特朗普簽署行政命令，公佈更多有關約翰甘迺迪、羅拔甘迺迪和馬丁路德金遇刺事件的文件

 Recently CNN News on-line reported the following:

Trump signs executive order to release more JFK, RFK, MLK assassination files

By Alejandra Jaramillo and Kevin Liptak, CNN

Published 5:03 PM EST, Thu January 23, 2025

CNN

 —

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to release files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

“That’s a big one. Lot of people are waiting for this a long, for years, for decades,” Trump said signing the executive order in the Oval Office.

“Give that to RFK Jr.,” he said, indicating that the pen he used to sign the order should be given to his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, who is the son of the former attorney general and nephew of the late president.

“All will be revealed,” Trump added.

Many of the files related to the JFK assassination have already been disclosed, including a tranche of 13,000 documents released during the Biden administration. Many of the documents have been redacted, however.

“Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay,” reads the order from the White House.

The records will not be released immediately. “Within 15 days of the date of this order, the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General shall, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Counsel to the President, present a plan to the President for the full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy,” the order reads.

The timeline is within 45 days for RFK and MLK files.

In 2023, the National Archives concluded its review of the classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of JFK, with 99% of the records having been made publicly available, as CNN reported.

President Joe Biden then released a memo certifying that the archivist had completed the review and affirmed the remaining documents authorized to be declassified had been released to the public – meeting a previously set deadline.

Despite previous pledges from presidents, including Trump, to release those records, the CIA, Pentagon and State Department still have documents they’ve refused to release. The justification for those documents remaining classified largely stems from efforts to protect the identities of confidential sources who are still alive, or might be alive, and protecting methods.

When Trump was president, he agreed at the time not to release the full tranche of records related to Kennedy’s assassination at the request of national security agencies. But Trump on the 2024 campaign trail said he would release the remaining documents.

Translation

特朗普簽署行政命令，公佈更多有關約翰甘迺迪、羅拔甘迺迪和馬丁路德金遇刺事件的文件

總統特朗普週四簽署行政命令，公佈與約翰甘迺迪、羅拔甘迺迪和馬丁·路德·金遇刺事件有關的文件。

特朗普在橢圓形辦公室簽署行政命令時表示: “這是一個大事： “很多人等待這一刻已經很久了，幾年、幾十年了。”

他說: 「把它交給少羅拔甘迺迪 (RFK Jr.) 」，暗示他用來簽署命令的筆應該交給他挑選的衛生和公眾服務部負責人，他是前司法部長的兒子，也是已故總統的姪子。

特朗普補充說： “一切真相都會揭露。”

許多與甘迺迪遇刺事件有關的文件已經被揭露，其中包括拜登政府期間發布的 13,000 份文件。然而，許多文件是已被刪輯。

白宮的行政命令寫道： “他們的家人和美國人民應該得到透明和真相。最終毫不拖延地公佈與這些暗殺事件有關的所有記錄是符合國家利益。”

這些記錄不會立即公佈。命令中寫道: 「在本命令發布之日起 15 天內，國家情報總監和司法部長應與總統國家安全事務助理和總統法律顧問協調​​，向總統提交一份去全面公佈與約翰·肯尼迪總統遇刺事件有關的記錄的全面實施計劃」。

羅拔甘迺迪 和 馬丁·路德·金 文件檔案的時間進程表是在 45 天之內。

根據美國有線電視新聞網 (CNN) 報道，2023 年，美國國家檔案館結束了對 1963 年甘迺迪遇刺事件相關機密文件的審查，已把其中 99% 的記錄公開。

總統拜登隨後發布了一份備忘錄，證明檔案管理員已經完成審查，並確認餘下獲準解密的文件已向公眾發佈 - 符合先前設定的時限。

儘管包括特朗普在內的多位總統先前承諾公佈這些記錄，但中情局、五角大廈和國務院仍持有拒絕公佈的文件。這些文件仍保持機密狀態的理由很大程度上是為了保護仍然活著, 或可能還活著的機密消息來源的身份，和保護方法。

特朗普擔任總統時，曾應國家安全機構的要求同意不公佈與甘迺迪遇刺案有關的全部紀錄。但在2024年競選時他表示將公佈剩餘的文件。

So, Trump has signed an executive order to release files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Despite previous pledges from presidents, including Trump, to release those records, the CIA, Pentagon and State Department still have documents they’ve refused to release in an effort to protect the identities of confidential sources who are still alive, or might be alive, and protecting methods. I am wondering whether the new information will attraction attention of historians.

