China's foreign ministry&nbsp;said today that it had held a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-court-grants-conditional-bail-to-huaweis-meng-wanzhou-183357">third Canadian national for working</a> illegally in the country.

A&nbsp;Canadian&nbsp;woman named Sarah McIver&nbsp;faces "administrative penalties", said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing.

"In the case of the current consular situations we're going to continue to defend them, to stand up for them, to ask for more information on the charges being brought forward, or the reasons for detention," Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said.

A Canadian newspaper had identified McIver as a teacher.

The new development comes <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/do-not-politicise-extradition-cases-canada-warns-us-183654">after China had earlier detained</a> former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor after Canadian authorities had arrested and later released Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou last week.

Meng was arrested after US authorities asked Canadian officials to detain her at the Vancouver airport over&nbsp;Huawei's alleged trade transactions with Iran. Meng&nbsp;was&nbsp;released on conditional bail and has been barred from leaving Canada.

PM Trudeau maintained that it was "a very separate case" from last week.

"But we are looking into the details on this most recent one - that doesn't seem to fit the pattern set by the previous two, but we'll have more to say as we collect the facts on this issue," PM Trudeau informed reporters.

"We have engaged in a very&nbsp;thoughtful way on trying to get the best outcome, and sometimes politicising or amplifying the level of public discourse on this may be satisfying in the short term, but would not contribute to the outcome,"&nbsp;PM Trudeau added.

China's foreign ministry said today that it had held a third Canadian national for working illegally in the country. A Canadian woman named Sarah McIver faces "administrative penalties", said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing.

China's foreign ministry said today that it had held a third Canadian national for working illegally in the country. A Canadian woman named Sarah McIver faces "administrative penalties", said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing. "In the case of the current consular situations we're going to continue to defend them, to stand up for them, to ask for more information on the charges being brought forward, or the reasons for detention," Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said. A Canadian newspaper had identified McIver as a teacher. The new development comes after China had earlier detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor after Canadian authorities had arrested and later released Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou last week. Meng was arrested after US authorities asked Canadian officials to detain her at the Vancouver airport over Huawei's alleged trade transactions with Iran. Meng was released on conditional bail and has been barred from leaving Canada. PM Trudeau maintained that it was "a very separate case" from last week. "But we are looking into the details on this most recent one - that doesn't seem to fit the pattern set by the previous two, but we'll have more to say as we collect the facts on this issue," PM Trudeau informed reporters. "We have engaged in a very thoughtful way on trying to get the best outcome, and sometimes politicising or amplifying the level of public discourse on this may be satisfying in the short term, but would not contribute to the outcome," PM Trudeau added.

Third Canadian held for working illegally in the country: China

Ottawa's ambassador to Beijing has met with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/central-asia/two-canadians-being-investigated-for-threatening-national-security-china-183709">second Canadian detained</a> in China on suspicion of threatening national security, Canada's foreign ministry has said Sunday.

The ministry said Ambassador John McCallum had met with Michael Spavor, a business consultant, two days after meeting with another detained Canadian, Michael Kovrig, a think tank employee.

"Canadian consular officials continue to provide consular services to him and his family and will continue to seek further access to Mr Spavor," the ministry said.

China arrested two Canadians after Ottawa detained a senior executive from tech giant Huawei at the behest of the United States.

"We are being absolutely clear on standing up for our citizens who have been detained, trying to figure out why, trying to work with China to demonstrate that this not acceptable," Canadian Prime Minister Justin&nbsp;Trudeau told Toronto's Citytv on Friday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also branded the arrests "unacceptable." Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer at Huawei, was released on bail in Vancouver on Tuesday pending extradition to the US.&nbsp;

She is accused of violating US sanctions on Iran. Beijing threatened Canada with "grave consequences" if she was not freed.

Ottawa has repeatedly said the arrest was not political but rather a judicial process in keeping with an extradition treaty with Washington.

In an interview with CTV News on Sunday, Trudeau expressed concerns about the impact of the US-China trade war on Canada, which has been pushing for a free trade deal with the latter.

"One of the things that we have to understand is when there is a conflict like this... Where we're talking about an escalating trade war, we're talking about significant clashes between the world's two largest economies," he said.

"There are going to be unintended consequences all around the world, including in Canada."

Canadian companies operating in China have not reported significant difficulties amid the current diplomatic crisis.

However, coat manufacturer Canada Goose this week postponed the opening of a new store in Beijing for "construction reasons."&nbsp;

Ottawa's ambassador to Beijing has met with the second Canadian detained in China on suspicion of threatening national security, Canada's foreign ministry has said Sunday.

Ottawa's ambassador to Beijing has met with the second Canadian detained in China on suspicion of threatening national security, Canada's foreign ministry has said Sunday. The ministry said Ambassador John McCallum had met with Michael Spavor, a business consultant, two days after meeting with another detained Canadian, Michael Kovrig, a think tank employee. "Canadian consular officials continue to provide consular services to him and his family and will continue to seek further access to Mr Spavor," the ministry said. China arrested two Canadians after Ottawa detained a senior executive from tech giant Huawei at the behest of the United States. "We are being absolutely clear on standing up for our citizens who have been detained, trying to figure out why, trying to work with China to demonstrate that this not acceptable," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Toronto's Citytv on Friday. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also branded the arrests "unacceptable." Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer at Huawei, was released on bail in Vancouver on Tuesday pending extradition to the US. She is accused of violating US sanctions on Iran. Beijing threatened Canada with "grave consequences" if she was not freed. Ottawa has repeatedly said the arrest was not political but rather a judicial process in keeping with an extradition treaty with Washington. In an interview with CTV News on Sunday, Trudeau expressed concerns about the impact of the US-China trade war on Canada, which has been pushing for a free trade deal with the latter. "One of the things that we have to understand is when there is a conflict like this... Where we're talking about an escalating trade war, we're talking about significant clashes between the world's two largest economies," he said. "There are going to be unintended consequences all around the world, including in Canada." Canadian companies operating in China have not reported significant difficulties amid the current diplomatic crisis. However, coat manufacturer Canada Goose this week postponed the opening of a new store in Beijing for "construction reasons."

