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修订公司法后引发多起抗议 中国取消追责老股东

中国新修订的公司法规定,即便前股东已经转让股权,仍要为受让人未按期缴纳出资承担补充责任,引发多起抗议。

12月23日,中国最高立法机关宣布审查结果,不得溯及既往,并“督促”有关机关“采取适当措施”,以“推动优化营商环境”。

据路透社报道,此举是在中国十一个城市接连几周爆发十多场抗议活动后,由中国人民代表大会常务委员会法制工作委员会作出的司法解释。法工委认定,修订后的公司法第88条不得适用于在新法于今年七月生效前已出售股份的股东。

华盛顿人权组织自由之家(Freedom House)关注中国公民集体行动的异言网(China Dissent Monitor)项目负责人史凯文(Kevin Slaten)告诉路透社,由于抗议活动攸关政府政策损害人民生计,可能迫使中国政府采取具体措施来平息众怒。

报道指出,新修订的公司法允许公司要求原始股东对未付款项负责,即便他们已转让了股份。十一月下旬至十二月初,中国抖音平台上的视频显示,中国十一地的高等法院发生抗议活动,要求对法律的变化作出解释,并希望取消其追溯性。目前,大多数视频已遭审查清洗。路透社能够确认异言网提供的几个视频的拍摄地点,但无法确认日期或联系到相关人员。

今年8月,北京海淀法院适用新公司法作出首例判决,认定出售仁和公司的原股东,应就其数次转让却未在期限内缴足出资金额的股份,承担债权人要求的数百万元的赔偿责任。

据路透社报道,中国允许公司在未缴足出资金额的情况下成立,并给予几年的还款时间。今年,房产开发商恒大集团因负债超过3000亿美元被勒令清盘,也凸显中国债权人面临的风险不断上升,引发中国政府对私营企业无法偿还债务或破产时,责任应由谁承担的担忧。

责编:梒青 网编:洪伟

© 美联社图片

图为北京人民大会堂外的中国国徽与国旗。12月23日,中国人大法制工作委员会对公司法作出司法解释,即便前股东已经转让股权,仍要为受让人未按期缴纳出资承担补充责任。

Magdeburg attack offers far right fertile ground despite suspect's backing for AfD

Getty Images A man and a woman work on their stall at a Christmas market in Germany - the woman in a red coat is on the phone while the man tends to his stallGetty Images
Stallholders have been allowed back into the Christmas market after the attack

"I feel bad, I still do," said Eidwicht, as she stood in the Christmas market close to the spot where the car sped through on Friday, killing five people and injuring more than two hundred others.

"My granddaughter was here. I rang her because my daughter told me that something had happened here. And she didn't answer for two hours."

There is deep sadness here - and anger directed at the government and migrants. "It can't go on like this," said Eidwicht.

A Saudi refugee aged 50 has been arrested for the attack but the motive is unknown.

Officials say Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen, was an "untypical" attacker. Germany's Christmas markets and festivals have come under attack before, mainly from extreme Islamists.

Abdulmohsen has been described as critical of Islam and he also voiced support on social media for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, hailing the party for fighting the same enemy as him "to protect Germany".

The AfD has not commented on those posts - and the party is planning a procession of mourning in Magdeburg later on Monday, with national party leader Alice Weidel attending.

Her party is currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of federal elections on 23 February, especially in states like Saxony-Anhalt in the former East Germany.

This attack has brought two big elections issues to the fore, security and immigration, and AfD figures have highlighted both since the attack.

Despite the suspect's many statements expressing hostility to Islam, the head of the AfD in Sachsen-Anhalt, Martin Reichardt, said in a statement "the attack in Magdeburg shows that Germany is being drawn into political and religious fanaticism that has its origins in another world".

In a post on X, Weidel said the government's discussion of new security laws following the attack "must not distract from the fact that Magdeburg would not have been possible without uncontrolled immigration. The state must protect its citizens through a restrictive migration policy and consistent deportations!"

Reuters Alice Weidel of Germany's far-right AfD sits behind a lectern at a party conference, with the name of the party emblazoned on the wall behind herReuters
AfD leader Alice Weidel said the attack would not have been possible without "uncontrolled migration"

A counter-demonstration will also be held and anti-racism groups in Magdeburg have accused the AfD of exploiting the attack.

David Begrich from Miteinander e.V. said people in the city needed a chance to catch their breath.

"In the migrant communities, there is great concern about being made into a scapegoat," he said. "We don't want that. We want to organise solidarity across society, but at the same time we are also sensitive to the voices of those who are now reacting with fear and uncertainty."

Germans are asking how the attack could have happened, when security was already heightened at Christmas markets and when authorities had clearly investigated the suspect several times in recent years.

The threat he posed was considered "too unspecific", according to one assessment, while one tip-off against him in September 2023 appears to have fallen through the cracks.

A plan of the Christmas market in Magdeburg shows the route of the attack

In another apparent security failing, the driver was also able to get through a gap that had been left open for emergency access when it should have been filled by a police van.

Stallholders at the Christmas market have now been allowed to come back, to throw away old food and remove their equipment and stocks.

None that I approached wanted to speak to the BBC. It's all too raw.

