Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy leader Jimmy Lai was sentenced to two decades in prison on national security grounds on Monday, sparking global condemnation and raising concerns about the future of freedoms in Hong Kong and beyond. The sentencing, which Lai's son described as a "death sentence" due to his father's age and health, has been viewed by critics as a sign of China's intentions for other territories, including Taiwan.
According to Time, the sentence has been met with widespread criticism. A Human Rights Watch spokesperson summed up the sentiment, stating the sentence was a blow to Hong Kong's freedoms. Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation in the U.S., told Time before the sentence was handed down that he believed China's treatment of Hong Kong foreshadowed its plans for Taiwan and other countries.
Meanwhile, former President Trump is facing multiple challenges. Drawing from multiple sources, including Variety and Time, Trump is threatening to obstruct the Gordie Howe International Bridge's opening, citing trade grievances with Canada. Additionally, Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in a sex trafficking case, invoked her Fifth Amendment rights before the House Oversight Committee but indicated a willingness to testify about Trump and Clinton's innocence regarding Jeffrey Epstein if granted clemency by Trump, according to Time.
Other developments include a US judge blocking the deportation of a Turkish student, as reported by Variety. The Trump administration is also considering actions that could escalate nuclear tensions. Simultaneously, new allegations against Prince Andrew are under investigation, and Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar's horror-comedy "Ghost in the Cell" explores societal anxieties about corruption, according to Variety.
In other news, Japan's first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, led the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to a historic landslide victory in the lower house elections, according to NPR Politics. This win granted the LDP a supermajority, enabling Takaichi to pursue her conservative agenda, including potential amendments to Japan's pacifist constitution.
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