特朗普宣誓就職前幾天，英國施紀賢抵達烏克蘭與澤連斯基舉行安全會談

 Recently Google News on-line picked up the following:

UK's Starmer arrives in Ukraine for security talks with Zelenskyy days before Trump is sworn in

Associated Press

Wed, January 15, 2025 at 9:02 p.m. PST·1 min read

KYIV (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on Thursday, pledging to help guarantee the country’s security for a century days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president.

The British government says Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a “100-Year Partnership” treaty in Kyiv, covering areas including defense, science, energy and trade.

Starmer’s unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since he took office in July. He visited the country in 2023 when he was opposition leader, and has twice held talks with Zelenskyy in 10 Downing St. since becoming prime minister.

One of Ukraine’s biggest military backers, the U.K. has pledged 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago, and has trained more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Starmer is due to announce another 40 million pounds ($49 million) for Ukraine’s post-war economic recovery.

Translation

特朗普宣誓就職前幾天，英國施紀賢抵達烏克蘭與澤連斯基舉行安全會談

基輔（美聯社）—在特朗普宣誓就任美國總統之前幾天, 英國首相施紀賢週四抵達烏克蘭，承諾幫助保障烏克蘭的安全一百年。

英國政府稱，施紀賢和烏克蘭總統澤連斯基將在基輔簽署「百年夥伴關係」條約，涵蓋國防、科學、能源和貿易等領域。

施紀賢的這次未經宣布的訪問是他自7月上任以來首次訪問烏克蘭。他在2023年擔任反對黨領袖時訪問過該國，自擔任首相以來曾兩次在唐寧街10號與澤連斯基舉行會談。

英國是烏克蘭最大的軍事支持者之一，自三年前俄羅斯全面入侵以來，英國已承諾向烏克蘭提供128 億英鎊（160 億美元）的軍事和民事援助，並在英國領土上訓練了超過50,000 名烏克蘭士兵。施紀賢將宣布再撥款 4,000 萬英鎊（4,900 萬美元）用於烏克蘭戰後經濟復甦。

So, the UK has pledged to help guarantee Ukraine’s security for a century just days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president. The UK is one of Ukraine’s biggest military backers and has pledged 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago. It also has trained Ukrainian troops on British soil. While the UK is probably making a political move that bets on the good future of Ukraine, to the Ukrainian, the British’ s move is a visualization of an old English saying that “a friend in need is a friend indeed”.

印度海軍潛艇與軍艦下水 防範中國在印度洋的出現

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

India's navy launches submarine, warships to guard against China's presence in Indian Ocean

Rafiq Maqbool And Ashok Sharma

Wed, January 15, 2025 at 2:04 a.m. PST·2 min read

The Associated Press

MUMBAI, India (AP) — India's navy on Wednesday simultaneously launched a submarine, a destroyer and a frigate built at a state-run shipyard, underscoring the importance of protecting the Indian Ocean region through which 95% of the country's trade moves amid a strong Chinese presence.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Atlantic Ocean’s importance has shifted to the Indian Ocean region, which is becoming a center of international power rivalry.

“India is giving the biggest importance to making its navy powerful to protect its interests,” he said.

“The commissioning of three major naval combatants marks a significant leap forward in realizing India’s vision of becoming a global leader in defense manufacturing and maritime security,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while commissioning the vessels at the state-run Mazagon dockyard in Mumbai.

The situation in the Indian Ocean region is challenging with the Chinese navy, India’s main rival, growing exponentially, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst.

Bedi said that the INS Vagsheer submarine, the sixth among a French license-built Kalvari (Scorpene)-class conventional diesel-electric submarines, is aimed at replacing aging Indian underwater platforms and plugging serious capability gaps in existing ones. India now has a total of 16 submarines.

The P75 Scorpene submarine project represents India’s growing expertise in submarine construction in collaboration with the Naval Group of France, Bedi said.

India’s defense ministry is expected to conclude a deal for three additional Scorpene submarines to be built in India during Modi’s likely visit to Paris next month to attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

However, the first of these boats, according to the Indian navy, is only likely to be commissioned by 2031.

India commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier in 2022 to counter regional rival China’s much more extensive and growing fleet and expand its indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

The INS Vikrant, whose name is a Sanskrit word for “powerful” or “courageous,” is India’s second operational aircraft carrier. It joins the Soviet-era INS Vikramaditya, which India purchased from Russia in 2004 to defend the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

Translation

印度海軍潛艇與軍艦下水 防範中國在印度洋的出現

印度孟買（美聯社）—印度海軍週三同時有一艘潛艇、一艘驅逐艦和一艘護衛艦下水了，這些艦艇均由一家國營造船廠建造。印度95% 的貿易活動都透過印度洋地區進行。在中國強勢出現的背景下，這凸顯了保護該地區地區的重要性。

國防部長拉傑納特辛格表示，大西洋的重要性已經轉移到印度洋地區，該地區正在成為國際力量競爭的中心。

他說：“印度非常重視增強海軍實力以保護本國利益。”

印度總理莫迪在孟買國營馬扎岡造船廠為這些艦艇舉行服役儀式時表示：「三艘主要海軍戰艦的服役標誌著印度在實現成為國防製造業和海上安全全球領導者的願景方面邁出了重大一步。

國防分析師Rahul Bedi表示，印度洋地區的局勢充滿挑戰，印度的主要對手中國海軍實力正在呈指數級增長。

Bedi表示，INS Vagsheer號潛艇是法國授權製造的卡爾瓦里（Scorpene) 級常規柴電潛艇中的第六艘，旨在取代老化的印度水下領域平台，並填補現有平台在能力方面的嚴重缺口。印度目前共擁有16艘潛艇。

Bedi表示，P75 Scorpene潛艇計劃代表了在印度與法國海軍集團合作下, 在潛艇建造方面的專業知識日益增強。

印度國防部預計將在莫迪下個月訪問巴黎參加法國總統馬克龍主持的人工智慧行動高峰會期間，簽署在印度建造另外三艘「Scorpene」級潛艇的協議。

然而，據印度海軍稱，第一艘潛艇可能要到2031年才能服役。

印度於 2022 年有第一艘國產航空母艦服役，以對抗其地區競爭對手中國的更大規模且不斷增長的艦隊，並擴大印度本土造船能力。

INS Vikrant是印度第二艘現役使用的航空母艦，名字在梵語中意為「強大」或「勇敢」。它與從前蘇聯於 2004年購入的 “維克拉瑪蒂亞” 號航空母艦一起，保衛印度洋和孟加拉灣。

              So, India's navy has simultaneously launched a submarine, a destroyer and a frigate built at a state-run shipyard. Furthermore, India’s defense ministry is expected to conclude a deal for three additional submarines to be built in India with the help from French. Apparently, India is beefing up its navy to counter the presence of China in the region.

澤連斯基提出釋放被俘朝鮮士兵，以換取被俄羅斯關押的烏克蘭士兵

 Recently CNN News on-line reported the following:

Zelensky offers to release captured North Korean soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers held in Russia

By Adam Pourahmadi and Audry Jeong, CNN

Updated 4:56 PM EST, Sun January 12, 2025

CNN

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is willing to release North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers being held captive in Russia.

“Ukraine is ready to hand over (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia,” Zelensky said Sunday in a post on X that included a video purportedly showing two North Korean POWs being interrogated.

On Saturday, Ukraine said it had captured two North Korean soldiers, marking the first time that Kyiv has captured soldiers alive from the isolated state.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have officially acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Russia.

CNN has reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense for comment, and is seeking comment from North Korea.

In the video shared by Zelensky on Sunday, both soldiers appear injured and are likely speaking under duress. A Korean-speaking voice can be heard translating questions from the interrogator.

One soldier has a wound to his jaw, the other has bandaged hands.

One of the soldiers, who appears in the video lying down, says he did not know he was fighting in a war against Ukraine and that his commanders told him it was a training exercise.

The interrogator, whose voice has been modulated to obscure their identity, asks both soldiers whether they want to return to North Korea, according to a CNN translation of the video.

One nods, the other – after further prompting from the translator, who asks, “Do you like it here in Ukraine? It’s nicer here” – says he wants to stay in Ukraine but adds later that he will do as he is told.

In his daily address later Sunday, Zelensky claimed that one of the soldiers had “expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine.”