There has also been hostility towards journalists over the past few days, especially after some 2,000 people joined a protest by the far right in Magdeburg on Saturday night.

The Association of German Journalists said there had been aggression and threats against the press and appealed for greater police protection.

The BBC team joined mourners gathered in Cathedral Square for a live stream of the vigil for victims of the attack and many who spoke to them said it was important to show solidarity at a time of terrible distress.

But one woman struck a note of caution. There are "some Nazis here, who don't like journalists," she said. "Please be careful."

The crocodile from Crocodile Dundee dies in Australia

Shutterstock Paul Hogan with fake crocodile on set of Crocodile Dundee. One use only, image payable per use.Shutterstock
For safety reasons, a fake version of Burt (pictured with Hogan) was used for some of the promotional photographs

The crocodile who starred in 1980s hit film Crocodile Dundee has died in Australia.

Burt, who was thought to be over 90 years old, appeared alongside Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski in the 1986 movie.

News of his death was confirmed by staff at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin, a reptile and aquarium attraction where Burt had lived since 2008.

In a statement posted on Instagram, the wildlife centre wrote: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Burt, the iconic saltwater crocodile and star of the Australian classic Crocodile Dundee.

"Burt passed away peacefully over the weekend, estimated to be over 90 years old, marking the end of an incredible era."

Shutterstock Paul Hogan with Burt on set. One use only, image payable per useShutterstock
Burt, pictured with Hogan on set, had lived at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin since 2008
Getty Images Paul Hogan in the foreground wearing a hat, denim shirt and tan-coloured waistcoat. Linda Kozlowski is in the background, wearing a white vest and black shorts.Getty Images
Crocodile Dundee was a box office hit in 1986

In the film, character Mick Dundee (Hogan) swaps the Australian outback for the jungle of New York after meeting American reporter Sue Charlton (Kozlowski), who eventually falls in love with him.

The croc is famously seen in the scene where Kozlowski's character is attacked as she kneels next to a creek.

Burt, who was captured in the 1980s in the Northern Territory's Reynolds River, was described by Crocasourus Cove as having a "bold" personality.

"Burt was a confirmed bachelor - an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm," the centre's statement continued.

"His fiery temperament earned him the respect of his caretakers and visitors alike, as he embodied the raw and untamed spirit of the saltwater crocodile."

"Burt was truly one of a kind. He wasn't just a crocodile; he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures.

Getty Images Paul Hogan with fake dead crocodile while filming crocodile Dundee. He is wearing a hat and waistcoat.Getty Images

"While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years.

The statement concluded: "Visitors from around the globe marvelled at his impressive size and commanding presence, especially at feeding time."

It's not unusual for saltwater crocodiles to live beyond 70 years old, especially in captivity.

Burt will be honoured with a commemorative sign at the attraction.

Crocodile Dundee remains the highest grossing Australian film of all time, taking $47,707,598 (Australian dollars).

It also spawned two sequels, 1988's Crocodile Dundee II and 2001's Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles.

Hogan and Kozlowski got married in 1990 but later divorced.

A documentary on the making of the film is expected to be released next year.

Greenland again tells Trump it is not for sale

AFP The Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) is pictured in northern GreenlandAFP
Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, formerly the Thule Air Base, is owned by the US

Greenland has once again said it is not for sale after US President-elect Donald Trump said he wanted to take control of the territory.

"Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland," its prime minister said on Monday, a day after Trump repeated comments about the Arctic island that he first made several years ago.

Greenland, which is an autonomous Danish territory, is home to a large US space facility and lies on the shortest route from the US to Europe, meaning it is strategically important for America.

There was no immediate response to Trump's comments from Denmark.

Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, the US president-elect said: "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."

His comments prompted a sharp rebuke from Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who said: "We are not for sale and we will not be for sale."

"We must not lose our long struggle for freedom. However, we must continue to be open to co-operation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours," he said.

A map showing Greenland, the US and Canada

Trump's controversial remarks came hours after he announced that he intended to nominate Ken Howery, his former ambassador to Sweden, to be the new ambassador to Denmark.

Mr Howery said he was "deeply humbled" by the nomination and looked forward to working with the staff at the US embassy in Copenhagen and the US consulate in Greenland to "deepen the bonds between our countries".

Trump's original suggestion in 2019 that the US acquire Greenland, which is the world's largest island, led to a similarly sharp rebuke from leaders there.

The then Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederickson, who still holds the role, described the idea as "absurd", leading Trump to cancel a state trip to the country.

He is not the first US president to suggest buying Greenland. The idea was first mooted during the 1860s under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

Separately on Sunday, Donald Trump threatened to reassert control over the Panama Canal, one of the world's most important waterways - accusing Panama of charging excessive fees for access to it.

Panama's president later said "every square metre" of the canal and surrounding area belonged to his country.

How Bath & Body Works Comes Up With Its Holiday Scents

Every year, Bath & Body Works introduces a new scent that it hopes will break through during the shopping season. It doesn’t have to smell like gingerbread.

© Dave Sanders for The New York Times

The nose likes what it likes. For a company like Bath & Body Works, the trick is to first catch the eye with something new.

Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to murdering healthcare CEO

BBC 'Breaking' graphicBBC

The suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and terrorism charges.

