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Biden calls Xi  a ‘dictator’

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US President Joe Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator at a fundraiser in California.

His remarks come a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Mr Xi for talks in Beijing, which were aimed at easing tensions between the two superpowers.

Mr Xi said some progress had been made in Beijing, while Mr Blinken indicated both sides were open to more talks.

China is yet to respond to Mr Biden’s comments.

President Biden, at the fundraiser on Tuesday night local time, also said Mr Xi was embarrassed over the recent tensions around a Chinese spy balloon that had been blown off course over the US.

“The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset, in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it, was he didn’t know it was there,” Mr Biden said.

“That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened.”

Mr Blinken’s visit to Beijing – the first by a top US diplomat in almost five years – restarted high-level communications between the two countries. Both Mr Biden and Mr Xi hailed it as a welcome development. But Mr Blinken made clear that major differences remain between the two countries.

Washington and Beijing have long locked horns over an array of issues including trade, human rights, and Taiwan.

But relations have especially deteriorated in the past year. With the US election looming and tensions with China emerging as a political issue, some Republican senators have attacked the Biden administration for being “soft” on China.

(BBC News)

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Trump declares victory

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Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he says to cheering crowds.

The Republican has picked up the battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, leaving Kamala Harris with only a narrow path to victory.

Just before Trump began speaking, Fox News projected that he had won the election.

(BBC News)

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7th CIIE opening ceremony kicks off in Shanghai

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai on Tuesday (Nov. 05). 

The CIIE is the world’s first national-level exposition dedicated to imports. This year’s expo is scheduled to run from November 5 to 10. 

“Today, the seventh CIIE is opening as scheduled. Friends both old and new, from home and abroad, have come as promised. On behalf of the Chinese government, I wish to express cordial greetings and warm welcome to you all,” said Li. 

China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao moderated the opening ceremony. 

The 7th CIIE has attracted 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions. It also sets a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders attending the event. 

More than 400 new products, new technologies and new services are set to be unveiled during the expo, which experts believe is a strong indication of global companies’ confidence in the Chinese market, and their commitment to further development in China despite a sluggish global economic recovery.

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Singapore tops Henley Passport Index; Sri Lanka ranks 94th

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Singapore has once again been named the world’s most powerful passport, providing its citizens with visa-free access to 195 countries, according to the latest Henley Passport Index released in October 2024.

France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain shared the second spot, allowing entry to 192 countries, while Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden ranked third with access to 191 countries.

Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom allow visa-free travel to 190 countries, placing them fourth.

Australia and Portugal secured fifth place, offering access to 189 countries.

The United States ranked eighth, providing access to 186 countries, while India sits at 83rd with visa-free access to 58 countries.

Sri Lanka ranked 94th, allowing its citizens visa-free travel to 44 countries.

The Henley Passport Index rankings reflect the number of countries accessible without a visa and are influenced by international agreements and diplomatic relations. Asian countries, particularly South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, consistently top the list, highlighting their strong diplomatic ties globally.

Among the least powerful passports are those from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan.

With agencies inputs

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