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China accused of illegal police stations in the Netherlands

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The Chinese government has been accused of establishing at least two undeclared “police stations” in the Netherlands.

Dutch media found evidence that the “overseas service stations”, which promise to provide diplomatic services, are being used to try to silence Chinese dissidents in Europe.

A spokeswoman for the Dutch foreign ministry said the existence of the unofficial police outposts was illegal.

The Chinese embassy says it is not aware of their existence.

The investigation was sparked by a report entitled Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild, by the Spain-based NGO Safeguard Defenders.

According to the organisation, the public security bureaus from two Chinese provinces had established 54 “overseas police service centres” across five continents and 21 countries. Most of them are in Europe, including nine in Spain and four in Italy. In the UK, it found two in London and one in Glasgow.

The units were ostensibly created to tackle transnational crime and conduct administrative duties, such as the renewal of Chinese drivers’ licences. But, according to Safeguard Defenders, in reality they carry out “persuasion operations”, aimed at coercing those suspected of speaking out against the Chinese regime to return home.

RTL News and the investigative journalism platform Follow the Money shared the story of Wang Jingyu, a Chinese dissident who said he was being pursued by Chinese police in the Netherlands.

Speaking in English, Wang told Dutch journalists he received a phone call earlier this year from someone claiming to be from one such station. During the conversation, he said he was urged to return to China to “sort out my problems. And to think about my parents”.

Since then, he described a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation, which he believes is being orchestrated by Chinese government agents.

In response to the revelations, the Chinese embassy told RTL News it was not aware of the existence of such police stations.

Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman Maxime Hovenkamp told the BBC: “The Dutch government wasn’t made aware of these operations through the diplomatic channels with the Chinese government. That is illegal.”

She said it would have to investigate and decide the appropriate response. “It is very worrying a Chinese national has apparently been subjected to intimidation and harassment here in the Netherlands. Police are looking into options to offer him protection,” she added.

Services such as passport renewals or visa requests are usually handled by an embassy or consulate. Diplomatic rules apply in these locations, as laid out in the Vienna Convention, of which both the Netherlands and China are signatories.

Policing outposts like the ones China is accused of running could violate the territorial integrity of a host country by circumventing national jurisdictions and the protections afforded under domestic law.

Safeguard Defenders said China’s policing tactics were “problematic” as they targeted suspects without firmly establishing links to crime or adhering to due process in host countries.

This is primarily done by coercing or making threats against the family members of alleged fugitives, as a method to “persuade” them to return home, the organisation said.

On 2 September, a national Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law was adopted in China, establishing a claim of extraterritorial jurisdiction over all Chinese nationals worldwide suspected of these types of fraud.

In theory, the new legislation – in tandem with Chinese police units on foreign soil – leaves dissidents with nowhere to hide.

The pressure is now on the Dutch government to ensure critics of the Chinese government who are granted asylum can be protected, and that in the Netherlands, Dutch law prevails.

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Locations To Visit In Curacao This Vacation

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Locations To Visit In Curacao

The sky is blue, the ocean is turquoise, the beaches are white, and there are palm trees. Curacao is a genuine island in the Caribbean! Furthermore, the influence of the Dutch can be observed in numerous sites. If you’re coming from Germany, you can enter the country with just your identity card, and if you’re flying in from the Netherlands, there’s no need to exchange your currency.

The fact that 450-square-kilometer Caribbean island. Located close to the Venezuelan mainland, lies outside of the hurricane zone are the icing on the cake. Due to this, the island, along with its neighboring islands of Aruba and Bonaire, is a year-round destination that is captivating. Isn’t it? Want to experience relaxing getaways or thrilling adventures? Without thinking much, start planning, make jetblue flight bookings in any class and save up to 60% off on every flight till the last minute. To assist you, here are some of Curacao’s most interesting tours, most beautiful sites, and most breathtaking panoramas.

Royal Highness Emma Bridge

Queen Emma Bridge is routinely recognized as one of the most visited and photographed sights on the island of Curacao, alongside the island’s picture-perfect beaches. In the year 1888, architect Leonard Burlington Smith was responsible for its creation. The structure, which is also known as the “Old Lady Float,” is supported by sixteen pontoon boats. Seeing the bridge at dusk is a breathtaking sight!

Capital Willemstad

Willemstadt, the second-largest city in the Netherlands, is sometimes likened to Amsterdam, the country’s capital, on account of its many vividly colored buildings and cobblestone squares. In different sections of the country, the legacy of the country’s former imperial strength is readily apparent. The Otrobanda neighborhood is located to the west of the port city, while Punta is located to the east. Despite being separated physically by St. Anna’s Bay, the two sections of the city are connected by a bridge.

