With threats, pressure and financial lures, China seen as aiming to influence Taiwan’s elections

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Using military threats, diplomatic pressure, fake news and financial inducements for politicians, China is being accused of deploying a broad strategy to influence voters in Taiwan’s elections to pick candidates who favor unification. China’s ultimate goal is to take control of the self-governing island democracy, whose high-tech economy supplies key components for … Read more

Finland to close again entire border with Russia as reopening of 2 crossing points lures migrants

HELSINKI — Finland’s government has decided to seal again, effective Friday, the Nordic country’s entire eastern frontier due to a continuing influx of migrants at the two crossing points on the border with Russia that were reopened on a temporary basis early Thursday. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen told reporters that a decision by Prime Minister … Read more

Exclusive-China lures hundreds of Taiwan politicians with cheap trips before election

By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) – Beijing has sponsored cut-price trips to China for hundreds of Taiwanese politicians ahead of key elections on the island, according to Taiwan sources and documents, unnerving officials with a broad campaign that one called “election interference”. President Tsai Ing-wen and other Taiwan officials have warned that China might try … Read more

Beijing’s crackdown fails to dim Hong Kong’s luster, as talent scheme lures Chinese

HONG KONG — The exodus of tens of thousands of professionals from Hong Kong triggered by a crackdown on its civil liberties is being offset by new arrivals: mainland Chinese keen to move to the former British colony. The Asian financial hub has attracted tens of thousands of visa applications from mainland Chinese under the … Read more