Robust Democratic Institutions an ‘Antidote’ Against Beijing’s Infiltration: Expert
Australia’s democratic institutions have proven to be an “antidote” to Beijing’s extensive infiltration operations and a case study for countries on how to expose and repel the communist regime’s United Front Work Department. In 2014, Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s declared the influence activities of the United Front one of the regime’s “magic weapons.” A new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found Australia’s free press, intelligence services, political will, along with lively public debate, worked in concert to expose and negate Xi’s “magic weapons.” Amy Searight, author of the report, says Australia is targeted as part of a grander scheme to undermine the United States’ regional dominance in the Pacific. As one of the United States’ closest allies, driving a wedge in the U.S.-Australia alliance would…
PARIS鈥擯aris authorities on Saturday imposed the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors in busy areas of the French capital from Monday as the number of coronavirus infections there rose.
The order applies to people aged 11 and over, the Paris prefecture said in a statement.
“All the indicators show that since mid-July that virus has again begun circulating more actively,” the prefecture said.
The rate of positive tests in the greater Paris region now stood at 2.4 percent compared with a national average of 1.6 percent, it added.
The zones where masks must be worn will be detailed separately, and evaluated on a regular basis, the prefecture said. They will include some densely populated areas in the capital’s lower-income suburbs.
After tough lockdown measures slowed infection rates, many European countries are now watching new clusters flare up after easing restrictions to try to limit the economic damage and alleviate public frustration.
France has made it compulsory to wear a face mask in closed public spaces such as shops and banks since July 21, and Paris joins a growing list of cities ordering people to wear masks in busy zones outdoors, including Toulouse, Lille and Biarritz.
By Richard Lough
Focus News: Paris Orders Mandatory Wearing of Masks Outdoors in Busy Areas as Virus Flares Up
Trump Orders Ban on Transactions With TikTok, WeChat Parent Companies
President Donald Trump on Thursday issued executive orders to ban transactions with popular video sharing app TikTok and social media app WeChat in 45 days. The executive orders also ban transactions with the two social media applications’ parent companies, Chinese-owned ByteDance and Tencent Holdings. The executive order for TikTok said that “any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States” would be prohibited “with ByteDance Ltd. (a.k.a. Zìjié Tiàodòng), Beijing, China, or its subsidiaries,” in 45 days after the order, which is after Sept. 20. The executive order for WeChat said that “any transaction that is related to WeChat by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States” would be prohibited with its parent company “Tencent…