Luigi Mangione, 26, appeared in court on Monday to be arraigned on 11 state criminal counts, including murder a crime of terrorism.

He also faces with federal stalking and murder charges that could lead to a death penalty sentence.

Prosecutors allege that Mangione shot Thompson in central Manhattan before going on the run. Authorities later arrested him at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Mauritius says talks with UK over Chagos Islands are stuck over money

Getty Images A view of the Chagos Islands from the airGetty Images

Mauritius's deputy prime minister has hinted that negotiations with the UK over the future of the Chagos Islands are being held up over the amount of money involved.

Under the terms of the original agreement, which was announced in October, the UK would relinquish sovereignty to Mauritius over the archipelago but maintain a 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military airbase.

As part of the deal, the UK said it would provide a package of financial support to Mauritius, including annual payments and infrastructure investment, but neither side has said how much is involved.

However a new government in Mauritius, elected since the agreement was first made, has said it wants to see some changes.

The proposed deal has also attracted criticism in the UK, with the opposition Conservative party calling it a "monumental failure of statecraft".

When the agreement was first made public after years of talks, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the then Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth called it a "seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law".

It sought to end decades of uncertainty and dispute over the status of the islands.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the UK and Mauritius said they were committed "to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible" that included both the "secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia and that Mauritius is sovereign over the archipelago".

They added that "ongoing conversations" were productive.

The new Mauritian government, elected in a landslide last month, has not been explicit in public about what exactly its problems with the deal were.

But talking to his constituents on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger spoke about the money involved.

"This base existed on our land, on our territory... but not only it is [about] our sovereignty. There are some things you can't accept if you're a true patriot. They are trying to make us sign and they are quibbling on a small amount," he said.

Speaking in parliament last week about the negotiations Bérenger admitted that Mauritius needs "money to get out of the economic mess the previous government got us into, but not at any price, not under any conditions".

Addressing MPs on Friday, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said that the UK was keen to complete the deal "before [Donald] Trump swears in as president on 20 January".

Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for secretary of state, has described the deal as a threat to US security.

Last week in the UK's House of Commons, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel accused the Labour government of putting the UK's national security at risk, ignoring the interests of Chagossians, and "letting our standing go into freefall" in an increasingly dangerous world.

"How much is the British taxpayer going to be liable for each year, and in total, over 99 years?" she asked.

Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty insisted the deal would enhance, not damage UK security, saying it would protect the military base's operation and ensure it was "on a safe footing well into the next century".

In recent years, the UK has faced rising diplomatic isolation over its claim to what it refers to as the British Indian Ocean Territory, with various United Nations bodies - including its top court and general assembly - overwhelmingly siding with Mauritius and demanding the UK surrender what some have called its "last colony in Africa".

The government of Mauritius has long argued that it was illegally forced to give the Chagos Islands away in return for its own independence from the UK in 1968.

Until very recently, the UK insisted that Mauritius itself had no legitimate claim to the islands.

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King's Christmas message to come from ornate former hospital chapel

PA Media King Charles smiling at an event in the run-up to Christmas 2024, with a lit Christmas tree in the background. PA Media
The King will be giving his speech from a former chapel in central London

This year's Christmas message from King Charles will be delivered from a former hospital chapel, in a year in which the King has been undergoing cancer treatment.

The location for the traditional Christmas Day broadcast is the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, which once served as the chapel of the Middlesex Hospital.

It's the first time in more than a decade that the Christmas speech has been recorded from a place that isn't in a royal palace or estate - and it's understood that the King wanted a location with a healthcare connection.

The ornately-decorated 19th Century former chapel building is now used for exhibitions and community events for people of any faiths and none.

Getty Images Ornately decorated Fitzrovia Chapel in central LondonGetty Images
The Fitzrovia Chapel once served hospital staff and patients

As well as a link to the health services, the building also ties in with the King's interest in trying to build bridges between different beliefs, backgrounds and religions.

The traditional speech from the monarch, recorded earlier this month, will be broadcast as usual on television and radio at 15:00 on Christmas Day.

The Christmas message comes at the end of a year in which the King faced a cancer diagnosis.

His regular sessions of treatment are continuing, as they have for much of this year, but as a sign of a positive response, he has plans for a busy schedule of engagements and overseas trips in 2025.

Setting the speech in this former hospital chapel, which was renovated and reopened in 2016, will be a reminder of those working in the health services and medical research.

The small chapel, decorated in the Gothic Revival style with shimmering mosaics and Byzantine influences, is tucked away in Pearson Square, in a quiet corner of London's West End.

It was built in the courtyard of what was the Middlesex Hospital, serving its staff and patients. When the hospital was demolished the chapel was retained and restored, with a new development built around it.

It's no longer regularly used for services, but is used for community events and concerts and is open to visitors wanting some quiet contemplation.

The run-up to Christmas has seen the King attending a series of seasonal events, including a Christmas market in Battersea, a service remembering those persecuted because of their religion and an event in Walthamstow celebrating the diversity of the local community.

The King's speech on Christmas Day follows a tradition dating back to 1932, when George V made the first Christmas broadcast.

Some Morrisons shops back to normal after discount 'nightmare'

Getty Images The exterior of a Morrisons on a sunny day, with the logo prominentGetty Images

Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.