Colonial-era forts

A large number of spots throughout the destination contain remnants of the time when the island was occupied by colonists. The historic forts and a few beautiful mansions are unquestionably the most outstanding characteristics. Built during the 17th century, just eight of these fortifications have survived to the present day. The one that has been preserved the best is Fort Amsterdam, which was built in 1635 in the Punda port district. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Christoffel Park contains unspoiled wilderness

Christoffel National Park is the ideal destination for people who have gotten their fill of walking along the seashore. The 375-meter-tall Christoffelberg can be found in the north-northwest region of the island. Consequently, this terrain is an exceptional place for hiking.

Investigate the Hato Caves.

On the island of Curaçao, a trip to the Hato Caves is not to be missed. Caves formed several million years ago beneath the ocean’s surface encompass an area of around 5,000 square meters. In this region, you will come across gigantic limestone structures, waterfalls, and bats.

Seaquarium Beach Dream Beach

Many people believe Seaquarium Beach to be both the most beautiful and well-known beach on the island of Curaçao. Bathers can unwind and take pleasure in living among the palm trees, which move gently in reaction to the wind. Due to the well-developed infrastructure, Seaquarium Beach is a popular holiday spot for families with children and teenagers. There are numerous water sports accessible, including water skiing, jet skiing, and scuba diving.

Sunset at Playa Forti

Playa Forti has received yet another recommendation of the highest quality. The narrow cove is surrounded on all sides by towering rock walls, offering anyone with the bravery to do so exceptional prospects for scuba diving. A few restaurants offering regional dishes are located on the cliffs’ edge.

Paradisiacally beautiful: Playa Lagun

Despite its small size, Playa Lagun is one of the most popular beaches on the entire island of Curaçao. This beach is the island’s best-kept secret among the other bays. Here, iguanas and chickens have been sighted moving along the coastline. There are numerous species of brilliantly colored fish hidden in the amazingly translucent water.

How do you go to Curacao from here?

By air

You can reach via one of the numerous direct flights to Curacao departing from the United States of America, Europe, and South America.

By train

The Deutsche Bahn-operated ICE train provides a rail link between Düsseldorf and Amsterdam. The train departs at the Düsseldorf Hbf station, 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) from the city center, and arrives at the Amsterdam Centraal station (0.6 mi from centre).

By road

FlixBus provides intercity service between Düsseldorf and Amsterdam, departing from the Düsseldorf bus station and arriving at the same site in Amsterdam ( Netherlands).

Conclusion

Despite the fact that they do not belong to the same group as the other two islands, the three islands are usually referred to as the ABC Islands. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your most awaited vacation with AirlinesMap and head to this paradise place!

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All Businesses Can Benefit From Black Friday Lessons

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All Businesses Can Benefit From Black Friday Lessons

Black Friday is still strong. As of today’s writing, millions of shoppers still shop in stores to find great deals. Yesterday night, outlets opened and Kohl opened at 04:45 this morning. Walmart will be open 24 hours a day to help customers who sustained injuries in the stampede last year. Old Navy called the Thanksgiving sale “Gray Thursday”. Black Thursday or Internet Monday are options for retailers who will make it easy for customers to save money.

Black Friday can teach you a lot about being a successful businessman, regardless of what your job title is. This will be covered later.

Although I haven’t been to a Black Friday Event 2022, I have been there. As a specialty retailer for 12 years, I have witnessed customers fighting for their “stuff”. Although most people are generous and kind, there are always some…

It can be difficult to become a reseller. You are the ultimate winner. Wholesalers sell to manufacturers, who then sell them to retailers. Warehouse rents are cheaper than window rents. Additional costs include wages, payroll tax, workers’ compensation insurance, inventory, and workers’ comp insurance. Retail is a business that can make money. There are no net costs. Making a dollar profit takes hard work. You gotta love retail.

They work for a living and go to work. There is very little room for error. Resellers must be consistent. Traffic is what brings people to your door. It is also important to understand how they BlackFriday shopping lists once you have them there (diversion). It is crucial to be familiar with product packaging, layout, inventory management, and other details. Your customer will need the right stock. The right quantity is also important. The best portable induction cooker deals for Black Friday are Very low-profit margins.

It gives me a slight twist of my intuition when I see a sale that exceeds 45 dollars. They are moving inventory to pay the bills. This sale costs them money. They want to sell the product and are willing to spend their cash reserves. They will be responsible for the cost of selling it if it does not sell. Limit the damage.

Retailers typically get net terms for inventory they already have. They buy it in bulk and can then sell it within 30 working days. Sometimes they are able to purchase large quantities of Christmas stock from catalog builders in January and have it delivered in July. Then, they pay the bill until January 1. It is impossible to show it for several months. This is rare. This is because small wholesalers have a 15-day limit to sell the product.

