Police find body in van believed to be linked to California mass shooting suspect
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
Police in Torrance, California, used armoured vehicles to surround a white cargo van that may be connected to a suspect in a fatal shooting in Monterey Park, about 20 miles (34km away), officials said.
Television images showed a body slumped over the steering wheel of that van.
Los AngelesCounty Sheriff Robert Luna said at a briefing on Sunday (January 22) afternoon that a man resembling the suspect had been seen in Torrance and police believed there was a person inside the vehicle.
A man fatally shot 10 people and injured at least 10 others at a ballroom dance hall during a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration late on Saturday (January 21) near Los Angeles before fleeing the scene, police said.
The shooter, still at large 12 hours after the attack in the city of Monterey Park, was believed to be an Asian man between 30 and 50 years old based on eyewitness descriptions, law enforcement officials said.
Earlier Sunday morning, the sheriff’s department said it did not know whether the attack was racially motivated. Five of the victims were male and five were female, Luna said. Their identities have not been made public.
Germany will coordinate with allies on Ukraine weapons decisions – Scholz
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, under pressure to allow the shipment of German-made tanks to Ukraine, said on Sunday all decisions on weapons deliveries would be made in coordination with allies including the United States.
Last week Germany and Western allies reached no decision on whether Germany would agree to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or permit other countries that have them to do so, despite Ukraine’s pleas for modern tanks to boost its defence efforts.
Scholz, asked at a news conference in Paris about providing tanks to Ukraine, said all weapons deliveries to Ukraine so far had taken place in close coordination with Western partners. “We will do that in the future,” he said.
Speaking at the same news conference, French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not rule out the possibility of sending Leclerc tanks to Ukraine.
Macron said that sending tanks must not escalate the situation, must take into account the time to train Ukrainians to be effective, and must not endanger France’s own security.
German sources have told Reuters they would allow German-made tanks to be sent to Ukraine to help its defence against Russia if the United States agrees to send its own tanks. But U.S. officials have said President Joe Biden’s administration is not poised to send its own tanks, including the M1 Abrams.
Scholz was in Paris with top leaders of his government for a meeting with his French counterparts and to attend ceremonies to mark the 60th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty.
Ten people were killed in a mass shooting in the city of Monterey Park, California, late on Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Another 10 people were taken to local hospitals to be treated for injuries, and at least one was in critical condition.
“Los Angeles County Sheriff‘s Homicide detectives are responding to assist Monterey Park Police Department with a shooting death investigation. There are ten deceased,” the department said in a brief statement.
“There is no additional information available at this time.”
The department said the suspect was male, but it was not clear if he was still at large.
The shooting took place after 10 p.m. (0600 GMT on Sunday, January 22) around the location of a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration held in Monterey Park, US media reported.
Footage posted on social media showed injured people on stretchers being taken to ambulances by emergency staff. Around the scene of the shooting – reported to have been at a dance club – police guarded cordoned-off streets, the video showed.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones tonight in our neighbouring city, Monterey Park, where a mass shooting just occurred,” Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia said in a tweet.
Tens of thousands of people had attended the festival earlier in the day.
The Los Angeles Times quoted the owner of a nearby restaurant as saying that people who sought shelter in his property told him there was a man with a machine gun in the area.
Seung Won Choi told the newspaper that he believed the shooting took place at a dance club.
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles county, around 7 miles (11 km) from downtown Los Angeles.
Year of the Rabbit: Three faces of the Chinese rabbit you may not know
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023
The Year of the Rabbit should not just conjure images of lithe, fluffy Peter Rabbits or Judy from Zootopia.
As China ushers in the Year of the Rabbit, a variety of bunnies have stormed the country’s shopping malls, parks and social media platforms. Clad in golden armour, riding on ferocious tigers or holding herb-pounding pestles, some may be less recognizable for non-Chinese rabbit lovers.
On the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Sunday, Xinhua has rounded up some of the most famed rabbits in China and is offering explanations of their changing symbolism in modern-day China.
Jade Rabbit
This is probably the most famous rabbit in China. It features on the special stamps issued by China Post to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit and was mentioned when the Chinese leadership extended Lunar New Year greetings.