Canada's envoy in China meets with second detained national on suspicion of threatening national security: Foreign Ministry

Canadian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-arrest-canada-pm-justin-trudeau-defends-detaining-meng-wanzhou-182040">Prime Minister Justin Trudeau</a>, speaking in an interview that aired on Sunday, said for the first time that his Liberal government was looking for a way out of a multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

The comments represented a notable hardening in tone from Trudeau, who previously said there would be huge penalties for scrapping the $13 billion agreement for armoured vehicles made by the Canadian unit of General Dynamics Corp.

Last month, Trudeau said Canada could freeze the relevant export permits if it concluded the weapons had been misused.

"We are engaged with the export permits to try and see if there is a way of no longer exporting these vehicles to Saudi Arabia," Trudeau told CTV. He did not give further details.

Political opponents, citing the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Yemen war, insist Trudeau should end the General Dynamics deal, which was negotiated by the previous Conservative government.

Relations between Ottawa and Riyadh have been tense since a diplomatic dispute over human rights earlier this year. Ottawa says it has been consulting allies on what steps to take after Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

"The murder of a journalist is absolutely unacceptable and that's why Canada from the very beginning had been demanding answers and solutions on that," said Trudeau.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in an interview that aired on Sunday, said for the first time that his Liberal government was looking for a way out of a multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in an interview that aired on Sunday, said for the first time that his Liberal government was looking for a way out of a multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The comments represented a notable hardening in tone from Trudeau, who previously said there would be huge penalties for scrapping the $13 billion agreement for armoured vehicles made by the Canadian unit of General Dynamics Corp. Last month, Trudeau said Canada could freeze the relevant export permits if it concluded the weapons had been misused. "We are engaged with the export permits to try and see if there is a way of no longer exporting these vehicles to Saudi Arabia," Trudeau told CTV. He did not give further details. Political opponents, citing the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Yemen war, insist Trudeau should end the General Dynamics deal, which was negotiated by the previous Conservative government. Relations between Ottawa and Riyadh have been tense since a diplomatic dispute over human rights earlier this year. Ottawa says it has been consulting allies on what steps to take after Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. "The murder of a journalist is absolutely unacceptable and that's why Canada from the very beginning had been demanding answers and solutions on that," said Trudeau.

Canada looking for way out of big Saudi Arabia arms deal: PM Trudeau

A rash of bomb threats were emailed on Thursday to hundreds of businesses, public offices and schools across the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-demands-access-for-us-diplomats-journalists-to-tibet-threatening-to-bar-chinese-officials-183865">United States</a> and Canada demanding payment in cryptocurrency, but none of the threats appeared credible, law enforcement officials said.

One email targeting a St Louis-area middle school was traced by local investigators to an internet protocol, or IP, address in Moscow, the sheriff's office in Lincoln County, Missouri said.

But US government sources speaking on background to Reuters said that such findings were inconclusive and that federal investigators doubted that Russians or the Russian government were involved.

The officials cautioned that such an IP address does not prove it came from Russia because the sender could have electronically laid a false trail to cover up its true origin. They suggested instead that the flurry of emails were part of a widescale digital hoax.

The security scare began shortly before 2 pm EST as police departments in major US cities coast to coast began reporting on Twitter that numerous local businesses had received the menacing emails - awkwardly worded threats to set off a bomb unless a bitcoin payment of $20,000 were received.

Four hours into the security scare, no actual explosives had been found, authorities said. But the threats prompted brief evacuations of a Toronto subway station and a newspaper office in Raleigh, North Carolina. Some public schools and businesses also were evacuated as a precaution.

Lincoln County, Missouri, sheriff's spokesman Lieutenant Andy Binder said authorities bused the students from a middle school receiving one of the threats to another campus as a precaution, but the school was later determined to be safe and classes will resume there on Friday.

Among other cities where bomb threats were reported by authorities were Washington, New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Denver, Ottawa, and Calgary, Alberta.

Police at the University of Wisconsin in Madison tweeted an image taken of one email threat found to be circulating that said in part: "Good day. There is an explosive device (lead azide) in the building where your company is conducted. It is assembled according to my guide. It is compact and it is covered up very carefully. It can not damage the structure of the building, but in case of its explosion you will get many wounded people."

The campus police tweet concludes by referring to the emails as "a SCAM happening nationwide."

The FBI and other federal agencies were alerted to the email chains, officials said.

"We are aware of threats being made in cities across the country," Rukelt Dalberis, an FBI spokesman in Los Angeles, told Reuters separately. "We remain in touch with our law enforcement partners. We encourage the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities that could represent a threat."

A similar wave of emailed hoax bomb threats in December 2015 prompted officials in Los Angeles to close the city's public school system, which national law enforcement officials later criticized as an overreaction.

Two weeks previously, a married couple inspired by Islamic State had killed 14 people at a California county office building in a shooting rampage.

A teenager with dual Israeli-US citizenship was arrested in Israel in March 2017 for making bomb threats to more than 100 Jewish organizations and Jewish community centers (JCCs) in dozens of US states over several months.

A rash of bomb threats were emailed on Thursday to hundreds of businesses, public offices and schools across the United States and Canada demanding payment in cryptocurrency, but none of the threats appeared credible, law enforcement officials said.