The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.

But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."

The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.

Morrisons has been contacted for comment.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Biden drops death sentences for 37 out of 40 prisoners

Reuters Joe Biden stands side-eye on to the camera, and gesticulates in front of a microphone against a blue curtained backdrop. He wears a navy blazer and white and blue tie. Reuters

US President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, switching their penalty to life in prison without parole.

Among those are nine people convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four for murders committed during bank robberies and one who killed a prison guard.

In a statement, Biden said he condemned the murderers and their crimes, but added he was "more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level".

Biden's decision comes before the return of President-elect Donald Trump in January, who previously resumed federal executions in July 2020 for the first time since 2003.

"Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden added.

Disgraced former New Orleans police officer Len Davis, who operated a drug ring involving other officers and arranged a woman's murder, is among those who have been shown clemency.

The three remaining on death row include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who helped carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof who shot and killed nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.

Robert Bowers, who killed 11 Jewish worshippers during a mass shooting in 2018 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, will also remain on death row.

Biden has campaigned as an opponent of the death penalty, and the Justice Department issued a moratorium on its use at federal level after he became president.

During his first term in office, Trump oversaw 13 deaths by lethal injection during his final six months in power.

There had been no federal inmates put to death in the US since 2003 until Trump resumed federal executions in July 2020.

During his re-election campaign, Trump indicated he would expand the use of capital punishment to include human and drug traffickers, as well as migrants who kill American citizens.

Biden appeared to make reference to Trump's intentions in his statement by saying he could not "in good conscience - stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted".

In US law, these clemency decisions cannot be reversed by a president's successor.

Biden's decision will not impact people sentenced to death in state courts, which is around around 2,250 inmates according to the Death Penalty Information Centre. More than 70 state executions have been carried out during Biden's presidency.

The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Six other states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, have moratoriums in place.

Earlier this month, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 more convicted of nonviolent crimes.

He also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases. He had pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September, and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June - becoming the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.

The US Constitution decrees that a president has the broad "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".

Japanese car makers Honda and Nissan join forces to take on China

Getty Images The bosses of Nissan and Honda at the press conference in Tokyo announcing merger talks.Getty Images

Honda and Nissan plan to merge as the two Japanese firms seek to fight back against competition from the Chinese car industry.

The integration would create one of the world's biggest car producers alongside Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford.

The potentially multibillion dollar deal to combat "the rise of Chinese power" was a key driver behind the plan, said Honda's chief executive Toshihiro Mibe.

Mr Mibe said a plan to "fight back" needs to be in place by 2030, or they risk being "beaten" by rivals.

Becoming one of the biggest brands in the car industry would allow the firms to claw back space in the growing electric car market, which has been increasingly dominated by Chinese-made electric vehicles, including BYD, which have posed a threat to some of the world's best known car firms.

"There is a rise of Chinese power and emerging forces and the structure of the automobile industry is changing," Mr Mibe told reporters at a press conference announcing the merger talks.

Growing competition in China has left many car makers struggling to compete, as lower labour and manufacturing costs make local firms more nimble and able to price their goods lower than foreign counterparts, making them far more attractive to buyers.

It has led to China becoming the world's biggest producer of electric vehicles.

In October, EU officials said the Chinese state was unfairly subsidising its EV makers and announced big taxes on imports of EVs from China to the EU, after the majority of member states backed the plans. The tariffs are set to rise from 10% to 45% for the next five years, but there are concerns it could raise EV prices higher for buyers.

"Capabilities to fight"

The total sales of Nissan and Honda is more than $191bn (£152bn), said Nissan's chief executive, Makoto Uchida.

In March, the two Japanese car makers agreed to explore a strategic partnership for electric vehicles (EVs).

"The talks started because we believe that we must build up capabilities to fight them, including the current emerging forces, by 2030. Otherwise we will be beaten", said Mr Mibe.

He added that the deal was not a bailout of Nissan, which has been struggling with falling sales.

In November, Nissan said it will cut around 9,000 jobs as it slashes global production to tackle a drop in sales in China and the US. The cuts mean its global production will be reduced by a fifth.

Nissan, once a symbol of Japan's car making strength, has spent the past few years trying to regain its footing after the arrest of longtime chief executive Carlos Ghosn. Mr Ghosn faced charges of financial misconduct when he fled Japan in 2019, and is currently the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to find and arrest a person. Mr Ghosn, currently in Lebanon, told reporters in December that Nissan's merger plans were an act of panic and desperation.

Mr Mibe said that any merger would be dependent on the turnaround of Nissan.

The merger, which would include Mitsubishi - of which Nissan is the biggest shareholder- would allow all three companies to share resources against other electric vehicle competitors such as Tesla. Honda and Nissan agreed in March to cooperate in their EV businesses, and in August deepened their ties, agreeing to work together on batteries and other technology.

However, any deal is likely to come under intense political scrutiny in Japan as it may result in job cuts, whilst Nissan is likely to unwind its alliance with French auto firm Renault.