Known as Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, the pet (or pets) of Lunar GoddessChang’e often appears grinding herbal medicines with a pestle in the Lunar Palace.
Photo taken by the landform camera on the Chang
Legend has it that Chang’e, after swallowing a magic pill, took her pet and flew toward the moon where she became a goddess, and she has lived there with the white jade rabbit ever since.
Archaeologists say that rabbits and toads have long been imagined as inhabitants of the moon in Chinese mythology, probably due to their resemblance to the dark spots on the lunar surface.
The relationship between rabbits and the moon had been established in the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD) or earlier, evidenced by unearthed silk paintings carrying images of running rabbits on the moon, said Ai Lulu, a researcher at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum.
As for images of rabbits crushing herbal medicines with a mortar and pestle, Ai suggests they may have derived from the story of another goddess Xiwangmu, or Queen Mother of the West, who has a retinue of rabbits making elixirs of immortality.
The rabbit’s common association with Earth’s only natural satellite led China to name its first moon rover “Yutu.” Aboard the Chang’e lunar probe, the buggy steered onto the surface of the moon in 2013.
Instead of concocting elixirs of immortality, the Yutu rover sampled moon rocks and conducted experiments. It operated on the moon for over two years, outliving its designed lifespan of just three months.
In 2019, China sent another rabbit visitor to the moon. The Yutu-2 rover and the Chang’e-4 probe soft-landed on the dark side of the moon — a first for humanity. Still in good condition, the robotic rabbit has travelled 1,455 meters on the moon’s far side as of Jan. 3.
White Rabbit
The image of a white rabbit often leaves a sweet taste in the minds of Chinese children.
Born in 1959 in Shanghai, White Rabbit milk candies are a household name in China.
People shop at a White Rabbit candy franchise shop at Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)
Milk powder is the main ingredient of the candy, giving it its iconic creamy taste and texture. In times of food shortages, White Rabbit candies were hailed as nutritional boosters and gifted to children during festivals.
The 64-year-old rabbit sweets have enjoyed renewed popularity among young consumers in recent years, with the roll-out of White Rabbit-flavored milk tea, ice cream, and even lip balm.
The candy’s bunny mascot has also been incorporated into the designs of global cosmetics brands and luxury houses, which have shown rising interest in China’s Zodiac animal culture.
At the 5th China International Import Expo held last November, Coach and White Rabbit globally debuted a co-branded collection, including clothing, handbags, footwear and children’s wear collections.
Lord Rabbit
Lord Rabbit, known as Tu’er Ye in Chinese, is an auspicious clay toy for children in Beijing.
With a human body and a rabbit’s ears and mouth, Lord Rabbit is actually a deity governing health and medicine, and an alternate version of the jade rabbit.
Citizens buy rabbit dolls at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 12, 2011, to celebrate the traditional Mid-autumn festival. (Xinhua/Zhao Bing)
The legend goes that Beijing once suffered a plague before the Mid-Autumn Festival. The goddess Chang’e dispatched the rabbit to cure the disease. In gratitude, Beijing people made clay figurines to pay homage to the plague dispeller.
The iconic image of Lord Rabbit depicts the creature as a general, wearing a golden helmet and armour, and riding a tiger.
Despite its military air and male title “ye,” meaning “lord,” some craftspeople argue the deified rabbit was actually a female doctor.
“She borrowed a helmet and armour from a deity in a temple, and dressed like a man to treat patients in the then feudal society,” said Shuang Yan, a Lord Rabbit craftsman.
Tourism gateway to Thailand’s largest lake opens in June
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
A 10-kilometre scenic road bounding Thailand’s largest natural lake will open in June to draw more tourists to Songkhla province and reduce holiday traffic jams, the Rural Roads Department said Monday.
Construction of the 10.655-km long two-lane road along Songkhla Lake in Krasae Sin district is 70% complete and scheduled to finish in June.
The Sor Khor 4009 rural road starts from kilometre marker 0 in Ranode district and runs along the northeastern shore of Songkhla Lake to the intersection with Highway No 4083 in Ban Krasae Sin village at kilometre marker 10.