A rash of bomb threats were emailed on Thursday to hundreds of businesses, public offices and schools across the United States and Canada demanding payment in cryptocurrency, but none of the threats appeared credible, law enforcement officials said. One email targeting a St Louis-area middle school was traced by local investigators to an internet protocol, or IP, address in Moscow, the sheriff's office in Lincoln County, Missouri said. But US government sources speaking on background to Reuters said that such findings were inconclusive and that federal investigators doubted that Russians or the Russian government were involved. The officials cautioned that such an IP address does not prove it came from Russia because the sender could have electronically laid a false trail to cover up its true origin. They suggested instead that the flurry of emails were part of a widescale digital hoax. The security scare began shortly before 2 pm EST as police departments in major US cities coast to coast began reporting on Twitter that numerous local businesses had received the menacing emails - awkwardly worded threats to set off a bomb unless a bitcoin payment of $20,000 were received. Four hours into the security scare, no actual explosives had been found, authorities said. But the threats prompted brief evacuations of a Toronto subway station and a newspaper office in Raleigh, North Carolina. Some public schools and businesses also were evacuated as a precaution. Lincoln County, Missouri, sheriff's spokesman Lieutenant Andy Binder said authorities bused the students from a middle school receiving one of the threats to another campus as a precaution, but the school was later determined to be safe and classes will resume there on Friday. Among other cities where bomb threats were reported by authorities were Washington, New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Denver, Ottawa, and Calgary, Alberta. Police at the University of Wisconsin in Madison tweeted an image taken of one email threat found to be circulating that said in part: "Good day. There is an explosive device (lead azide) in the building where your company is conducted. It is assembled according to my guide. It is compact and it is covered up very carefully. It can not damage the structure of the building, but in case of its explosion you will get many wounded people." The campus police tweet concludes by referring to the emails as "a SCAM happening nationwide." The FBI and other federal agencies were alerted to the email chains, officials said. "We are aware of threats being made in cities across the country," Rukelt Dalberis, an FBI spokesman in Los Angeles, told Reuters separately. "We remain in touch with our law enforcement partners. We encourage the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities that could represent a threat." A similar wave of emailed hoax bomb threats in December 2015 prompted officials in Los Angeles to close the city's public school system, which national law enforcement officials later criticized as an overreaction. Two weeks previously, a married couple inspired by Islamic State had killed 14 people at a California county office building in a shooting rampage. A teenager with dual Israeli-US citizenship was arrested in Israel in March 2017 for making bomb threats to more than 100 Jewish organizations and Jewish community centers (JCCs) in dozens of US states over several months.

Bomb threats demanding bitcoin sweep US, Canada, none found credible

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday warned the United States not to politicise extradition cases, a day after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-cohen-liar-after-his-sentencing-report-183616">President Donald Trump</a> said he could intervene in the affair of a Chinese executive detained in Canada at Washington's request.

Freeland also told reporters that a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-arrest-fallout-after-ex-diplomat-another-canadian-national-goes-missing-after-questioning-by-chinese-authorities-183587">second Canadian citizen could be in trouble in China</a>. Authorities in China are already holding former diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained on Monday.

Officials say China had so far not linked Kovrig's detention to the arrest in Vancouver on Dec. 1 of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, which infuriated Beijing. But Canadian diplomatic experts have said they have no doubt the two cases are linked.

US prosecutors accuse Meng of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. She has said she is innocent.

Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene&nbsp;in the US Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China.

Freeland said it was obvious the legal process should not be hijacked for political purposes and that Meng's lawyers would have the option of raising Trump's remarks if they decided to fight extradition.

"Our extradition partners should not seek to politicize the extradition process or use it for ends other than the pursuit of justice and following the rule of law," she said when asked about Trump's comments.

Her words mark another potentially difficult moment in ties between Canada and the United States, which were heavily strained during more than a year of talks to negotiate a new North American trade pact.

Others also questioned whether Trump might be misusing the extradition request.

"This is a legal issue and one that appears properly executed but your comments can only diminish an important extradition agreement," said Bruce Heyman, an ex-US ambassador to Canada who was appointed by President Barack Obama, Trump's predecessor.

Meng was released on bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday and is next due to appear before a judge on February 6.

The United States has not yet made a formal extradition petition. Once it does, if a Canadian judge rules in favour of the request, Canada's justice minister must decide whether to extradite Meng to the United States.

Canadian government officials earlier told a briefing that Meng had many legal options to fight extradition and the process could take years.

The justice minister could deny the US request if they deem "it has been made for an improper purpose," said one official.

The Meng affair has soured Canada's ties with China at a time when Ottawa is trying to boost bilateral trade.

Freeland expressed deep concern over the Kovrig case and said a second unnamed man had called Canadian authorities to say Chinese officials were asking him questions.

"We have not been able to make contact with him since he let us know about this," she said.

"We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we have also raised this case with the Chinese authorities."

The government officials said they had seen an uptick in anti-Canadian sentiment online and in China and have communicated concerns about diplomatic staff safety to the Chinese government, which beefed up security in response.

