Outspoken Chinese billionaire Sun Dawu sentenced to 18 years in prison for "provoking trouble"
CBSN
Prominent Chinese billionaire Sun Dawu has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined nearly $500,000 after being found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" in China, a charge frequently used against activists and dissidents, BBC News reported.
The 67-year-old pig farming magnate was reportedly detained alongside 20 of his family members and business associates over a dispute with a government-run farm. He is one of a number of high-profile corporate bosses who have been targeted by the Chinese government, the BBC said. Sun has spoken out about politically sensitive topics and has supported prominent human rights lawyers and dissidents by paying their legal costs, the activists group Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said.Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.