Yemen’s Houthis hit US-owned ship in missile attack, US military says
US military says the container ship was hit off the coast of Yemen, but continued its journey. Houthi rebels in Yemen have struck a US-owned and operated container ship with an anti-ship ballistic missile off the coast of Yemen, the United States Central Command said. In a statement on Monday, the US military said that no injuries or significant damage were reported and that the Marshall Islands-flagged Gibraltar Eagle was continuing its journey after the incident in the Gulf of Aden. The Yemeni rebel group has claimed responsibility for the attack. “All American and British ships and warships involved in the aggression against our country are considered hostile targets,” military spokesperson Yahya Saree said, before adding that no future American or British attack on Yemen would go “unpunished”. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said that a vessel was hit from above by a missile 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden, without identifying the vessel. British Maritime Security firm Ambrey said three missiles were reportedly launched by the Houthis, with two not reaching the sea and the third striking the bulk carrier. It said that the impact reportedly caused a fire in a hold, but that the bulker remained seaworthy with no injuries on board. It assessed the vessel was not Israel-affiliated. The attack on the ship comes less than a day after the Houthis launched an anti-ship cruise missile toward a US destroyer in the Red Sea, US officials said. The Houthis control western Yemen, including the strategically critical Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which leads into the Red Sea and up to the Suez Canal. Since Israel’s war in Gaza began, they have been attacking ships in the area that they say are linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports. They say they are attacking the vessels to pressure Israel to halt its assault on Gaza and ease restrictions on supplies of humanitarian aid for its Palestinian population. Israel has been at war with Hamas, the group that governs Gaza, for more than three months. US and British forces responded to the Houthi attacks last week by carrying out dozens of air and sea strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. [embedded content] Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis, has pledged revenge. On Thursday, he said that “any attack on Yemen’s Houthis on the part of the United States will not go without a response.” Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna said that US officials believe that after the strikes last week, the Houthis retained about three-quarters of their capacity to fire missiles and launch drones. “This recent attack on a US-owned freighter was launched, it would appear, from the city of Hodeidah, which was a target of US-UK strikes in recent days,” Hanna said. “So, the ante is rising in terms of what is happening … the situation is very dire and something that US intelligence is watching very closely.” Omar Rahman, a fellow with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said one-off strikes targeting Houthi installations would not reduce the group’s capability or deter them from attacking ships in the Red Sea. “What the US and UK are doing is not strategically justifiable. It’s only justifiable if you look at what the Houthis are doing in the Red Sea in isolation from what’s happening in Gaza and in the rest of the region,” he told Al Jazeera. “The US and UK are ignoring the source of the crisis, which is the genocide in Gaza, but they’re also enabling it,” Rahman said. “They’re trying to prevent a wider regional escalation by taking military action against the flashpoints that are occurring as a result of what’s happening in Gaza.” [embedded content] Adblock test (Why?)
Andy Murray contemplates future after first-round exit at Australian Open
Five-time finalist Andy Murray has said there was a “definite possibility” that he has played his final Australian Open tournament after slumping out at the first hurdle. The 36-year-old put up stiff resistance in a 61-minute first set against Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Monday, but the 30th seed slowly ground him down to win 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 at the year’s first tennis Grand Slam. Murray had a frustrating end to 2023, winning just one match in his last four tournaments, and said previously that unless his form picked up the curtain could be coming down on his career. “Yeah, it’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here,” he said. “In comparison to the matches that I played here last year, it’s the complete opposite feeling walking off the court. Wish I involved the crowd more. Just disappointed with the way I played. Tough, tough way to finish.” The British player, who won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016 and also took the US Open title in 2012, is part of a golden generation coming towards the end of trophy-laden careers. Roger Federer retired in 2022 and Rafael Nadal had an injury-blighted 2023 and is absent from the Australian Open with a muscle tear. At 36, Djokovic is still hoping to add to his record haul of 24 Grand Slam titles before hanging up his racquet. Murray said he had spoken to his family and coaching staff about when he might quit. “They’re very aware of how I feel about things, where I would like to finish playing, when that would be,” he said. “I haven’t made any definite decisions on that. It’s not like it hasn’t been something that’s been on my mind.” He added that the time frame on when he will retire “narrows when you play and have results like today”. “I haven’t gained in belief from today’s match that at some stage I’m going to start playing really well again or winning tournaments or getting to the latter stages of major events.” Whatever it is, it always has and always will be a pleasure @andy_murray ❤️@AustralianOpen | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/5VwMRhxP1n — ATP Tour (@atptour) January 15, 2024 Meanwhile, two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and US Open champion Coco Gauff swept into the second round, but Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova was also sent packing. On a baking-hot day at Melbourne Park, men’s seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and women’s sixth seed Ons Jabeur also tasted victory, ahead of Naomi Osaka’s Grand Slam comeback in the evening session. Adblock test (Why?)