"We have in general informed our personnel in Beijing and in our consulates to take extra precautions," an official said.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday warned the United States not to politicise extradition cases, a day after President Donald Trump said he could intervene in the affair of a Chinese executive detained in Canada at Washington's request.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday warned the United States not to politicise extradition cases, a day after President Donald Trump said he could intervene in the affair of a Chinese executive detained in Canada at Washington's request. Freeland also told reporters that a second Canadian citizen could be in trouble in China. Authorities in China are already holding former diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained on Monday. Officials say China had so far not linked Kovrig's detention to the arrest in Vancouver on Dec. 1 of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, which infuriated Beijing. But Canadian diplomatic experts have said they have no doubt the two cases are linked. US prosecutors accuse Meng of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. She has said she is innocent. Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the US Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. Freeland said it was obvious the legal process should not be hijacked for political purposes and that Meng's lawyers would have the option of raising Trump's remarks if they decided to fight extradition. "Our extradition partners should not seek to politicize the extradition process or use it for ends other than the pursuit of justice and following the rule of law," she said when asked about Trump's comments. Her words mark another potentially difficult moment in ties between Canada and the United States, which were heavily strained during more than a year of talks to negotiate a new North American trade pact. Others also questioned whether Trump might be misusing the extradition request. "This is a legal issue and one that appears properly executed but your comments can only diminish an important extradition agreement," said Bruce Heyman, an ex-US ambassador to Canada who was appointed by President Barack Obama, Trump's predecessor. Meng was released on bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday and is next due to appear before a judge on February 6. The United States has not yet made a formal extradition petition. Once it does, if a Canadian judge rules in favour of the request, Canada's justice minister must decide whether to extradite Meng to the United States. Canadian government officials earlier told a briefing that Meng had many legal options to fight extradition and the process could take years. The justice minister could deny the US request if they deem "it has been made for an improper purpose," said one official. The Meng affair has soured Canada's ties with China at a time when Ottawa is trying to boost bilateral trade. Freeland expressed deep concern over the Kovrig case and said a second unnamed man had called Canadian authorities to say Chinese officials were asking him questions. "We have not been able to make contact with him since he let us know about this," she said. "We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we have also raised this case with the Chinese authorities." The government officials said they had seen an uptick in anti-Canadian sentiment online and in China and have communicated concerns about diplomatic staff safety to the Chinese government, which beefed up security in response. "We have in general informed our personnel in Beijing and in our consulates to take extra precautions," an official said.

Do not politicise extradition cases: Canada warns US

Days after China detained <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-information-from-chinese-officials-about-detention-of-canadian-diplomat-michael-kovrig-icg-183394">former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig</a>, the Canadian government said today that a second Canadian identified as Michael Spavor was also missing in China.

"We are aware that a Canadian citizen, Mr. Michael Spavor, is presently missing in China," Canadian foreign ministry spokesman Guillaume Berube told AFP.

Spavor's disappearance comes 24 hours after a Canadian<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-freed-on-bail-leaves-courthouse-183504"> court granted Huawei's chief financial officer</a> Meng Wanzhou conditional bail after arresting her on charges of allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions. Meng's arrest was apparently carried after US officials insisted that Huawei CFO was clandestinely engaging with Iran.

Meng was released on $7.5 million bail by the Vancouver court.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
"We have been unable to make contact since he let us know he was being questioned by Chinese authorities," Berube said adding, "we are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we continue to raise this with the Chinese government."

Spavor who is based in China runs the Paektu Cultural Exchange, an organisation which facilitates business, tourism and sports trips to North Korea. He was responsible for helping NBA Dennis Rodman make the trip to North Korea two years ago.

Chinese authorities had earlier detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig in a move widely seen as a retaliation for Meng's arrest in Vancouver.

"Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on Dec. 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security," China's state-run Beijing News had said.

Kovrig worked for the International Crisis Group (ICG), a think tank based on conflict resolution.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that he ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law.

"If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China," Lu said.

Days after China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, the Canadian government said today that a second Canadian identified as Michael Spavor was also missing in China.

Days after China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, the Canadian government said today that a second Canadian identified as Michael Spavor was also missing in China. "We are aware that a Canadian citizen, Mr. Michael Spavor, is presently missing in China," Canadian foreign ministry spokesman Guillaume Berube told AFP. Spavor's disappearance comes 24 hours after a Canadian court granted Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou conditional bail after arresting her on charges of allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions. Meng's arrest was apparently carried after US officials insisted that Huawei CFO was clandestinely engaging with Iran. Meng was released on $7.5 million bail by the Vancouver court. "We have been unable to make contact since he let us know he was being questioned by Chinese authorities," Berube said adding, "we are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we continue to raise this with the Chinese government." Spavor who is based in China runs the Paektu Cultural Exchange, an organisation which facilitates business, tourism and sports trips to North Korea. He was responsible for helping NBA Dennis Rodman make the trip to North Korea two years ago. Chinese authorities had earlier detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig in a move widely seen as a retaliation for Meng's arrest in Vancouver. "Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on Dec. 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security," China's state-run Beijing News had said. Kovrig worked for the International Crisis Group (ICG), a think tank based on conflict resolution. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that he ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. "If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China," Lu said.

After ex-diplomat, another Canadian national goes missing after questioning by Chinese authorities

China today confirmed that it was investigating<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/detained-in-china-canadian-businessman-known-for-ties-to-north-korean-leader-183690"> two Canadians - Michael Spavor</a> and Michael Kovrig -&nbsp; for&nbsp;'threatening national security' as tensions between the two countries escalated over Huawei CFO Meng's arrest and subsequent bail in Vancouver.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-arrest-fallout-after-ex-diplomat-another-canadian-national-goes-missing-after-questioning-by-chinese-authorities-183587">Lu Kang said former Canadian diplomat</a> Michael Kovrig and business consultant Michael Spavor were put under "compulsory measures" in different measures without elaborating any further.

Canadian foreign ministry spokesman Guillaume Bérubé had said in a statement that Spavor who was missing in China was&nbsp;a businessman who is based in the northern Chinese city of Dandong and runs cultural exchanges with North Korea.&nbsp;

Chinese state media had announced earlier that Spavor, a business consultant, was being investigated on suspicion of endangering state security. Spavor who has close ties to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un went missing after Chinese authorities began interrogating him.

The Canadian government had said earlier that it was unable to contact the businessman ever since he notified the government that he was being questioned by Chinese authorities.

Spavor had helped facilitate trips of former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman to North Korea in 2013. Reports said he was trying to secure investments to North Korea after Kim had concluded a successful summit with President Trump in Singapore in June.