The road, which is 7 metres wide and will carry traffic in both directions, is being constructed with a budget of 124 million baht.
The department said it will supplement the existing road network in the southern province and promote tourism on one side of the 1,040-square-kilometre Songkhla Lake.
The road is part of Cabinet’s Thailand Riviera project to promote tourism on the western coast of the Kingdom, it added.
Yim, better known as Mai Suet, and Yam are veteran actors with huge followings in China while Roger Wu has a popular YouTube channel that focuses on Thai food and culture.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said all three were granted Thailand Privilege Cards with five-year visa validity for their unwavering support and contributions to Thai tourism, Yuthasak said.
Privilege Card holders also benefit from fast-track immigration, lounge access at airports, private limousine transfers, wellness and spa treatments, and discounts from partner restaurants and hotels.
“The rewards we have given to our friends are from the bottom of our hearts as a way of saying thank you for all they have done for Thailand,” Yuthasak added.
Yim and Yam, both 67, are avid travellers who love to visit Thailand, while 50-year-old Wu has lived in Thailand for many years and also works as a travel programme host and travel columnist for publications in Hong Kong.
Receiving her Privilege Card, Yim said: “I am glad to see advances in Thai tourism and truly honoured to receive these awards. Thailand is a shopping paradise. Thai people are kind and polite. Also, Thai food is good. I hope everyone loves Thailand as much as I do.”
Michelle Yim or Mai Suet (Left) and Yuthasak Supasorn (Right)
Yam said he appreciated the reward and extended an invitation to foreigners to visit Thailand.
Simon Yam
Wu, speaking with tears in his eyes, said: “I am really thankful for this award. After living here for years, I want to convey a positive message about the country to other nations. Thailand is not worrisome for travellers, so I want to invite everyone to the Land of Smiles.”
Roger Wu
Wu’s “roger wu” YouTube channel boasts more than 195,000 followers.
Thailand received only 40,382 arrivals from Hong Kong in November, according to Tourism Ministry data, but that figure is expected to rise after China lifted travel restrictions on January 8.
China was Thailand’s largest overseas tourism market in 2019, accounting for 11.5 million of the total 40 million international arrivals.
Foreign Ministry to expand e-visa system for tourists, govt spokeswoman says
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023
The government has assigned the Foreign Ministry to further refine the e-visa system so that tourists from all nations can apply for entry visas more conveniently, a government spokeswoman said on Sunday.
Deputy government spokeswoman Trisulee Trisaranakul said the Foreign Ministry has been told to expand the capacity of the e-visa system so that it can handle the increasing number of foreign tourists who want to use it.
Trisulee said the government wanted to treat foreign tourists from all countries with the same standards and the number of foreign arrivals was rising – especially after the
Chinese government ended its quarantine requirements.
She said the number of Chinese arrivals would further increase after the Chinese government starts allowing tour groups to visit 20 countries, including Thailand, from February 6.
To make it more convenient for foreign tourists, the Thai government has approved visas on arrival and e-visas. The Immigration Bureau is responsible for visas on arrival, while the e-visa system is run by the Foreign Ministry.
The e-visa system allows foreign nationals to submit visa applications and copies of passports online instead of having to visit a Thai embassy or consular office in their country.
Once their applications are approved, they receive an electronic visa stamp that they can print out to show to their airlines and immigration officials upon arrival.
New XBB.1.5 subvariant will soon take over, predicts infectious diseases expert
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
The latest Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, is highly transmissible and may infect many people, a top virologist said in a Facebook post on Monday.
Citing a report published last week on GitHub, Chulalongkorn University’s Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat said XBB.1.5 will become the main subvariant in the United States by mid-next month.
The variant has already been found in 5% of Covid-19 patients in Europe and due to its easy transmissibility, it can soon become the main subvariant there by the end of February, he said.
Thira, who is chief of Chulalongkorn University’s Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, said XBB.1.5 will not be the only subvariant affecting people as countries have started reopening their borders, which is also allowing the spread of other subvariants.