UN calls for $4.2bn in 2024 humanitarian aid for war-ravaged Ukraine
UN agency seeks funding to deliver aid to 8.5 million people in war-ravaged spots and 2.3 million refugees. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has appealed for $4.2bn in humanitarian aid for Ukraine in 2024. The UN agency called on Monday for donors to provide the funds to support Ukrainian communities and refugees, as the war sparked by Russia’s invasion nears its second anniversary. “Hundreds of thousands of children live in communities on the front lines of the war, terrified, traumatised and deprived of their basic needs,” said UN aid chief Martin Griffiths. “That fact alone should compel us to do everything we can to bring more humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.” “Homes, schools and hospitals are repeatedly hit, as are water, gas and power systems,” he added. “The very fabric of society is under attack with devastating consequences.” As part of the appeal for funding, OCHA is asking for $3.1bn to help 8.5 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid this year. The UN agency is also seeking $1.1bn to support 2.3 million Ukrainian refugees and their host communities. OCHA received just 67 percent of the $3.9bn for which it appealed last year. It said it has reduced its appeal for Ukraine in 2024 in view of other humanitarian crises around the globe, including in Gaza and Sudan, that also require urgent funding. “The competition for funding is getting greater, there is no question about it,” Griffiths said. “As we go into 2024, the competition for funding is going to be more difficult than 2023.” Millions in need OCHA said more than 14.6 million people, or 40 percent of Ukraine’s population, will need humanitarian assistance this year due to Russia’s invasion and attacks. More than 3.3 million of these live in front-line communities in the east and the south of the country, including in territories occupied by Russia, which OCHA humanitarian convoys have been unable to access since the start of the conflict. “We continue to remain in negotiation with the Russian government about how to get access to those people who are perhaps in the most urgent of need, since it has now been two years since any real, effective, regular, reliable humanitarian aid has reached them,” Griffiths said. The UN said that Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries “also need increased and sustained support.” It said that only half of school-age refugee children are enrolled in schools, only 40-60 percent of adults are employed, and “many remain vulnerable with no means to support themselves”. Russia’s invasion, launched in February 2022, has forced some 6.3 million people to flee abroad. Four million people, including nearly one million children, remain displaced within the country, according to OCHA. “Host countries continue to extend protection and include them in society, but many vulnerable refugees still need help,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “They shouldn’t feel pressed to return because they cannot make ends meet in exile.” Adblock test (Why?)