Spavor's questioning comes just days after China opened investigation into ex-Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig who was working for International Crisis Group(ICG), a think tank in Beijing.

China's state-run Beijing News had reported that the Canadian ex-diplomat was suspected of "engaging in activities" that endangered China's national security.

Beijing later said the detained former Canadian diplomat may have violated Chinese laws because ICG was not registered in China.

"If it's not registered and its employees in China are engaged in activities, it is already in violation" of a Chinese law on foreign non-governmental organisations, Lu said.

China's relations with Canada have nosedived in the past week after Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested on December 1st on the insistence of US officials for allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions.

Although Meng was released on a 7.5 million bail on Wednesday but she has been forbidden from leaving Canada.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SNwVG-codoo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

China today confirmed that it was investigating two Canadians - Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig - for 'threatening national security' as tensions between the two countries escalated over Huawei CFO Meng's arrest and subsequent bail in Vancouver.

China today confirmed that it was investigating two Canadians - Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig - for 'threatening national security' as tensions between the two countries escalated over Huawei CFO Meng's arrest and subsequent bail in Vancouver. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and business consultant Michael Spavor were put under "compulsory measures" in different measures without elaborating any further. Canadian foreign ministry spokesman Guillaume Bérubé had said in a statement that Spavor who was missing in China was a businessman who is based in the northern Chinese city of Dandong and runs cultural exchanges with North Korea. Chinese state media had announced earlier that Spavor, a business consultant, was being investigated on suspicion of endangering state security. Spavor who has close ties to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un went missing after Chinese authorities began interrogating him. The Canadian government had said earlier that it was unable to contact the businessman ever since he notified the government that he was being questioned by Chinese authorities. Spavor had helped facilitate trips of former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman to North Korea in 2013. Reports said he was trying to secure investments to North Korea after Kim had concluded a successful summit with President Trump in Singapore in June. Spavor's questioning comes just days after China opened investigation into ex-Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig who was working for International Crisis Group(ICG), a think tank in Beijing. China's state-run Beijing News had reported that the Canadian ex-diplomat was suspected of "engaging in activities" that endangered China's national security. Beijing later said the detained former Canadian diplomat may have violated Chinese laws because ICG was not registered in China. "If it's not registered and its employees in China are engaged in activities, it is already in violation" of a Chinese law on foreign non-governmental organisations, Lu said. China's relations with Canada have nosedived in the past week after Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested on December 1st on the insistence of US officials for allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions. Although Meng was released on a 7.5 million bail on Wednesday but she has been forbidden from leaving Canada.

Two Canadians being investigated for threatening national security: China

Chinese authorities are questioning <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-canadian-diplomat-held-in-china-a-pawn-experts-183506">former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig</a>, who was detained days after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-freed-on-bail-leaves-courthouse-183504">arrest in Canada of a Chinese businesswoman</a>, on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed China's national security.

The state-run Beijing News said on Wednesday that Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group (ICG), had become the subject of an investigation by the Beijing State Security Bureau.

He was detained after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on December 1 at the request of US authorities, infuriating Beijing.

The Canadian government has said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case.

"Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on December 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security," the newspaper said in a brief report.

The case is continuing to be investigated, it added without elaborating.

Accusations of harming state security could cover a wide range of suspected crimes, and in China are often very vague when first levelled.

The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in an earlier statement Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night.

Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at levelling spying accusations.

However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity.

"I don't want to speculate as to what's behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about what's not behind it, and what's not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security," Malley told Reuters, before the state media report came out.

"Everything we do is transparent, it's on our website. We don't engage in secretive work, in confidential work."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law.

"If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China," Lu said.

The Ministry of Public Security, which has oversight over foreign NGOs, did not respond to a request for comment. China's Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details.

The foreign NGO law, which took effect in January, is part of a raft of new national security measures introduced under President Xi Jinping.

"All foreigners that come to China, so long as they respect the law, have nothing to worry about," Lu said.

'No coincidences'

William Nee, China Researcher for Amnesty International's East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Kovrig's detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker.

"We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while travelling in China," he told Reuters.

Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

"In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message," he said.

A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: "This is a political kidnapping."

China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely.

Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions caused a diplomatic dispute.

Malley said Kovrig, who was based in Hong Kong, had been working on issues related to Chinese foreign policy in Asia and Africa.

"I'm just going to hope that whatever process underway is going to be a fair one and one that will quickly show that there's nothing against him," he said. 
&nbsp;

Chinese authorities are questioning former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained days after the arrest in Canada of a Chinese businesswoman, on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed China's national security.

Chinese authorities are questioning former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained days after the arrest in Canada of a Chinese businesswoman, on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed China's national security. The state-run Beijing News said on Wednesday that Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group (ICG), had become the subject of an investigation by the Beijing State Security Bureau. He was detained after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on December 1 at the request of US authorities, infuriating Beijing. The Canadian government has said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. "Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on December 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security," the newspaper said in a brief report. The case is continuing to be investigated, it added without elaborating. Accusations of harming state security could cover a wide range of suspected crimes, and in China are often very vague when first levelled. The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in an earlier statement Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at levelling spying accusations. However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. "I don't want to speculate as to what's behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about what's not behind it, and what's not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security," Malley told Reuters, before the state media report came out. "Everything we do is transparent, it's on our website. We don't engage in secretive work, in confidential work." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. "If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China," Lu said. The Ministry of Public Security, which has oversight over foreign NGOs, did not respond to a request for comment. China's Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details. The foreign NGO law, which took effect in January, is part of a raft of new national security measures introduced under President Xi Jinping. "All foreigners that come to China, so long as they respect the law, have nothing to worry about," Lu said. 'No coincidences' William Nee, China Researcher for Amnesty International's East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Kovrig's detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker. "We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while travelling in China," he told Reuters. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. "In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message," he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: "This is a political kidnapping." China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely. Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions caused a diplomatic dispute. Malley said Kovrig, who was based in Hong Kong, had been working on issues related to Chinese foreign policy in Asia and Africa. "I'm just going to hope that whatever process underway is going to be a fair one and one that will quickly show that there's nothing against him," he said.