Walmart is one exception. They also own a grocery store. They store the products on shelves, and they send invoices for payment after the product has sold. Walmart does not pay a bill until the product is sold. This is the best business model. They make a crate, then light it up. They then move on to other crates to manage their stock. It eliminated the more risky and expensive aspects of retail. It was a smart decision.

While I like the way Walmart has rediscovered gambling as a retail outlet for its customers, I don’t love Walmart. They didn’t change the industry, they just made it more attractive. They used their wealth to gain an unfair advantage. This was possible because of both the market and the government.

Let’s go back to the dealers. These dealers are taking risks. They want to be fully informed about the product before purchasing it. They need to understand the market.

Even if you aren’t a retailer, there are still many ways to profit from Black Friday. One skilled restaurateur placed a sign outside his shop, announcing a champagne brunch at 6 p.m. in Santa Clarita. This can be helpful in relieving their obsessive frustrations. A sale can be broadcast to mobile users.

Even if you’re not in retail, take a look at what is happening during the holidays. Learn as much as you can about retail if you get the chance. This is a unique and fascinating job. This job is interesting and can teach you a lot.

 

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North Korea tensions: Why is Kim Jong-un upping the pressure?

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Periods of tension with North Korea come and go, but the situation on the Korean peninsula right now is the most volatile it has been in five years and it looks likely to get worse.

Over the past month the North has fired a missile over Japan, forcing residents to seek shelter; a hostile and provocative act. It has launched several other ballistic missiles, flown warplanes close to its border with South Korea and fired hundreds of shells of artillery into the sea, which have landed in a military buffer zone, created by the two Koreas in 2018 to keep peace. The two countries are technically still at war.

On Monday a North Korean merchant ship crossed the countries’ sea border, causing both sides to fire warning shots. South Korea says the incursion was intentional.

So, what is Kim Jong-un up to? There are three reasons North Korea tends to launch missiles – to test and improve its weapons technology, to send a political message to the world (primarily the US), and to impress its people at home and shore up loyalty to the regime.

It can be hard to decipher which of these ends Pyongyang’s actions serve, but this time Mr Kim has been explicit. State media has reported several times that the recent launches and drills are in response to military exercises being run by the US, South Korea and Japan. The North has blamed its enemies for escalating tensions and says its launches are a clear warning they should stop.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have been holding large-scale military exercises, separately and together, for the past two months, to show they are ready for a North Korean nuclear attack. There is little doubt these have antagonised Mr Kim, who has always viewed such exercises as his enemies rehearsing for an invasion. The reason North Korea started developing nuclear weapons in the first place was to stop itself from being invaded.

But there is a less explicit reason he could be upping the pressure now. Some believe may be preparing the ground for a more provocative test – the detonation of a nuclear weapon for the first time in five years, or even a small-scale attack on South Korea.

Last year he laid out a five-year plan, detailing all the new weapons he planned to develop. It included smaller battlefield nuclear bombs and the short-range missiles to carry them. The recent tests are evidence Mr Kim is not only working his way through this weapons wish list, but that he is training his troops to use them. He used some of the recent drills, he said, to simulate a nuclear attack on South Korea.

Now Mr Kim needs attention. He needs the world to notice the progress he has made, if he is one day to get harsh international sanctions on his country lifted. Sanctions haven’t stopped North Korea developing weapons, as they were designed to, but they are hurting its economy.

Talks aimed at reducing those sanctions have long stalled and North Korea is slipping down the global agenda. The world is far more concerned with the war in Ukraine, and the rise of an authoritarian China. President Biden’s position is that sanctions on North Korea can only be eased when it agrees to give up all its nuclear weapons.

In the meantime, Washington and Seoul have agreed to strengthen their defence of the Peninsula by holding the military exercises Pyongyang hates so much, and responding to its provocations with force. Following the North’s latest round of missile launches and drills, South Korea sent up warplanes and shot artillery of its own.

If Mr Kim is to get the US to negotiate on terms more favourable to him, he must prove how dangerous his country has become. Last month he declared North Korea to be a nuclear weapons state, a position he said was irreversible.

We should be worried about how assertive it seems to have become, said Kim Jong-dae, a former advisor in South Korea’s Defence Ministry. He pointed out how in the past North Korea has waited until US forces have finished their military exercises before retaliating. This time they fired artillery into the sea while exercises were ongoing.

“We have never seen this audacity and aggression before, it is different. It is the North acting like a nuclear state,” he said.

The US and South Korean governments believe preparations for North Korea’s seventh nuclear weapon test are complete and the North is waiting for the opportune political moment to act. An attractive window is opening, with China’s Communist Party Conference now over and the US midterm elections approaching.

Meanwhile South Korea is in the midst of yet another round of war games, with the US scheduled to join in. These may well provide Kim Jong-un with the pretext he has been waiting for.

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