Thousands of tractors block Berlin traffic over plans to end diesel subsidy
Farmers gather in German capital to join a giant rally demanding a rethink of the government’s plans to tax them more. Thousands of German farmers, truck drivers and agricultural workers have gathered with tractors and other heavy equipment in front of Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate for another demonstration by farmers angry at the government’s plans to end tax breaks on diesel. Police on Monday estimated that at least 3,000 tractors had already arrived for the protest and an estimated 2,000 more were on the way in a climax to their weeklong protests. The tractors blocked traffic in parts of the city and Berlin’s public transit agency reported major service delays. About 10,000 people had registered for the demonstrations against Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s plans to cut subsidies, but Berlin police expect even more to attend. A total of 1,300 police officers have been deployed to accompany the farmer protests, Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik told city leaders on Monday. German farmers protest against the cut of vehicle tax subsidies [Liesa Johannssen/Reuters] In addition to representatives of the farmers’ association and trade unions, Finance Minister Christian Lindner is also expected to address the protesters. On Sunday evening, police were stopping tractors from entering the demonstration area in the capital’s governmental district. “It can’t take any more,” said a police spokesperson. Over the past week, farmers have blocked highway entrances and slowed down traffic across Germany, dissatisfied with concessions the government has already made. Berlin announced plans to cut subsidies and tax breaks on diesel and agricultural vehicles after a court ruling tore a multibillion-euro hole in the government’s budget, forcing Scholz’s coalition to find savings. The government, which has already partially walked back on the plans, defended the reductions by pointing to increases in farmers’ income in recent years. In the financial year 2022-23, farms made a record profit of 115,400 euros ($126,000) on average, a 45 percent increase on the year before, according to industry figures. On January 4, the government said tax exemption for farming vehicles would be retained and cuts in diesel tax breaks would be staggered over three years. Scholz said in a video message on Saturday that “we took the farmers’ arguments to heart”, adding that he believes the government came up with “a good compromise”. But the farmers, with the vocal backing of the opposition conservatives and far-right parties, say the government’s concessions do not go far enough. “Farmers will die out,” said farmer Karl-Wilhelm Kempner on Sunday as he boarded a bus in Cologne to head to the demonstration. [which agency quoted him?] “The population must understand that far more food will be imported” if subsidies are not restored. Adblock test (Why?)
‘A new spring’: Guatemala’s Arevalo becomes president after Congress delays
Guatemala City, Guatemala – Growing up, Joaquina Perez says her mother always told her that Juan Jose Arevalo was the country’s best president, as he ushered in progressive reforms into the Central American country between 1945 and 1950. Decades later, the 63-year-old was filled with excitement as she travelled 193km (120 miles) from her home in the city of Retalhuleu in the country’s southwest with others from the local pro-democracy movement to see the former president’s son, Bernardo Arevalo, take office as Guatemala’s new president. “We are happy because we have high hopes with [Bernardo] Arevalo,” Perez told Al Jazeera in Guatemala City’s Central Plaza. “We saw an opportunity for [change] with the Seed Movement and with Arevalo,” she said, referring to the president-elect’s popular anticorruption platform that has drawn wide support from across the impoverished Central American nation. “That is why we are here.” On Sunday, close to midnight, Arevalo was finally sworn in as Guatemala’s president after months of efforts by the country’s long-ruling elite and a conservative-leaning Congress to derail his rise to power, despite his landslide win in an August run-off against businesswoman and former first lady Sandra Torres. But the inauguration followed hours of delay as Congress negotiated the formation of a new Directive Council, the body that guides the legislature’s sessions and helps shape its agenda. An atmosphere of joy and celebration on the streets of Guatemala City briefly gave way to anger. Earlier in the day, live music played across Guatemala City’s historic centre, as thousands of people like Perez travelled from across the country, with some sleeping in the plaza the night before, to witness the swearing-in. As the hours ticked by, they gathered outside the congressional building to protest against delays after breaking down police barriers around Congress. The United States, the European Union and the Organization of American States, among others, issued messages reaffirming their belief in Arevalo’s election, and calling for him to be sworn in. “We need this to happen right now,” Ingrid Arana, a 53-year-old resident of Guatemala City, told Al Jazeera on the peripheries of the protests. “Time has passed and the decision has not been made. Those in Congress have not finished the session.” “Arevalo represents a new spring for the country,” she said. “A great opportunity for Guatemala, that will improve the conditions that have occurred [we live in] due to so much corruption.” By late evening, Congress agreed to recognise the Seed Movement party days after temporarily suspending it and insisting that its lawmakers join the legislature as independent members. Arevalo’s party also won the presidency of the Congress, giving it influence in shaping the body’s agenda. Yet, the last-minute hurdles to his inauguration only underscored the challenges he faces as he tries to reform a political system where many who wield power feel threatened by