Detained Canadian in China being probed for harming state security

A report by Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on public security has highlighted how Khalistani extremists remain&nbsp;a threat to the country.&nbsp;

The report stated that Canada not only faces threats from Khalistani extremists but some Canadians continue to support the extremist organisation.

"Canada continues to face threats from individuals inspired to commit violence based on other forms of extremism, including from right-wing, Shia Islamist, and Sikh (Khalistani) extremists," the report said.

The 1985 Air India bombing by Khalistani terrorists in which 331 people were killed remains the deadliest terrorist plot ever in Canada's history.&nbsp;

The report comes at a time when India has been raising the issue of Khalistan extremism with Trudeau government in bilateral meetings, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement in the Parliament.&nbsp;

The report highlighted how some Canadians continue to support Khalistani extremism.

''Some individuals in Canada continue to support Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements. While attacks around the world in support of this movement have declined, support for the extreme ideologies of such groups remains," the report added.

"Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain a concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing," according to the report.

In Canada, two key Sikh organizations __ Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation __ have been identified as being associated with terrorism and remain listed terrorist entities under the Criminal Code.

Canada’s National Terrorism Threat Level remains at medium, as set in early October 2014 – meaning a violent act of terrorism could occur.

The Khalistan terror issue had dominated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to India earlier this year.

Presence of Jaspal Atwal, a Canadian with links with Khalistan groups, made the trip a disastrous and embarrassing one for the Canadian Prime Minister. &nbsp;

A report by Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on public security has highlighted how Khalistani extremists remain a threat to the country.

A report by Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on public security has highlighted how Khalistani extremists remain a threat to the country. The report stated that Canada not only faces threats from Khalistani extremists but some Canadians continue to support the extremist organisation. "Canada continues to face threats from individuals inspired to commit violence based on other forms of extremism, including from right-wing, Shia Islamist, and Sikh (Khalistani) extremists," the report said. The 1985 Air India bombing by Khalistani terrorists in which 331 people were killed remains the deadliest terrorist plot ever in Canada's history. The report comes at a time when India has been raising the issue of Khalistan extremism with Trudeau government in bilateral meetings, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement in the Parliament. The report highlighted how some Canadians continue to support Khalistani extremism. ''Some individuals in Canada continue to support Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements. While attacks around the world in support of this movement have declined, support for the extreme ideologies of such groups remains," the report added. "Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain a concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing," according to the report. In Canada, two key Sikh organizations __ Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation __ have been identified as being associated with terrorism and remain listed terrorist entities under the Criminal Code. Canada’s National Terrorism Threat Level remains at medium, as set in early October 2014 – meaning a violent act of terrorism could occur. The Khalistan terror issue had dominated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to India earlier this year. Presence of Jaspal Atwal, a Canadian with links with Khalistan groups, made the trip a disastrous and embarrassing one for the Canadian Prime Minister.

Canada faces threats from Khalistani extremists: Trudeau govt report

The pattern is familiar: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-court-grants-conditional-bail-to-huaweis-meng-wanzhou-183357">Canada arrests a Chinese </a>national wanted in the US. Shortly after, a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-information-from-chinese-officials-about-detention-of-canadian-diplomat-michael-kovrig-icg-183394">Canadian national is locked up </a>in China.

Friends and experts say former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained in Beijing on Monday, may have become a "hostage" and "pawn" in a three-nation feud.

Kovrig was detained just nine days after Chinese tech giant Huawei's chief financial officer, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-huawei-executive-meng-wanzhou-183193">Meng Wanzhou</a>, was arrested in Vancouver at the behest of the United States on Iran sanctions-related charges.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-freed-on-bail-leaves-courthouse-183504">She was released on bail</a> on Tuesday while awaiting a US extradition hearing.

China has warned Canada of "grave consequences" over Meng's arrest, though neither country has confirmed a link between the two cases.

But experts and friends of Kovrig, who now works at the International Crisis Group think tank, say the two are intertwined.

"In this case, it is clear the Chinese government wants to put maximum pressure on the Canadian government," Guy Saint-Jacques, the former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, told AFP.

He pointed to a similar case in 2014 when Canadian Christian aid workers Kevin and Julia Garratt were detained shortly after Canadian authorities arrested a Chinese national in connection with a hacking case in the United States.&nbsp;

Julia Garratt was released on bail and allowed to leave China in 2016.

China charged Kevin Garratt with espionage but allowed him to leave the country in 2016, months after the Chinese citizen, Su Bin, agreed to go to the United States and pleaded guilty.

Meng's arrest has sandwiched Ottawa between Washington and Beijing as they feud over trade, cyber espionage and a raft of issues.

Saint-Jacques said Kovrig is going to be "a victim" of the US-China trade war.

"China wants to demonstrate to the world that it is a rival superpower to the United States and that countries have to choose to align with the US or with China," said Shaun Rein, who looked at the sticks and carrots Beijing wields in his book "The War for China's Wallet".&nbsp;

"The former Canadian diplomat is a pawn and he's going to be stuck unless (Meng) is released," he said.

Meng's arrest occurred on the same day that the US and Chinese presidents agreed at a G20 summit to a trade war truce and a March 1 deadline to negotiate a deal.

"By getting a Canadian it's a power play, the US Congress won't kick and scream. The trade talks can still go on because China has still been adhering to the agreement at the G20 with Trump," Rein said.

