the United States as well as on international markets. The fleet will consist of about 195 aircraft with options and additional orders. The combined company will have its headquarters in Las Vegas and is expected to generate annual synergies of $140 million by the third full year following the closing. In addition, the transaction should increase earnings per share in the first year. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026. After the merger, Allegiant shareholders and Sun Country investors will own approximately 67% and 33 % of the combined company. Allegiant CEO 'Gregory Anderson' will be the chief executive of the combined company, Robert Neal as president and chief financial officers. Sun Country CEO Jude Bricker joins the board of director.
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Nordics reject Trump’s claim that Chinese and Russian vessels are near Greenland. FT reports
Financial Times reports that Nordic diplomats have rejected Donald Trump's claim of Russian and Chinese vessels near Greenland. The FT reported that there have been no signs in recent years of Russian or 'Chinese' ships?or subs around Greenland, citing senior Nordic diplomats who had access to NATO intelligence. The report could not be verified immediately. The White House as well as NATO have not responded to comments. It is simply not true. I've?seen intelligence. The FT quoted a senior?diplomat who said, "There are no submarines or ships." A second Nordic diplomat has said that claims that Russian and Chinese vessels were "crawling" in the waters surrounding Greenland are unfounded. They added that this activity is on the Russian side of the Arctic. Trump has repeatedly said that Russian and Chinese ships are operating near Greenland. Denmark disputes this claim. He hasn't provided any evidence. Trump said that the U.S. should own Greenland - an autonomous part within the Kingdom of Denmark - to stop Russia or China from occupying this strategically located, mineral rich territory. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Danish Foreign Minister, said this week that the image of Russian and Chinese vessels right inside?Nuuk Fjord with massive Chinese investments is incorrect. MarineTraffic data and LSEG vessel tracking data show that there are no Chinese or?Russian ships near Greenland. Greenland’s Assembly said late Friday that it would convene a meeting on Monday to discuss the response to U.S. threat to take control of island. Trump's renewed push to get Greenland after the U.S.'s military intervention in Venezuela worries many of Greenland's 57,000 residents, who have a common goal to become an independent country.
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Dar Global and Trump Organization Launch $10 Billion Saudi Developments
Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Saudi real estate developer Dar Global, announced on Sunday that two Trump-branded luxury projects will be launched in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Jeddah (Jordan). Chaar said that the projects include the Trump National Golf Course in Riyadh and the Trump International Hotel at Diriyah. This is a massive project located on the western edge of the Saudi capital. Chaar said that a mixed-use development called Trump Plaza is planned for Jeddah. Chaar stated that the projects were in line with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to diversify its economy and move away from oil. The aim is to attract direct foreign investment. Saudi Arabia will also allow foreigners to own property in certain areas for the first-time starting this month. According to Eric Trump, son of U.S. president Donald Trump and executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, the latest in a long line of partnerships between the Trump Organization and Dar Global (the international arm of Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan) is expected to be completed within the next four or five years. (Reporting and editing by Tomasz Janovski and David Goodman in Riyadh)
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Maersk is exploring more ethanol for green fuel in order to reduce its reliance on China.
The Financial Times published an interview with Maersk's CEO, Vincent Clerc, on Sunday. This could reduce the company's dependence on China, and help the industry to decarbonise. Clerc stated that the U.S. and Brazil are the leading producers of ethanol in the world. Clerc?told FT that if all the benefits are concentrated in China then some countries may object. But if they're more evenly distributed then many more will be supportive ?.?.?. It will allow more countries to see the benefits of the green transition. The shipping industry is more difficult than others to reduce emissions. This requires expensive retrofits for existing vessels or new ships that are able run on efuels. Hapag-Lloyd?and North Sea Container Line (NCL), two shipping companies, won a tender late last year to use low-emission fuels made from hydrogen on container ships starting in 2027. The contract will run for three years. (Reporting from Gnaneshwar rajan in Bengaluru, editing by Kate Mayberry.)
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Ukrainian drone attack injures four, damages buildings in Russia's Voronezh, governor says
The governor of Voronezh Region said that an overnight Ukrainian drone strike inflicted injuries on at least four people and caused damage to a number of buildings. The governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram that an emergency service facility, six houses, and seven apartment buildings were damaged by the attack. The?reports could not be independently verified. Ukraine claims that it has been attacking targets in Russia since the Kremlin launched its war nearly four years ago. This is in response to the repeated drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Russia launched a missile at a Ukrainian site near NATO member Poland on Friday, an attack Kyiv's European partners characterized as a ploy to dissuade them from continuing their support for Ukraine. (Reporting and editing by Alistair Bell in Melbourne)
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Mississippi man accused in killing six people, including a 7-year old child and a pastor
Officials from law enforcement said that a man was arrested and charged for first-degree homicide in the deaths of six people on Friday night, including a young child, in Clay County, Mississippi. Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott announced on Saturday that Daricka Moore, 24, is suspected of killing several members of her family and a pastor in the area before she was taken into custody. Officials said that the charge against Moore is likely to be upgraded to capital murder and a death penalty could be imposed if he is found to have mental competency. This is horrible. "This is as bad as it gets," said Scott Colom. He's the district attorney of Mississippi's Sixteenth Circuit Court. His jurisdiction includes Clay County. Scott claims that Moore shot his father, brother and uncle in the head, killing them, on Friday night. He then stole a truck, drove to another location, where he attempted to sexually abuse a 7-year old girl who was related to him before shooting her dead in the head. The?law enforcers responded to the 911 call and were directed to a third location where they found two other males who had been fatally shot. One of those men was a pastor from the area. Moore was arrested at a nearby area 'just before midnight', Scott reported. Scott stated that the motives of the murders were unknown. Scott said at a press conference that the incident had "really?shaken" his community. "I personally don't know why someone would kill a seven-year-old." Scott stated that autopsies will be conducted by the Mississippi Crime Lab. Moore will appear in court Monday. Clay County is located in northeastern Mississippi. It has a population close to 20,000. (Reporting and editing by Sergio Non in Houston, Mark Potter and Rod Nickel.