Arevalo. Guatemala’s Indigenous communities have been at the forefront of support for Arevalo [Jeff Abbott/ Al Jazeera] Outsider candidate The 65-year-old career academic and diplomat-turned-politician has long spoken out against corruption in the Central American country and campaigned on the promise of reviving trust in state institutions that have abandoned communities for decades. “Regaining confidence in the institutions of the state is the fundamental contribution to have a stable future in our country,” Arevalo told Al Jazeera in a July 2023 interview during a campaign stop. Arevalo was an outsider progressive candidate ahead of the June 25 general elections, polling in eighth place with less than 3 percent of the vote. But he came a surprise second, before winning the run-off against Torres. His Seed Movement party was born out of the massive protests in 2015 against the corruption in the administration of then-President Otto Perez Molina. “It is an immense joy,” Lenina Garcia, a former student leader and now learning director at the 25A Institute non-profit who was involved in the 2015 protests, told Al Jazeera, speaking of his win and ascendancy to the presidency on Sunday. “Since 2015 up until today, we can see how citizens have categorically rejected impunity and corruption,” she said. Arevalo supporters march in Guatemala City on January 14, 2024 [Jeff Abbott/Al Jazeera] Prolonged political crisis The attacks against Arevalo and his platform began shortly after his surprise success in the general elections and increased following his run-off win. In July 2023, prosecutors led by Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras and Rafael Curruchiche, head of the Public Ministry’s Office of the Special Prosecutor against Impunity, sought to suspend the legal status of Arevalo’s party over allegations of irregularities in the collection of signatures by Seed Movement to register itself as a political party. Following the run-off victory, prosecutors raided the Seed Movement offices and the facilities of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, confiscating sensitive documents, including the official ballots, sparking concerns of election interference. Prosecutors filed requests in the Supreme Court to strip the immunity of Arevalo, his Vice President-elect Karin Herrera, and other members of the party over their alleged participation in stoking protests at the country’s only national public university, the University of San Carlos in 2022. The Supreme Court has yet to recognise the requests, but prosecutors have sought to move ahead with the case nevertheless. Porras and prosecutors have denied that they are not attempting to interfere in elections, but on December 8, Curruchiche requested in a news conference that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal annul the election results. The head of Guatemala’s electoral body responded to the request declaring the results were “official and unalterable”. Police and Arevalo supporters face off in Guatemala City, as the country’s Congress delayed new president’s swearing in on January 14, 2024 [Jeff Abbott/Al Jazeera] People protest Nearly every attempt to attack the democratic process was quickly responded to with protests, but beginning on October 2, Indigenous leaders started massive nationwide mobilisations led by Indigenous leaders to defend democracy. Protesters have gathered for more than 100 days outside the attorney general’s office, demanding her resignation and that she respect the results. “Our goal
Geopolitics, AI to slow global economy, grow inequality: Davos survey
Economists predict weakened global economic conditions while technology will help promote differences across regions. Geopolitical strife and tight financing conditions will slow global economic growth, while artificial intelligence (AI) will increase inequality, according to leading economists. The survey, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday before its annual meeting in the Swiss resort of Davos, weighed the analysis of 60-plus chief economists from both the private and public sectors. More than half of the economists surveyed (56 percent) predict weakened global economic conditions but with differences across regions. The majority foresee moderate or stronger growth in China and the United States, weak or very weak growth in Europe, and at least moderate growth in South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. “While technological advances may give new impetus to global productivity, policies that enhance good-quality growth are needed to revive global momentum and balance the impact across the income groups,” the survey stated. Additionally, 70 percent of those surveyed expect financial conditions to loosen as inflation ebbs and the current tightness in labour markets eases, despite the world’s top central banks saying that interest rates have peaked. AI is predicted to affect the world economy unequally. Overall, 94 percent of economists surveyed expect AI to radically boost productivity in high-income economies over the next five years, but just 53 percent predict a similar effect for low-income economies. Alongside geopolitical developments, the effect of AI is expected to stoke volatility in the global economy, 87 percent of economists predict. Six out of 10 (57 percent) also expect these conditions to increase inequality and widen the North-South divide in the next three years. Separately, the WEF released a study on the “quality” of economic growth across 107 economies, coming to the conclusion that most countries are growing in ways that are neither environmentally sustainable nor socially inclusive. “Reigniting global growth will be essential to addressing key challenges, yet growth alone is not enough,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of WEF. Technology will take up a large part of the agenda at Davos this year, with the theme of AI “as a driving force for the economy and society” to have about 30 separate sessions. (Al Jazeera) Adblock test (Why?)