German Christmas market attack offers far-right fertile ground despite suspect's support

Getty Images A man and a woman work on their stall at a Christmas market in Germany - the woman in a red coat is on the phone while the man tends to his stallGetty Images
Stallholders have been allowed back into the Christmas market after the attack

"I feel bad, I still do," said Eidwicht, as she stood in the Christmas market close to the spot where the car sped through on Friday, killing five people and injuring more than two hundred others.

"My granddaughter was here. I rang her because my daughter told me that something had happened here. And she didn't answer for two hours."

There is deep sadness here - and anger directed at the government and migrants. "It can't go on like this," said Eidwicht.

A Saudi refugee aged 50 has been arrested for the attack but the motive is unknown.

Officials say Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen, was an "untypical" attacker. Germany's Christmas markets and festivals have come under attack before, mainly from extreme Islamists.

Abdulmohsen has been described as critical of Islam and he also voiced support on social media for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, hailing the party for fighting the same enemy as him "to protect Germany".

The AfD has not commented on those posts - and the party is planning a procession of mourning in Magdeburg later on Monday, with national party leader Alice Weidel attending.

Her party is currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of federal elections on 23 February, especially in states like Saxony-Anhalt in the former East Germany.

This attack has brought two big elections issues to the fore, security and immigration, and AfD figures have highlighted both since the attack.

Despite the suspect's many statements expressing hostility to Islam, the head of the AfD in Sachsen-Anhalt, Martin Reichardt, said in a statement "the attack in Magdeburg shows that Germany is being drawn into political and religious fanaticism that has its origins in another world".

In a post on X, Weidel said the government's discussion of new security laws following the attack "must not distract from the fact that Magdeburg would not have been possible without uncontrolled immigration. The state must protect its citizens through a restrictive migration policy and consistent deportations!"

Reuters Alice Weidel of Germany's far-right AfD sits behind a lectern at a party conference, with the name of the party emblazoned on the wall behind herReuters
AfD leader Alice Weidel said the attack would not have been possible without "uncontrolled migration"

A counter-demonstration will also be held and anti-racism groups in Magdeburg have accused the AfD of exploiting the attack.

David Begrich from Miteinander e.V. said people in the city needed a chance to catch their breath.

"In the migrant communities, there is great concern about being made into a scapegoat," he said. "We don't want that. We want to organise solidarity across society, but at the same time we are also sensitive to the voices of those who are now reacting with fear and uncertainty."

Germans are asking how the attack could have happened, when security was already heightened at Christmas markets and when authorities had clearly investigated the suspect several times in recent years.

The threat he posed was considered "too unspecific", according to one assessment, while one tip-off against him in September 2023 appears to have fallen through the cracks.

A plan of the Christmas market in Magdeburg shows the route of the attack

In another apparent security failing, the driver was also able to get through a gap that had been left open for emergency access when it should have been filled by a police van.

Stallholders at the Christmas market have now been allowed to come back, to throw away old food and remove their equipment and stocks.

None that I approached wanted to speak to the BBC. It's all too raw.

There has also been hostility towards journalists over the past few days, especially after some 2,000 people joined a protest by the far right in Magdeburg on Saturday night.

The Association of German Journalists said there had been aggression and threats against the press and appealed for greater police protection.

The BBC team joined mourners gathered in Cathedral Square for a live stream of the vigil for victims of the attack and many who spoke to them said it was important to show solidarity at a time of terrible distress.

But one woman struck a note of caution. There are "some Nazis here, who don't like journalists," she said. "Please be careful."

The Son Who Couldn’t Leave

Paul Barreto’s father, Mickey, lived at the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan for five years, paying only $200.57. Paul was desperate to escape.

© Elias Williams for The New York Times

Paul Barreto will graduate in June from LaGuardia High School, an elite performing arts school in New York City.

A Pro-Trump Group’s Risky Bet on Infrequent Voters Seems to Have Paid Off

Turning Point Action devoted much of its attention to less reliable voters. New data in Arizona showing a sizable Republican edge among them suggests that the strategy succeeded.

© Anna Watts for The New York Times

Tyler Bowyer, the chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, at his office in the organization’s headquarters in Phoenix in October. Mr. Bowyer and Turning Point’s voter turnout effort zeroed in on infrequent voters who seemed to lean to the right, a strategy that appears to have paid off in Arizona.

The Making and Remaking of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’

Eighty years after its release, the sentimental holiday standard continues to enchant listeners and inspire the musicians who take it on.

© Archive Photos/Moviepix, via Getty Images

Judy Garland first introduced audiences to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” when she sang it in the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” The song was far from the movie’s biggest hit.

Top Arab Diplomats, in Syria Visits, Aim to Build Ties With New Leadership

Ministers from Jordan and Qatar were among the first high-ranking Arab diplomats to meet with the leader of the rebel coalition that toppled the Syrian regime, as the Arab world seeks to bring Syria back into the fold.

© Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times

Syrians celebrating the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on the second Friday after the fall of his regime.

中国修订《渔业法》 中国海警有权驱逐外国渔船

中国审议修订《渔业法》草案,将明订中国海警有权驱逐外国渔船。学者认为,关键在中国执法“管辖范围”怎么划分?台湾渔民关心,“外国”渔船是否包括台湾?

