China rebuffs Trump: HK activist arrested:
China rebuffed what it described as “lies and accusations” by US President Donald Trump regarding the novel coronavirus.
These charges, made by the US President Donald Trump at the UN, aimed to tarnish China’s image, said spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs Geng Shuang, who was speaking at a news conference.
China’s efforts in response to the pandemic have been clear and recorded, said the spokesperson, reacting to remarks by the US president at Tuesday’s UN General Assembly 75th session.
The Chinese spokesman added that Beijing had reported about the pandemic “at the appropriate time.” It had also declared circumstances of the outbreak and took part in analyzing its genomes, he added.
He urged Washington to stop “such political ploys and politicizing” the pandemic question. (KUNA)
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Hong Kong prodemocracy activist Joshua Wong said he was arrested again Thursday for allegedly participating in an unauthorized assembly last October.
Wong tweeted that he was arrested when he reported to the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s Central Police Station as part of a bail requirement.
He said he was also accused of violating a pre-coronavirus law banning the wearing of masks in public places on the pretext they obscure identity.
Wong told reporters after leaving the police station that it is the third case against him. He vowed to continue to resist. (AP)
N.K. kills S.K. official:
South Korea said Thursday that North Korean troops fatally shot a South Korean government official who may have attempted to defect and set his body on fire after finding him on a floating object near the countries’ disputed sea boundary.
South Korean officials condemned what they called North Korea’s “atrocious act” and urged it to apologize and punish those responsible. North Korea is unlikely to accept the South Korean demand, and ties between the rivals - already strained amid a deadlock in broader nuclear diplomacy - will probably suffer a further setback, observers say.
According to Seoul, the man disappeared from a government ship that was checking on possible unauthorized fishing in an area south of the boundary on Monday, a day before he was found in North Korean waters. (AP)