US presidential race begins with the Iowa caucuses
NewsFeed The US presidential race for 2024 officially kicks off with the Iowa caucuses on Monday. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett takes a look at what’s in store for the candidates in the months ahead. Published On 15 Jan 202415 Jan 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
US says it shot down Houthi missile in first attack since strikes on Yemen
US military says no injuries or damage caused by anti-ship cruise missile fired towards USS Laboon. The United States military has shot down a missile fired at one of its vessels by Iran-backed Houthis, officials have said, in the first known attack on US forces by the rebel group since Washington began its latest air strikes on Yemen. A US fighter aircraft shot down the anti-ship cruise missile after it was fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen towards the USS Laboon in the Red Sea, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday. “The missile was shot down in vicinity of the coast of Hodeida by US fighter aircraft,” CENTCOM said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.” The attack is the first to be acknowledged by the US since Washington and its allies on Friday began launching air and cruise missile strikes on Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis, which have yet to acknowledge the latest incident, have carried out repeated attacks on cargo ships that the group says are linked to Israel, in a show of support for Palestinians under Israeli bombardment in Gaza. At least 26 vessels have been attacked by the Houthis since they seized the Israeli-linked Galaxy Leader vessel in November. The attacks have forced some of the world’s largest shipping operators to redirect their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa, severely disrupting global trade. Traffic through the Red Sea, which normally facilitates the movement of $3bn-$9bn worth of cargo each day, has dropped by more than 40 percent since the start of the attacks. Earlier on Sunday, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam accused the US of violating national sovereignty by flying aircraft close to Yemeni airspace and coastal areas, although it is not clear if the two incidents were linked. Adblock test (Why?)
Taiwan’s Tsai and Lai welcome US support as Beijing fumes over election
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect William Lai Ching-te have hailed the support of the United States for the self-ruled island in meetings with an unofficial delegation from Washington amid anger in Beijing at overseas governments’ congratulations of Taiwan on its weekend election. The US delegation – including former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg – arrived in Taiwan on Sunday, a day after Lai, currently the vice president, won an unprecedented third term for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its objectives, has long criticised Lai as a so-called “separatist”. It cast the election as a choice between “peace and war”. In the event, Lai won 40.1 percent of the vote compared with 33.5 percent for Hou Yu-ih of the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party, his nearest rival. During his meeting with the delegates on Monday at the DPP headquarters, Lai said freedom and democracy were “the most valuable assets for the Taiwanese people, and the sacred mountains to protect Taiwan”. Lai added that they were “core values” shared by both Taiwan and the United States, and “the foundation for the long-term stability in Taiwan-US partnership”. He told the delegation their visit was “meaningful” and a demonstration of the strength of the partnership between Taiwan and the US. “It is of great significance to Taiwan,” he said. Lai will formally take over as president on May 20. Lai and running mate Hsiao Bi-khim wave to the crowd after their election win [Daniel Ceng/EPA] The delegation earlier met President Tsai Ing-wen, who was ineligible to run for re-election having served two terms. “Taiwan’s democracy has set a shining example to the world,” Hadley said in comments released by Tsai’s office. “We are honoured to have the opportunity to meet with you today to reaffirm that the American commitment to Taiwan is rock solid, principled and bipartisan and that the United States stands with its friends,” he added. “Your visit is highly meaningful. It fully demonstrates US support for Taiwan’s democracy and highlights the close and staunch partnership between Taiwan and the US,” Tsai told the delegates. War of words The DPP says the 23.5 million people of Taiwan should decide the island’s future and has said it backs the status quo, in which Taiwan governs itself but refrains from declaring formal independence. Beijing insists that the island is part of its territory. After the election, it said that what it terms “peaceful reunification” was inevitable. It