Breaking News, Latest Philippines Headlines, World, Entertainment, Politics, Weather & Video News
by Dan Martin SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — For two raucous hours on Thursday night, Chinese fans and US basketball stars called a timeout on the increasingly bitter clash of values between their countries and let sport take over. In stark contrast to the war of words over an NBA executive’s support for Hong Kong democracy protests, Chinese fans filled an 18,000-seat Shanghai arena to revel in the NBA’s high-flying razzle-dazzle. The exhibition game between the […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s state media accused Apple Wednesday of supporting pro-democracy protesters, warning the US tech giant would suffer consequences for its “unwise and reckless” decision, in an echo of campaigns against other Western firms. An opinion piece in the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, highlighted a transport app available on Apple’s store that it alleged helped protesters identify police in Hong Kong. “Apple’s approval for the app obviously […]
SAITAMA, Japan (AFP) — The NBA will not regulate speech and won’t apologise for a controversial tweet from a Houston Rockets executive that has sparked a Chinese backlash, the organisation’s commissioner said Tuesday. The tweet by the Rockets’ general manager Daryl Morey supporting pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong has infuriated fans in China, a major market for the NBA. But commissioner Adam Silver said the organisation would continue to “support freedom of expression and […]
by Dan Martin Agence France Presse SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — China on Tuesday scrapped plans to air NBA exhibition games as the league faced an escalating punishment campaign in the lucrative Chinese market ignited by an American basketball executive’s pro-democracy tweet. The National Basketball Association also faced a counter-attack in the United States, where presidential candidates, influential senators, and fans accused it of kowtowing to authoritarian China. The crisis erupted Friday when Houston Rockets […]
SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — The NBA and Brooklyn Nets abruptly canceled a media event in Shanghai on Tuesday as the American basketball league struggles with a public relations crisis sparked by a tweet from a Houston Rockets executive backing Hong Kong democracy protesters. Nets players, the team’s Taiwanese-Canadian owner Joseph Tsai, and NBA China officials were scheduled to be on hand for the publicity event, ahead of a pair of exhibition games in China against […]
by James EDGAR / Jasmine LEUNG HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong’s under-fire leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday she would not rule out accepting help from mainland China in tackling increasingly violent pro-democracy protests. The financial hub has been gripped by four months of rallies, and last weekend saw much of the city grind to a halt as masked demonstrators took to the streets in defiance of a controversial ban on face coverings. Lam’s […]
by Jerome TAYLOR / Jasmine LEUNG HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong may curb access to the internet in a bid to contain months of increasingly violent pro-democracy protests, a cabinet member told AFP on Monday, after an emergency-law ban on demonstrators wearing face masks failed to quell the unrest. The warning came as the international financial hub remained partly paralyzed from three days of protests in which the city’s rail network and business […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Monday urged a “humane solution” in Hong Kong but noted that the crowds protesting against Chinese authorities were smaller than before. “We just want to see a humane solution,” Trump said in comments to reporters. “I think they have to do that in a peaceful manner.” He remarked on the “great people over there” and said, “they’re flying the American flag.” But Trump avoided expressing […]
by Jerome TAYLOR / Pak YIU HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong democracy protesters arrested for defying a new face mask ban appeared in court on Monday following a violent weekend of unrest which saw bloody clashes with police and widespread vandalism that crippled the city’s train network. The international finance hub convulsed with three straight days of rallies and riots after the city’s pro-Beijing leader invoked colonial-era emergency powers to ban face coverings […]
by Jerome Taylor / Jasmine Leung HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong police fired tear gas at pro-democracy protesters on Sunday after tens of thousands hit the streets once more to defy a ban on face masks despite half the city’s subway stations remaining closed. Large crowds marched through torrential rain in unsanctioned rallies on both sides of Victoria Harbour while police battled protesters in multiple locations, plunging the finance hub into chaos once […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The Houston Rockets tried Sunday to distance the NBA team, who have a huge Chinese fan base, from general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet supporting the Hong Kong protests as it sparked a backlash in China. Head coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters in Tokyo that he “doesn’t feel comfortable” commenting on Morey’s tweet, which featured an image with the message “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong”. The tweet was posted […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong’s embattled leader on Saturday condemned pro-democracy protesters who trashed subway stations and shops the night before as “rioters” who had left much of the strife-torn city frightened and paralyzed. “The extreme actions of rioters created a very dark night for Hong Kong and made Hong Kong society semi-paralyzed today,” chief executive Carrie Lam said in a video statement. “Everyone is very worried and concerned, or even scared. “Extremely […]