According to Ukrainian and Western assessments, some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces occupy several hundred square kilometers after staging a cross-border incursion in August last year.

Ukraine estimates more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in Kursk, while a senior US official said North Korea has seen “several hundred” casualties – both killed and wounded – in the region since October.

In video released Saturday by Ukraine’s Security Service, a spokesman says one of the North Koreans was captured on January 9 by Ukrainian special forces, and the other by Ukrainian paratroopers.

In his statement on X, Zelensky vowed to capture more North Korean soldiers.

“In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North Korea,” Zelensky said on X.

Officials in Kyiv have accused Russia of trying to cover up the involvement of North Korean soldiers on the battlefield.

Translation

澤連斯基提出釋放被俘朝鮮士兵，以換取被俄羅斯關押的烏克蘭士兵

烏克蘭總統澤連斯基表示，願意釋放烏克蘭在俄羅斯庫爾斯克地區虜獲的北韓士兵，以交換被俄羅斯關押的烏克蘭士兵。

澤連斯基週日在X 上的一篇貼文中表示：「烏克蘭願意將（北韓領導人）金正恩的士兵交還給他，只要他能達成交換我們被俄羅斯關押的戰士。」該貼文還附上了一段據稱顯示兩名北韓戰俘正在接受審訊。

週六，烏克蘭表示已抓獲兩名北韓士兵，這是基輔首次從孤立狀態下活捉北韓士兵。

莫斯科和平壤均未正式承認北韓軍隊在俄羅斯出现。

CNN 已聯繫俄羅斯國防部徵求意見，並正在尋求北韓的評論。

在澤連斯基週日分享的影片中，有兩名士兵都看起來受傷了，很可能是在脅迫下說話的。可以聽到有韓語聲音翻譯出審訊人員的問題。

一名士兵下巴受傷，另一名士兵手上纏著繃帶。

影片中躺著的一名士兵表示，他不知道自己正在與烏克蘭作戰，指揮官告訴他這只是訓練演習。

根據美國有線電視新聞網 (CNN) 對影片的翻譯，審訊人員的聲音經過了調整，以掩蓋其身份，他詢問兩名士兵是否想返回北韓。

一個人點點頭，另一個人 - 在翻譯的進一步提示下問道：「你喜歡烏克蘭這裡嗎？這裡更好」 - 說他想留在烏克蘭，但後來又補充說，他會照著吩咐去做。

澤連斯基在周日晚些時候的每日演講中聲稱，其中一名士兵「表達了留在烏克蘭的願望」。

根據烏克蘭和西方評估，北韓約有1.1萬軍隊部署在庫爾斯克地區。烏克蘭軍隊去年8月越境入侵後佔領了該地區數百平方公里的土地。

烏克蘭估計，已有 3,000 多名朝鮮士兵在庫爾斯克陣亡或受傷，而一名美國高級官員表示，自 10 月以來，北韓在該地區已有「數百人」傷亡。

烏克蘭安全局發言人週六發佈的影片稱，一名北韓人於 1 月 9 日被烏克蘭特種部隊抓獲，另一名北韓人被烏克蘭傘兵抓獲。

澤連斯基在X平台發表聲明，誓言要俘虜更多北韓士兵。

連斯基在 X 平台表示:「除了首次被俘的北韓士兵外，毫無疑問還會有更多。我們的部隊成功捕獲其他士兵只是時間問題。世界上不應該再有懷疑，俄羅斯軍隊依賴北韓的軍事援助」。

基輔官員指責俄羅斯試圖掩蓋北韓士兵參與戰事的情況。

              So, Ukraine spokesman says that two North Koreans were captured, one by Ukrainian special forces, and the other by Ukrainian paratroopers. Ukrainian President Zelensky has said he is willing to release North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers being held captive in Russia. Apparently, it will be an embarrassing proposal for Putin.

巴拿馬運河真的如特朗普所說由中國「運營」嗎？ （2/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Does China 'operate' Panama Canal, as Trump says? (2/2)

Shawn Yuan 22.1.25

Global China Unit, BBC World Service

(continue)

What is China's role in the operations of the canal?

There is no public evidence to suggest that the Chinese government exercises control over the canal, or its military. However, Chinese companies have a significant presence there.

From October 2023 to September 2024, China accounted for 21.4% of the cargo volume transiting the Panama Canal, making it the second-largest user after the US.