lashed out at countries that sent their congratulations to Taiwan over the smooth-running of the vote. In a statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for congratulating Lai on his victory and added: “The basic fact that … Taiwan is part of China will not change.” Taiwan said that statement was “completely inconsistent with international understanding and the current cross-strait situation. It goes against the expectation of global democratic communities and goes against the will of the people of Taiwan to uphold democratic values. Such cliches are not worth refuting.” The unofficial US delegation at Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs [Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP] Washington follows a policy of what it calls “strategic ambiguity” on the island. While it maintains formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, it is required by law to support Taiwan and is opposed to any attempt to change the status quo by force. The last time a US delegation visited immediately after an election was in 2016, after Tsai was first elected president. At that time, Beijing refused her offer of talks and cut off all high-level communications with the island. In the years since, it has sent fighter jets and navy ships into the skies and waters around the island and encouraged Taiwan’s few remaining formal allies to switch allegiance. After his victory, Lai said he hoped for a return to “healthy and orderly” exchanges with China, and reiterated his desire for talks on the basis of dignity and equality. While Lai won the election, the DPP lost its majority in the legislature, finishing with one seat less than the KMT. With neither holding a majority, the Taiwan People’s Party, a relative newcomer that won eight of the 113 seats, looks set to become increasingly influential in policy-making. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on the heels of those results that “the Democratic Progressive Party cannot represent the mainstream public opinion on the island”, according to Xinhua news agency. In response, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry called on China “to respect the election results, face reality and give up its oppression against Taiwan”. In recent months, the US and China have been trying to rebuild ties strained not only by Taiwan but a host of other issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, trade and the appearance last year of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the US. The American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy, said the US government had asked Hadley and Steinberg “to travel in their private capacity to Taiwan”. Hadley said he was looking forward to meeting Lai and other political leaders. “We look forward to continuity in the relationship between Taiwan and the United States under the new administration, and for common efforts to preserve cross-strait peace and stability.” Taiwan’s government says Beijing has no right to speak for the island’s people or represent them on the world stage. Adblock test (Why?)
Ex-boss of China’s state-run bank Everbright arrested on corruption charges
Tang Shuangning is latest in long line of high-profile figures to be ensnared in Xi Jinping’s anticorruption drive. The former head of China’s state-owned banking giant Everbright Group has been arrested for alleged corruption, prosecutors have said. Tang Shuangning, 69, was arrested on suspicion of taking bribes and embezzlement following the conclusion of an investigation by the anticorruption authority, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate said on Monday. Tang was earlier this month expelled from the ruling Communist Party for alleged violations of party discipline, including bringing unauthorised books into the country and accepting illicit gifts. The former bank chairman is the latest in a long line of high-profile figures within China’s financial sector to be ensnared in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping campaign against corruption. Last month, Sun Guofeng, the former head of the central bank’s monetary policy department, was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison for taking bribes, leaking state secrets and insider trading. In October, Liu Liange, the former chairman of the Bank of China, was arrested on suspicion of bribery and providing illegal loans. Li Xiaopeng, who took over from Tang at Everbright, was arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes the same month. Xi, widely regarded as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, has made a zero-tolerance attitude toward corruption a signature policy of his precedent-busting tenure in office. While Xi’s supporters have credited the Chinese leader with cleaning up the country’s politics and business, critics say the anticorruption drive is a thinly veiled ploy to purge rivals. Adblock test (Why?)