US officials have not linked Meng's arrest to the trade talks underway between China and the US.&nbsp;

NGO law

Friends describe Kovrig as a friendly, decent man who loves China.

He was based in Hong Kong for the International Crisis Group, an organisation known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts.

His duties included research and analysis on foreign affairs and security issues facing countries in the region, especially on the Korean peninsula.

He wrote op-eds and gave frequent interviews on the issues.

But ICG closed its office in China's capital as Beijing rolled out a more restrictive law that took effect in early 2017 to better control foreign NGOs operating in the country.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday that ICG was not registered in China and its employees would be "in violation" of the law if they engage in activities in the country.

China watcher

Kovrig served as political officer at the Canadian embassy from 2014-2016. He met with dissidents and travelled to China's restive far west Xinjiang region, Saint-Jacques said.

He took an unpaid leave from the embassy because he wanted to be able to return to China, the former ambassador said.

"He is a really nice guy, soft spoken, good sense of morals," said David Zweig, a friend of Kovrig's and a fellow Canadian China watcher, noting Kovrig is well respected in the Hong Kong community.&nbsp;

"They've got their hostage and hopefully they'll let him go very quickly," said Zweig, a professor of Chinese politics at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 
&nbsp;

The pattern is familiar: Canada arrests a Chinese national wanted in the US. Shortly after, a Canadian national is locked up in China. Friends and experts say former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained in Beijing on Monday, may have become a "hostage" and "pawn" in a three-nation feud.

The pattern is familiar: Canada arrests a Chinese national wanted in the US. Shortly after, a Canadian national is locked up in China. Friends and experts say former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained in Beijing on Monday, may have become a "hostage" and "pawn" in a three-nation feud. Kovrig was detained just nine days after Chinese tech giant Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Vancouver at the behest of the United States on Iran sanctions-related charges. She was released on bail on Tuesday while awaiting a US extradition hearing. China has warned Canada of "grave consequences" over Meng's arrest, though neither country has confirmed a link between the two cases. But experts and friends of Kovrig, who now works at the International Crisis Group think tank, say the two are intertwined. "In this case, it is clear the Chinese government wants to put maximum pressure on the Canadian government," Guy Saint-Jacques, the former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, told AFP. He pointed to a similar case in 2014 when Canadian Christian aid workers Kevin and Julia Garratt were detained shortly after Canadian authorities arrested a Chinese national in connection with a hacking case in the United States. Julia Garratt was released on bail and allowed to leave China in 2016. China charged Kevin Garratt with espionage but allowed him to leave the country in 2016, months after the Chinese citizen, Su Bin, agreed to go to the United States and pleaded guilty. Meng's arrest has sandwiched Ottawa between Washington and Beijing as they feud over trade, cyber espionage and a raft of issues. Saint-Jacques said Kovrig is going to be "a victim" of the US-China trade war. "China wants to demonstrate to the world that it is a rival superpower to the United States and that countries have to choose to align with the US or with China," said Shaun Rein, who looked at the sticks and carrots Beijing wields in his book "The War for China's Wallet". "The former Canadian diplomat is a pawn and he's going to be stuck unless (Meng) is released," he said. Meng's arrest occurred on the same day that the US and Chinese presidents agreed at a G20 summit to a trade war truce and a March 1 deadline to negotiate a deal. "By getting a Canadian it's a power play, the US Congress won't kick and scream. The trade talks can still go on because China has still been adhering to the agreement at the G20 with Trump," Rein said. US officials have not linked Meng's arrest to the trade talks underway between China and the US. NGO law Friends describe Kovrig as a friendly, decent man who loves China. He was based in Hong Kong for the International Crisis Group, an organisation known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts. His duties included research and analysis on foreign affairs and security issues facing countries in the region, especially on the Korean peninsula. He wrote op-eds and gave frequent interviews on the issues. But ICG closed its office in China's capital as Beijing rolled out a more restrictive law that took effect in early 2017 to better control foreign NGOs operating in the country. China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday that ICG was not registered in China and its employees would be "in violation" of the law if they engage in activities in the country. China watcher Kovrig served as political officer at the Canadian embassy from 2014-2016. He met with dissidents and travelled to China's restive far west Xinjiang region, Saint-Jacques said. He took an unpaid leave from the embassy because he wanted to be able to return to China, the former ambassador said. "He is a really nice guy, soft spoken, good sense of morals," said David Zweig, a friend of Kovrig's and a fellow Canadian China watcher, noting Kovrig is well respected in the Hong Kong community. "They've got their hostage and hopefully they'll let him go very quickly," said Zweig, a professor of Chinese politics at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Former Canadian diplomat held in China a 'pawn': Experts

US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he may intervene in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-court-grants-conditional-bail-to-huaweis-meng-wanzhou-183357">US case against a top Huawei executive</a> detained and bailed by Canada if it helps seal a trade deal with China.

Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention in Vancouver, ratcheting up tensions in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trade-negotiations-underway-between-chinese-us-work-teams-chinese-fm-183496">US-China trade dispute</a>.

Asked by Reuters if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump was quoted as saying: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do."

"If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security –- I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump said.

He added that White House officials had communicated with the Justice Department and Chinese officials about the Meng case but said he had not personally spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Questioned on domestic and international affairs, Trump also stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince over the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said he was not concerned that he would get impeached over scandals mounting at home.

But his comments on the Meng case are likely to garner the most attention as it has become a flashpoint in the already fragile trade relationship with the world's top two economies, locking them in a dispute that has begun to eat into profits.&nbsp;

'Very good ally'

Beijing has expressed outrage over Meng's arrest at the request of Washington on December 1 and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row.

Meng was granted bail in Vancouver earlier, but the list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes electronic tagging.