In recent years, China has also invested heavily in ports and terminals near the canal.

Two of the five ports adjacent to the canal, Balboa and Cristóbal, which sit on the Pacific and Atlantic sides respectively, have been operated by a subsidiary of Hutchison Port Holdings since 1997.

The company is a subsidiary of the publicly listed CK Hutchison Holdings, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate founded by Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing.

It has port operations in 24 countries, including the UK.

Although it is not state-owned by China, says Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, there have been concerns in Washington over how much control Beijing would be able to exert over the company.

A wealth of potentially useful strategic information on ships passing through the waterway flows through these ports.

"There is an increasing geopolitical tension of economic nature between the US and China," Mr Berg says. "That kind of information regarding cargo would be very useful in the event of a supply chain war."

CK Hutchison did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

The bids to operate those ports faced almost no competition, according to Andrew Thomas, a professor at the University of Akron who has written a book on the canal. "The US at the time didn't really care about these ports and Hutchison faced no objection," he says.

Chinese companies, both private and state-owned, have also strengthened their presence in Panama through billions of dollars in investments, including a cruise terminal and a bridge to be built over the canal.

This "package of Chinese activities", as described by Mr Thomas, might have prompted Trump's assertion that the canal is "owned" by China, but operation of those ports does not equate to ownership, he stresses.

Beijing has repeatedly said that China's ties with Latin America are characterised by "equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people".

What are China's broader interests in Panama?

Panama's strategic location means China has been vying to increase its influence in the country for years and expand its footprint on a continent that has traditionally been considered the "backyard" of the US.

In 2017, Panama broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established formal relations with China – a huge win for Chinese diplomacy.

Months later, Panama became the first Latin American country to join China's signature Belt and Road Initiative, a trillion-dollar global infrastructure and investment initiative.

The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras followed suit and also severed ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing.

China has slowly expanded its soft power by opening its first Confucius Institute in the country and providing a grant to build a railway. Chinese companies have also sponsored "media training" for Panamanian journalists.

Translation

巴拿馬運河真的如特朗普所說由中國「運營」嗎？ （2/2）

（繼續）

中國在運河運作中扮演什麼角色？

沒有公開證據顯示中國政府或軍隊對該運河實施控制。然而，中國公司在那裡佔有重要地位。

2023年10月至2024年9月，中國佔巴拿馬運河貨運量的21.4%，成為僅次於美國的第二大用戶。

近年來，中國也對運河附近的港口和碼頭進行了巨額投資。

在毗鄰運河的五個港口中的两個，即巴爾博亞港 (Port of Balboa),和克里斯托巴爾港 (Port of Cristóbal),分別位於太平洋和大西洋兩岸，自 1997 年以來一直由和記港口集團旗下的一家子公司運營。

該公司是上市公司長江和記實業的子公司，長江和記實業是一家由香港商人李嘉誠創立的香港企業集團。

該公司在包括英國在內的24個國家開展港口業務。

戰略與國際研究中心美洲計劃主任 Ryan Berg 表示，儘管該公司不是中國國有企業，但華盛頓一直擔心北京方面能夠對該公司施加控制的程度。

透過這些港口，可以獲得大量有關途經該水道的船隻的潛在有用的戰略資訊。

Berg表示： “美國和中國之間的經濟地緣政治緊張局勢正在加劇”; “一旦發生供應鏈戰爭，這種有關貨物的信息將非常有用。”

長江和記尚未回應 BBC 的置評請求。

阿克倫大學教授 Andrew Thomas 曾撰寫過一本有關運河的書，他表示，這些港口的營運競標幾乎沒有面對任何競爭。他說： “當時美國其實並不關心這些港口，而和記黃埔也沒有遇到任何反對。”