Among them are the XBF found in Australia, CH.1.1 found in New Zealand and the UK and the BQ.1* + S:346T + S:144, which has been common in Denmark, France and the UK.
The trend of a variety of subvariants will also be seen in Thailand, due to the influx of foreign tourists during the high season, which will continue until April, he said.
Though the XBB.1.5 subvariant has been found to be five times more contagious than other variants of the virus, it has not been found to create very serious symptoms in most patients. However, there are still concerns about vulnerable people.
As many as 128,373 new Covid-19 infections were reported globally with 635 deaths on Sunday. So far, 673,294,559 people have contracted Covid-19 across the world and 6,746,068 have succumbed to the disease. Countries that reported the highest number of infections on Sunday were Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia and Mexico, respectively.
In Thailand, the Public Health Ministry reported that 627 Covid-19 patients had been admitted to hospital in the week of January 15 to 21, or about 90 persons per day, with a total of 44 people succumbing to the virus during the said period.
Thai outdoor film tradition flickers to life among cemetery tombs
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
Dozens of locals settled down among the tombs for outdoor cinema at a cemetery in Phichit province, 350 kilometres north of Bangkok, on Sunday evening.
The Chinese New Year screening was organised by the Phichit Samakkhi Foundation Cemetery and Thai-Chinese locals to make merit for the 330 souls buried in the tombs.
In Chinese belief, the gateway to hell and heaven opens during the Chinese New Year to allow the deceased to receive merit from their descendants.
The event at the Muang district cemetery also featured a Chinese “Eng-Kor” dance of performers dressed as martial artists. The performers then sat down with locals and foundation officials to watch three films – two Chinese and one Thai – projected by outdoor screening company Booncherd Film.
Anusit Limsiriwong from Phichit Samakkhi Foundation said it had been organising the cemetery screenings for the past 58 years.
Mobile outdoor screenings were once a common sight in villages across Thailand but they largely disappeared with the arrival of cinemas and cineplexes in the late 20th century.
However, the annual Phichit cemetery event is keeping the spirit alive, with families chatting and chomping on barbecue for an evening of traditional Thai-style entertainment.
Anusit said the foundation laid on the feast of barbeque pork for Booncherd Film workers, Eng-Kor performers and the local audience.
Yaowarat Road glitters with light and colour for Chinese New Year
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
Bangkok’s Chinatown was bustling with visitors on Sunday as hundreds of locals and foreigners arrived to enjoy Chinese New Year celebrations.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the celebrations were organised to preserve culture and stimulate the economy in the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.
Yaowarat Road was awash with colour on Sunday as most celebrants wore red, which is considered auspicious in Chinese belief.
“This year’s celebration was great!” the governor declared.
Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry had cooperated with its Chinese counterpart and the Chinese embassy to organise the festival.
“Despite restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19, both countries still have strong ties,” he said, thanking Beijing for promoting Thailand as a top destination after almost three years of strict Covid-19 restrictions.
“Thailand is ready to welcome all Chinese people, and they can look at our country as their second home,” he added.
Apart from Chadchart and Phiphat, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn was also present at the celebrations, as were three Hong Kong celebrities – Michelle Yim, Yam Tat Wah and Roger Wu.
Thai alternative rockers “Paper Planes”, whose song “Bad Boy” was a big hit, also took to the stage to the delight of youngsters.
Yaowarat Road, meanwhile, will be sparkling with light and colour from 6pm to midnight every evening until February 15. On display is a 2-metre-tall rabbit at the Royal Jubilee Gate, as this is the Year of the Rabbit in Chinese astrology.
The two countries are marking the 48th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, and TAT is expecting a steady influx of visitors from China.
People shop at a White Rabbit candy franchise shop at Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)
Citizens buy rabbit dolls at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 12, 2011, to celebrate the traditional Mid-autumn festival. (Xinhua/Zhao Bing)
The department said it will supplement the existing road network in the southern province and promote tourism on one side of the 1,040-square-kilometre Songkhla Lake.
Michelle Yim or Mai Suet (Left) and Yuthasak Supasorn (Right)
Simon Yam
Roger Wu
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