中国全国人大常委会21日初审《渔业法》修订草案,包括严格渔业捕捞管理、加强渔业资源增殖和保护、强化渔业监督管理,在涉外渔业治理、维护国家渔业权方面,与中国《海警法》衔接,明订中国海警有权驱逐外国渔船。

其中增设“监督管理”一章,明定渔业执法机构和海警机构的执法职责、措施等。中新社报道,该草案列明中国海警的渔业执法权限,并规定对违法进入中方“管辖水域”从事渔业生产等活动的外国渔船,责令其离开或者驱逐,没收渔获、罚款甚至没收船舶。

台湾的渔业署沿近海渔业组组长刘福升在接受自由亚洲电台采访时指出,对台湾及他国的影响,必须等中方公布实际条文内容才能确定。台湾政府订有护渔标准作业程序,由海巡署在护渔范围内执行巡护勤务,并宣导渔民,超出护渔范围作业具有风险。

图为今年五月在金门海域执勤的台湾海巡署船只
图为今年五月在金门海域执勤的台湾海巡署船只
(法新社图片)

中方法令中的“外国”渔船 是否包括台籍渔船?

对中方修《渔业法》有权驱逐外国渔船,台湾离岛、金门无党籍县议员董森堡接受自由亚洲电台采访指出,支持不破坏生态的渔法,有利于渔业资源永续。“但不晓得他所谓外国渔船是什么定义?如果以陆方‘一中原则’,那金门、台湾都不算外国渔船不是吗?”

董森堡说,金门渔民现在大都用“一支钓”,几乎没有使用拖网渔船和流刺网,不担心中方修法对金门渔民的影响。但希望陆方对休禁渔期、休禁渔区的公告清楚,避免衍生误会。他预料,争议、影响较大的应在南海,南海四岛包括越南、菲律宾、印尼等国都宣称拥有主权。

中菲近期在南海发生多次海警船冲突碰撞。越南则有十多名渔民在南海捕鱼被中方船只包围。中方渔船在日本周边海域活动亦有增加。

今年七月,台湾离岛澎湖“大进满”渔船曾因遭中方指控违反中国休渔规定被中方扣押人船。澎湖区渔会总干事蔡月娇接受自由亚洲电台采访指出,过去两岸渔民有海峡中线默契。至于中方持续将海峡中线“内海化”,她表示,担心一定会担心,但渔民没有权力,幸好这次经前立委和前议长去沟通协调,大进满人船平安获释。

蔡月娇说:“澎湖渔船经过这次大进满教训,应该以后在大陆休渔期间,渔民就少过去中线越界捕捞。过去中方也有休渔期,很少驱赶台湾的渔船,中方渔船也会越界,台湾离岛澎湖海巡也曾扣押中方的渔船。赖清德上来以后讲话比较呛,中国大陆就比较会对付我们、拿渔民出气。”

学者:中方对“管辖范围”不明确 具有政治操作空间

台湾的国防安全研究院副研究员黄宗鼎接受自由亚洲电台采访指出,現行《中国海警法》第16条已触及中国海警有权对在中国管辖海域内航行、停泊、作业的外国船舶进行识别查证;对有违法嫌疑的外国船舶,有权采取跟踪监视等措施。

黄宗鼎认为,《渔业法》的修订可视为配套,中方对海域、海权方面的修法不会是最后一件。关键在中国法律明订的“管辖海域”,是否能被周边国家和国际公认具有合理性跟正当性?

黄宗鼎说:“中国最高人民法院2016年16号法律解释第一条曾提到其管辖海域,包括内水、领海、毗连区、专属经济区、大陆架,还有中华人民共和国所管辖的其他海域。而所谓管辖海域就是一个没有解释的解释。”

黄宗鼎指出,中方的认定与联合国海洋法公约冲突。从国际社会角度,中方很多自认的“管辖海域”是公海或他国专属经济区范围, 都属于航行自由的正当海域。“中国正透过标榜他所谓管辖海域的主张在对抗国际秩序。”

黄宗鼎表示,台海中线以东过去中方较不会去执法,如今连台湾东部海域,都有中国海警船和解放军的活动,中方把台湾周边海域当自己管辖。未来双方执法角力、冲突绝不限于渔船或渔事活动。

责编:许书婷、梒青 网编:洪伟

© 美联社图片

图为一艘中国海警船。中国审议修订《渔业法》草案,将明订海警有权驱逐外国渔船。

Alfa Anderson, Singer With Chic, Dies at 78

She sang the famous refrain “Le freak, c’est chic,” on one of disco’s biggest hits and was a sought-after vocalist for many prominent artists.

© Carrie Davenport/Redferns, via Getty Images

Alfa Anderson, who sang Chic’s “At Last I Am Free” and “I Want Your Love.”