中國私營和國有企業也透過數十億美元的投資加強了在巴拿馬的業務，其中包括建造一個郵輪碼頭和一座橫跨運河的橋樑。

Thomas 所描述的「一系列中國活動」可能促使特朗普聲稱運河「歸」中國所有，但他強調，營運這些港口並不等於擁有所有權。

北京曾多次表示，中國與拉美的關係具有「平等、互利、創新、開放、惠及人民」的特徵。

中國在巴拿馬擁有哪些更廣泛的利益？

巴拿馬的戰略位置意味著中國多年來一直在爭取增強在該國的影響力，並擴大其在傳統上被視為美國「後院」的美洲大陸的空間。

2017年，巴拿馬與台灣斷絕外交關係，與中國建立正式關係，這是中國外交的重大勝利。

數月後，巴拿馬成為第一個加入中國「一帶一路」倡議的拉丁美洲國家,是一項價值萬億美元的全球基礎設施和投資計劃。

多明尼加共和國、薩爾瓦多、尼加拉瓜和洪都拉斯也紛紛效仿，與台北斷絕關係，轉而支持北京。

中國透過在該國開設第一所孔子學院和提供援助修建鐵路，慢慢擴大了其軟實力。中國公司也為巴拿馬記者舉辦「媒體培訓」。

 

       So, Washington has expressed its concerns over how much control Beijing would be able to exert over the company that is operating the canal. Everyday potentially useful strategic information on ships passing through the waterway is generated. As there is an increasing geopolitical tension of economic nature between the US and China, this cargo information could be very useful in the event of a supply chain war. At the moment, Chinese companies, both private and state-owned (including HK companies), have strengthened their presence in Panama through billions of dollars investments in canal related constructions. Apparently, the US’s worry is understandable.

巴拿馬運河真的如特朗普所說由中國「運營」嗎？ （1/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

(Source: BBC)

Does China 'operate' Panama Canal, as Trump says? (1/2)

Shawn Yuan 22.1.25

Global China Unit, BBC World Service

During his inaugural address, President Donald Trump doubled down on his assertion that China runs the Panama Canal.

"China is operating the Panama Canal and we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama and we're taking it back," he said.

The 51-mile (82km) Panama Canal cuts across the Central American nation and is the main link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Up to 14,000 ships use it each year as a shortcut to a journey which, before the canal was built, would have taken them on a lengthy and costly trip around the tip of South America.

What has Trump said about the canal?

The mention of Panama in his inaugural speech is not the first time he has focused on the Central American nation and its transoceanic canal.

On Christmas Day, Trump posted on social media that the "wonderful soldiers of China" were "lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal" - a claim which was swiftly denied by officials in Panama City and Beijing.

At the time, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino described the claim as "nonsense", stressing that there was "absolutely no Chinese interference" in the canal.

Trump has also threatened to take the canal back by force, citing "exorbitant" fees being allegedly charged for US vessels to pass through it - another claim rejected by Panamanian authorities.

Following Trump's inauguration address, President Mulino again stressed that there was "no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration" of the Panama Canal.

The strategic waterway, which handles about 5% of global maritime trade volume, is operated by the Panama Canal Authority, an agency of the Panamanian government, not Chinese soldiers.

However, Mr Trump's inaccurate claim reflects the concerns of some US officials over China's significant investments in the canal and its surrounding infrastructure.

What is the history of Panama Canal?

Historically, the US played a pivotal role in the construction and administration of the passage, which links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

After a failed attempt by the French to build it, the US secured the rights to undertake the project. The canal's construction was completed in 1914.

It remained under US control until 1977, when then President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty to gradually hand it over to Panama, which Trump has referred to as "foolish".

Since 1999, the Panama Canal Authority has held exclusive control over the operations of the waterway.

The treaties signed by both the US and Panama stipulated that it shall remain permanently neutral, but the US reserves the right to defend any threat to the canal's neutrality using military force under this deal.

(to be continued)

Translation

巴拿馬運河真的如特朗普所說由中國「運營」嗎？ （1/2）

總統特朗普在就職演說中再次強調，中國在管理巴拿馬運河。

他說： “中國運營着巴拿馬運河，我們沒有把它交給中國。我們把它交給了巴拿馬，現在我們要把它拿回來。”

長 51 英里（82 公里）的巴拿馬運河穿越中美洲國家，是大西洋和太平洋之間的主要通道。

每年有多達 14,000 艘船通過這條運河作為捷徑，而在運河建造之前，這些船隻則需要繞行南美洲末端，路線漫長且費用昂貴。

 