Telecoms among targets in investor PPF's European expansion drive
PPF Group, the investment lorry owned by main Europe's wealthiest family, will look for more acquisitions across its portfolio consisting of possibly some United Group assets in southeast Europe and other telecom companies, its CEO Jiri Smejc told Reuters.
Billionaire investor Smejc took control of managing PPF in 2022 on behalf of the household of his long-time business partner Petr Kellner after his death in a heli-skiing crash.
He has actually since led a shift away from Russia and Asia to Western markets, taking stakes in German TV group ProsiebenSat.1. , parcel box company InPost, streaming. companies Viaplay and other possessions.
Smejc stated in an uncommon interview that PPF, which has possessions of. 44 billion euros ($ 47 billion) and puts the Kellner household at. 106th position in the Forbes international list of billionaires, would. try to find growth in telecoms and other core locations, including. media, financial services, and e-commerce.
We try to focus on the bigger services we have, and. financial investments we are looking for are focused in these areas,. he stated, highlighting the significance of commercial know-how.
Although PPF took a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, the war. in Ukraine and regulative changes in China, it has reorganized. its holdings and grown earnings quicker than anticipated, Smejc stated.
UNITED GROUP
Smejc offered half of PPF's telecoms businesses in. central-eastern Europe plus one share to UAE's e& & for . 2.15 billion euros in an offer closed last month, developing the e&& . PPF Telecom Group.
He stated it is now looking at concrete acquisitions,. including potentially telecoms and pay-TV operator United Group.
Reuters reported in June that Saudi Arabia's STC Group. was considering an offer for United Group, which is. bulk owned by BC Partners.
A source with knowledge of the matter said United Group's. telecoms possessions in south-eastern Europe have been set up for. prospective sale.
There are certainly several assets there that fit well into. the geography of our service in this part of Europe, Smejc said. of a possible deal.
We have informed ourselves we would look at it but at the. moment the scenario seems a little bit uncertain, which instructions. it will go.
BC Partners did not react to request for comment.
Smejc also said PPF and e& & would be interested in some. European Vodafone possessions, but there were no talks. underway.
PROSIEBEN
Smejc stated he was unhappy with pace of development in improving. Germany's ProSiebenSat.1, where PPF is the second-largest. shareholder with a 15% stake.
Shareholders at ProSiebenSat.1 have actually promoted the sale of. its e-commerce systems. Smejc stated he was not pleased with the sale. speed and further modifications at the business.
To put it simply, we do not have the sensation that the. management is doing a good enough task, Smejc stated of the way. that ProSiebenSat.1 was being run.
When I compare it to our business, the sense of seriousness. that we feel when we try to turn an unfavorable pattern is completely. various than what we see from the management, he said.
Asked about possible pressure for management modifications, Smejc. stated that would generally be up to ProSiebenSat.1's biggest. investor MFE-MediaForEurope.
Either the management needs to speed up the speed at. which, as if they owned the company, carries out the. restructuring, or the shareholders will need to react, he said,. adding the company had potential if handled well.
Smejc also rejected recent Polish media reports saying PPF,. whose CME unit owns television groups in six main and east. European markets, may have an interest in Warners Bros. Discovery's.
Polish system TVN. We have up until now not made any step whatsoever to take a look at this. property, due to the fact that we have other concerns at the minute, he stated.
Smejc stated he was happy with PPF's 28.75% holding in InPost,. whose shares have risen 80% given that PPF's 2023 entry. He stated PPF. was not considering a takeover deal.
He said PPF has likewise not shelved the idea of a tie-up of its. trains producing unit with Spain's Talgo, although. Talgo had earlier this year turned down PPF. A commercial tie-up. could work even if the company has brand-new investors, he stated.
PPF STAKE
Smejc, whose net worth is approximated by Forbes at $1.17. billion, took control of as PPF CEO for three years in June 2022.
His bundle includes options for a stake of up to 10% in PPF. if concealed standards were met.
But, Smejc stated for the very first time, it was most likely that there. would be a monetary settlement rather.
At the minute, we are talking more about the 2nd alternative. ... to settle economically. That is our shared arrangement, Smejc. stated, including that whether he stayed beyond three years was an. open matter.
I'm enjoying many things here, so if the terms make good sense. for both sides, it is definitely something I can picture..
(source: Reuters)