中国拒绝瑞典检方登上“伊鹏3号”调查


2024-12-23T15:33:41.187Z
“伊鹏3号”已离开卡特加特海峡(资料图片)

(德国之声中文网)近日,瑞典检方要求登上中国货船“伊鹏3号”进行调查的请求未获中方批准。瑞典外交部长玛丽亚·马尔默·斯特内加德对媒体表示,中方未允许瑞典检察官和警方在船上开展调查工作。而在此前的12月19日,丹麦外交部长曾表示,中国已允许丹麦、德国、瑞典等国的代表登上停靠在波罗的海超过一个月的中国货船。

当时瑞典警方曾发表声明称,“中国当局的代表正在船上进行调查,并邀请瑞典当局以观察员身份参与”,强调瑞典警察不会在船上采取任何检查措施,当时的行动也并不是由瑞典主导的初步调查的一部分。

此前,中国散装货轮“伊鹏3号”在今年11月涉嫌破坏2条海底电缆被瑞典当局通缉。瑞典及中国外交官持续针对此事沟通,该艘货船也因此在丹麦和瑞典中间的卡特加特海峡公海地区停泊了超过一个月的时间。

未获登船许可

瑞典检察官亨里克·瑟德曼表示,由于检方无法登船,调查人员既无法与船员对话,也无法进行技术检测。然而,瑞典事故调查局(SHK)在中国的协助下,已对船员进行了部分访谈,并完成了初步的技术评估。SHK局长约翰·阿尔贝克表示,目前尚不清楚这些调查结果是否与检方共享。

今年11月中旬,波罗的海两条关键通信电缆接连遭到破坏。其一是连接德国与芬兰的C-Lion 1海底电缆,另一条则连接瑞典与立陶宛的Arelion电缆。这两起事件发生在48小时内,引发欧洲政界对“破坏活动”的强烈怀疑。据船只追踪数据,“伊鹏3号”当时恰好在相关区域航行,因此成为怀疑对象。

针对相关指控,中国外交部否认“伊鹏3号”涉及破坏活动。中国外交部发言人毛宁表示,中方愿意与相关国家合作查明真相,并强调中国一直与瑞典保持密切沟通。中国虽表示允许德国、瑞典、芬兰等国以观察员的身份参与对货船的检查行动,但明确表示调查主导权归中方。

此次事件进一步加剧了波罗的海的紧张局势。自2022年俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来,波罗的海地区已成为地缘政治争端的焦点。此前发生的北溪管道爆炸事件、以及芬兰与爱沙尼亚之间天然气管道因中国货船船锚受损的事件,均使该地区安全形势恶化。

丹麦海军巡逻舰在海上监视伊鹏三号

多方指责与调查进展

路透社曾引述多名西方情报官员说法报道称,他们相信是中国船只切断2条海底电缆。但对于究竟是意外还是中方故意为之则有不同看法。

瑞典首相克里斯特松(Ulf Kristersson)曾多次声明称,该国已在11月底请求中国配合调查,但强调没有针对北京提出任何形式的“指控”。

德国国防部长皮斯托里乌斯(Boris Pistorius)曾表示,被切断的电缆可能是“破坏活动”的结果。“没有人相信这些电缆是偶然被切断。”瑞典警方也在调查“破坏活动”的嫌疑。

对于这是与乌克兰战争有关的破坏事件的指责,俄罗斯驳斥称 “荒唐、可笑”。多名欧洲政界人士指责这是莫斯科的“混合战争”。

据路透社援引情报人士的分析,一些西方专家认为中国货船可能是受俄罗斯指使,故意对电缆实施破坏。丹麦安全专家卡斯博(Jacob Kaarsbo)则认为,此次事件可能是中国船只与俄罗斯合作的产物,但他强调,没有迹象显示中国是幕后主谋。

卡斯博事后向瑞典TT通讯社表示,所有迹象显示,这艘中国船只应为电缆损害负责。他说,这艘船只从一个俄罗斯港口出发,在发生损害的两处地点放慢了航行速度。同时他不认为中国是破坏行动的幕后方,而很可能是俄罗斯租用了这艘船。

国际合作与后续调查

目前,“伊鹏3号”已离开卡特加特海峡。中国政府表示,此举是为了保障船员的身心健康,同时承诺与相关国家保持沟通与合作。瑞典警方和国际观察员将继续监控这艘货船的动向。

近年来,波罗的海地区的海底设施屡遭破坏。2016年启用的C-Lion 1电缆是连接中欧与北欧的重要数据通道,破坏事件已对该地区的通信和贸易产生了重大影响。欧洲各国已就此类事件展开联合安全评估。

(法新社、德新社、路透社)

© 2024年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。



Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to New York murder charges

BBC 'Breaking' graphicBBC

The suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and terrorism charges.

Luigi Mangione, 26, appeared in court on Monday to be arraigned on 11 state criminal counts, including murder a crime of terrorism.

He also faces with federal stalking and murder charges that could lead to a death penalty sentence.

Prosecutors allege that Mangione shot Thompson in central Manhattan before going on the run. Authorities later arrested him at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

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Kremlin denies reports Assad's wife has filed for divorce

Getty Images Bashar al-Assad, left, smiles and waves wearing a dark suit. His wife Asma al-Assad smiles more widely beside him, and wears a grey striped jacket.Getty Images

The British-born wife of deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is not seeking a divorce, a Kremlin spokesman has said.

Reports in Turkish media had suggested Asma al-Assad wanted to end her marriage and leave Russia, where she and her husband were granted asylum after a rebel coalition overthrew the former president's regime and took control of Damascus.

Asked about the reports in a news conference call, Dmitry Peskov said, "No, they do not correspond to reality."

