China launches first crewed space mission, North Korea facing food shortage, Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily editors
The Yahoo Finance Live panel discuss today’s World View: China Space Mission, NoKo Food Shortage, Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily editors.
Video transcript
- [SPEAKING CHINESE]
- The Shenzhou-12 successfully took off from the satellite launch center in the Gobi Desert, becoming China's first manned mission in nearly five years. The crew will be tasked with helping build out the planned space station, the Tiangong. They'll spend three months in orbit conducting long-duration spacewalks. This marks the third of 11 launches China has planned for its space station it is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a rare warning about a potential food crisis. State media KCNA says Kim convened number of members of his ruling party to discuss what he described as a tense food situation, calling on the party and state to concentrate on farming. The rare admission highlights the economic challenges brought on by extensive flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic which forced the country to close its border with China.
The UN warns North Korean households could experience a harsh lean period this fall if imports and foreign aid remain cut off. Some reports suggest grain production in the country has dropped off dramatically, leading to a shortage of nearly 1.4 million tons so far this year.
And Hong Kong police have arrested five editors and executives of a pro-democracy newspaper, intensifying its crackdown on dissent. More than 500 officers raided "Apple Daily's" office, alleging a breach of the city's sweeping new national security law. Police arrested its editor-in-chief and four other executives at their homes. They also froze more than $2 million in assets owned by companies linked to "Apple Daily" and seized three dozen computers from the newsroom.
This marks the first time Hong Kong journalists have been arrested under suspicion of violating the national security law. "Apple Daily" founder Jimmy Lai is already serving more than two years in prison for his role in Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests.