特朗普對運河有何評論？

他在就職演說中提到巴拿馬, 這並不是他第一次關注這個中美洲國家及其跨洋運河。

聖誕節當天，特朗普在社群媒體上發文稱，「出色的中國軍人」正在「充滿愛心但非法地運營巴拿馬運河」- 但這說法很快就遭到巴拿馬城和北京官員的否認。

當時，巴拿馬總統穆利諾 (José Raúl Mulino) 稱這一說法 “一派胡言” ，並強調 “絕對沒有中國干涉” 運河。

特朗普也威脅要以武力收回運河，稱它向通過運河美國船隻收取「高昂」的費用 - 這一說法也遭到巴拿馬當局的否認。

在特朗普就職演說後，穆利諾總統再次強調，「世界上沒有任何國家干涉我們對巴拿馬運河的管理」。

這條戰略水道負責處理全球約5%的海上貿易量，由巴拿馬政府下屬機構巴拿馬運河管理局,而並非中國士兵管理。

然而，特朗普的不實言論反映了一些美國官員對中國在運河及其周邊基礎設施上進行大量投資的擔憂。

巴拿馬運河有什麼歷史？

歷史上，美國在這條連接大西洋和太平洋的通道的建設和管理發揮了關鍵作用。

在法國人建造該橋失敗後，美國獲得了接手該計劃的權利。該運河於1914年建成。

該島一直處於美國的控制之下，直到1977年，時任總統卡特簽署條約，將其逐步移交給巴拿馬，特朗普稱此舉「愚蠢」。

自1999年以來，巴拿馬運河管理局對該水道的運作擁有獨家控制權。

美國與巴拿馬簽署的條約規定，巴拿馬將保持永久中立，但根據該協議，美國保留使用軍事力量防禦任何對運河中立性的威脅的權利。

（待續）

Over 170 nursing care business operators went bankrupt last year, the highest number ever, possibly due to rising prices

 Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

介護事業者の倒産 去年170件余 過去最多に 物価高騰など影響か

2025年1月10日 6時09分

去年、全国で確認された介護事業者の倒産は合わせて170件余りと、これまでで最も多くなったことが信用調査会社のまとめで分かりました。倒産の要因として、介護職員の不足や物価の高騰などの影響が考えられるということです。

東京商工リサーチによりますと、去年1年間に確認された介護事業者の倒産は全国で172件と前の年から1.4倍増え、介護保険制度が始まった2000年以降で最も多くなりました。

内訳は、「訪問介護」が最も多く81件と全体の半数近くを占めています。

次いでデイサービスなどの「通所・短期入所」が56件、「有料老人ホーム」が18件などとなっています。

負債総額は合わせて229億円余りで、従業員数が10人未満の小規模な事業所が8割以上を占めています。

倒産の要因としては、介護職員が不足して事業が継続できないことや、コロナ禍で経営が悪化し、介護用品や光熱費などの高騰が追い打ちを掛けたことなどが考えられるということです。

東京商工リサーチは、「高齢化が進み介護の需要は高まっている一方で、地域によっては事業者の倒産で介護サービスが行き届かない所も出てきている。介護事業者どうしの協力や国などの支援が欠かせない状況だ」と指摘しています。

Translation

Over 170 nursing care business operators went bankrupt last year, the highest number ever, possibly due to rising prices

A credit research company had found that over 170 nursing care business operators went bankrupt nationwide last year, the highest number ever. The bankruptcies were thought to be due to factors such as a shortage of nursing care staff and a sharp rise in commodity prices.

According to Tokyo Shoko Research (東京商工リサーチ), there were 172 nursing care business operators that confirmed to have gone bankrupt nationwide last year, a 1.4-fold increase from the previous year, and the highest number since the long-term care insurance system began in 2000.

The breakdown was as follows: "Home care" was in the majority, with 81 cases, representing nearly half of the total.

Next were day services etc. " social welfare facility - short-term admission" with 56 cases, and "paid nursing homes" etc. with 18 cases.

The total debt amounted to over 22.9 billion yen, with more than 80% being small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.

Possible reasons for the bankruptcies included a shortage of care workers that made it impossible to continue business, a worsening business situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the further impact of soaring prices for care products and utilities.

Tokyo Shoko Research pointed out that "While the demand for care is increasing as the population ages, some regions are falling behind on care services due to the bankruptcy of some operators. The situation is that cooperation between care providers and supports from the government etc. are essential."

So, over 170 nursing care business operators went bankrupt nationwide last year, the highest number ever. Probably it is due to factors such as a shortage of nursing care staff and sharp rises in commodity prices. Apparently, the Japanese government should increase its budget in social welfare.