He also denied reports that Assad had been confined to Moscow and that his property assets had been frozen.

Russia was a staunch ally of the Assad regime and offered it military support during the civil war.

But reports in Turkish media on Sunday suggested the Assads were living under severe restrictions in the Russian capital, and that the former Syrian first lady had filed for divorce and wanted to return to London.

Mrs Assad is a dual Syrian-British national, but the UK foreign secretary has previously said she would not be allowed to return to Britain.

Speaking in parliament earlier this month, David Lammy said: "I want it confirmed that she's a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK."

He added he would do "everything I can in my power" to ensure no member of the Assad family "finds a place in the UK".

In a statement attributed to Bashar al-Assad last week, he said he had never intended to flee Syria, but he was airlifted from a Russian military base at Moscow's request.

Getty Images Asma al-Assad in white and Bashar al-Assad in black descend a plane staircase.Getty Images
Getty Images Asma al-Assad, in a pink suit, shakes hands with Queen Elizabeth II, in a light blue suit. Behind their clasped hands stands Bashar al-Assad in a dark suit and tie. All three are smiling. Getty Images

Asma al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad visited France in 2001, shortly after they were married
The couple met Queen Elizabeth II on a 2002 trip to London. It was the first time a Syrian leader had been invited to Buckingham Palace

Asma al-Assad, 49, was born in the UK to Syrian parents in 1975 and grew up in Acton, west London.

She moved to Syria in 2000 at the age of 25 and married her husband just months after he succeeded his father as president.

Throughout her 24 years as Syria's first lady, Mrs Assad was a subject of curiosity in western media.

A controversial 2011 Vogue profile called her "a rose in the desert" and described her as "the freshest and most magnetic of first ladies". The article has since been removed from the Vogue website.

Just one month later, Mrs Assad was criticised for remaining silent while her husband violently repressed pro-democracy campaigners at the start of the Syrian civil war.

The conflict went on to claim the lives of around half a million people, with her husband accused of using chemical weapons against civilians.

In 2016, Mrs Assad told Russian state-backed television she had rejected a deal to offer her safe passage out of the war-torn nation in order to stand by her husband.

She announced she was being treated for breast cancer in 2018 and said she had made a full recovery one year later.

She was diagnosed with leukaemia and began treatment for the disease in May this year, the office of then-President Assad announced.

A statement said she would "temporarily withdraw" from public engagements.

Morrisons apologises as deliveries and discounts hit

Getty Images The exterior of a Morrisons on a sunny day, with the logo prominentGetty Images

Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.

The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.

But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."

The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.

Morrisons has been contacted for comment.

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Biden drops death sentences for 37 prisoners

Reuters Joe Biden stands side-eye on to the camera, and gesticulates in front of a microphone against a blue curtained backdrop. He wears a navy blazer and white and blue tie. Reuters

US President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, switching their penalty to life in prison without parole.

Among those are nine people convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four for murders committed during bank robberies and one who killed a prison guard.

In a statement, Biden said he condemned the murderers and their crimes, but added he was "more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level".

Biden's decision comes before the return of President-elect Donald Trump in January, who previously resumed federal executions in July 2020 for the first time since 2003.

"Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden added.

Disgraced former New Orleans police officer Len Davis, who operated a drug ring involving other officers and arranged a woman's murder, is among those who have been shown clemency.

The three remaining on death row include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who helped carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof who shot and killed nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.

Robert Bowers, who killed 11 Jewish worshippers during a mass shooting in 2018 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, will also remain on death row.

Biden has campaigned as an opponent of the death penalty, and the Justice Department issued a moratorium on its use at federal level after he became president.

During his first term in office, Trump oversaw 13 deaths by lethal injection during his final six months in power.

There had been no federal inmates put to death in the US since 2003 until Trump resumed federal executions in July 2020.

During his re-election campaign, Trump indicated he would expand the use of capital punishment to include human and drug traffickers, as well as migrants who kill American citizens.

Biden appeared to make reference to Trump's intentions in his statement by saying he could not "in good conscience - stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted".

In US law, these clemency decisions cannot be reversed by a president's successor.

Biden's decision will not impact people sentenced to death in state courts, which is around around 2,250 inmates according to the Death Penalty Information Centre. More than 70 state executions have been carried out during Biden's presidency.

The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Six other states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, have moratoriums in place.

Earlier this month, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 more convicted of nonviolent crimes.

He also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases. He had pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September, and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June - becoming the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.

The US Constitution decrees that a president has the broad "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".

Man arrested over death of woman set on fire on New York subway

Getty Images Police investigate at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman aboard a subway car was set on fire and diedGetty Images
Police were called to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman on a subway car was set on fire

A suspect has been arrested in New York over the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident on Sunday as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being".

She said the woman was sleeping on a stationary F train to Brooklyn when she was approached by the suspect who used a lighter to ignite her clothing.

The victim died at the scene, she said, adding that the suspect had been taken into custody after he was detained on another subway train.

Police said the woman, who has not been named, was sleeping in a subway carriage at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her.

There was no interaction before the attack, police said, adding that they did not believe the two people knew each other.

The man got off the train as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the fire.

"What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames," Ms Tisch said.

Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive for the attack.

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