BEIJING: A Chinese court has sentenced to five years in prison a Taiwanese activist who conducted online lectures on Taiwan’s democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China.
The Yueyang City Intermediate People’s Court in central China handed down the sentence against Lee Ming-che Tuesday after finding him guilty of subversion of state power.
Lee was detained in southern China on March 19 and was tried in September. Lee confessed to the charge during his trial, which his wife dismissed as “a political show.”
Subversion of state power is a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics.
Lee Ming-che’s trial marked China’s first criminal prosecution of a nonprofit worker since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations.
China sentences Taiwan activist to 5 years for subversion
China sentences Taiwan activist to 5 years for subversion
Winter storm snarls US holiday travel
- The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages
BOSTON: More than a thousand flights were canceled or delayed across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions due to snow as thousands took to US roads and airports during the busy travel period between Christmas and New Year’s.
As of Saturday morning, New York City had received just under three inches of snow — roughly half of what some forecasts had predicted.
At least 1,500 flights were canceled from Friday night into Saturday, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport posted snow warnings on the social media platform X, cautioning that weather conditions could cause flight disruptions.
The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages. Forecasters said the storm was expected to weaken by Saturday morning.
Ahead of the storm, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state. Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency for all of New Jersey, “due to a severe winter storm causing dangerous weather conditions, including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.”
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” Way said in a statement. “We are urging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.”