Asked about Washington Post columnist Khashoggi's October 2 murder at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Trump refused to comment on the CIA's reported assessment that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was likely complicit, and instead offered his unequivocal backing.

"He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said, adding that standing by the kingdom meant backing Prince Mohammed.

His remarks came as pressure builds on the president over the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to swing the 2016 election.

Trump told Reuters the American people "would revolt" if the Mueller probe -- or separate allegations by federal prosecutors that he ordered illegal hush money payments during the campaign to cover up affairs -- led to impeachment proceedings.&nbsp;

"It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," the president said.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he may intervene in the US case against a top Huawei executive detained and bailed by Canada if it helps seal a trade deal with China.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he may intervene in the US case against a top Huawei executive detained and bailed by Canada if it helps seal a trade deal with China. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention in Vancouver, ratcheting up tensions in the US-China trade dispute. Asked by Reuters if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump was quoted as saying: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do." "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security –- I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump said. He added that White House officials had communicated with the Justice Department and Chinese officials about the Meng case but said he had not personally spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Questioned on domestic and international affairs, Trump also stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince over the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said he was not concerned that he would get impeached over scandals mounting at home. But his comments on the Meng case are likely to garner the most attention as it has become a flashpoint in the already fragile trade relationship with the world's top two economies, locking them in a dispute that has begun to eat into profits. 'Very good ally' Beijing has expressed outrage over Meng's arrest at the request of Washington on December 1 and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. Meng was granted bail in Vancouver earlier, but the list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes electronic tagging. Asked about Washington Post columnist Khashoggi's October 2 murder at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Trump refused to comment on the CIA's reported assessment that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was likely complicit, and instead offered his unequivocal backing. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said, adding that standing by the kingdom meant backing Prince Mohammed. His remarks came as pressure builds on the president over the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to swing the 2016 election. Trump told Reuters the American people "would revolt" if the Mueller probe -- or separate allegations by federal prosecutors that he ordered illegal hush money payments during the campaign to cover up affairs -- led to impeachment proceedings. "It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," the president said.

Trump says could intervene in Chinese executive's case

A top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies is set to return to a Vancouver courtroom on Tuesday, as the judge weighs final issues in determining whether she should be freed on bail while awaiting extradition proceedings.

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested by Canadian authorities on December 1 at the request of the United States. Tuesday will be the third day of bail hearings in a British Columbia court, with China criticizing her continued detention and demanding her immediate release.

Meng, 46, faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions and incurring severe penalties, court documents said.

The judge on Monday rolled the proceedings over to Tuesday because he wanted to hear more from both sides about the issue of surety - who will take responsibility for Meng's actions if she were released.

Meng's lawyer David Martin had offered her husband as surety, but the judge and the public prosecutor questioned whether Liu Xiaozong, Meng's husband, could perform this duty as he is not a resident of British Columbia and would not suffer if she were to breach her bail conditions.

"If Ms. Meng were to flee, were to abscond, Mr Liu would not be left behind here," public prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley said. "He would go with her."

Intent on getting Meng out of detention and into one of her two luxury homes in the city, defense lawyer Martin is offering up high-tech surveillance devices and a 24-hour security detail to ensure his client does not flee.

He has also proposed a C$15 million ($11.3 million) bail guarantee and pledged Meng would hand over all her passports and travel documents to Canadian police, the court heard.

BEIJING WARNS ON "BULLYING"

The arrest has roiled markets over fears it will exacerbate tensions between the United States and China in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1.

Beijing has demanded Meng's immediate release and threatened "consequences" for Canada. But both Chinese and US officials appear to be avoiding linking her arrest to the trade dispute.

Speaking at a forum in Beijing on Tuesday, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said the government kept constant watch on the safety of Chinese citizens abroad, though did not directly mention Meng's case.

"For any bullying that wantonly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, China will never sit idly by," state television quoted him as saying.

Asked whether Wang was referring to Meng, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China's complaints to Canada and the United States about the case were the same as the position Wang had laid out earlier in the day about defending Chinese overseas.

Huawei is the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and second-biggest maker of smartphones, with revenue of about $92 billion last year. Unlike other big Chinese technology firms, it does much of its business overseas.

US officials allege the telecom giant was trying to use multinational banks to move money out of Iran. Companies are barred from using the US financial system to funnel goods and services to sanctioned entities.

Huawei and its lawyers have said the company operates in strict compliance with applicable laws, and is confident that both the Canadian and US legal systems "will reach a just conclusion".

A top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies is set to return to a Vancouver courtroom on Tuesday, as the judge weighs final issues in determining whether she should be freed on bail while awaiting extradition proceedings.

A top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies is set to return to a Vancouver courtroom on Tuesday, as the judge weighs final issues in determining whether she should be freed on bail while awaiting extradition proceedings. Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested by Canadian authorities on December 1 at the request of the United States. Tuesday will be the third day of bail hearings in a British Columbia court, with China criticizing her continued detention and demanding her immediate release. Meng, 46, faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions and incurring severe penalties, court documents said. The judge on Monday rolled the proceedings over to Tuesday because he wanted to hear more from both sides about the issue of surety - who will take responsibility for Meng's actions if she were released. Meng's lawyer David Martin had offered her husband as surety, but the judge and the public prosecutor questioned whether Liu Xiaozong, Meng's husband, could perform this duty as he is not a resident of British Columbia and would not suffer if she were to breach her bail conditions. "If Ms. Meng were to flee, were to abscond, Mr Liu would not be left behind here," public prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley said. "He would go with her." Intent on getting Meng out of detention and into one of her two luxury homes in the city, defense lawyer Martin is offering up high-tech surveillance devices and a 24-hour security detail to ensure his client does not flee. He has also proposed a C$15 million ($11.3 million) bail guarantee and pledged Meng would hand over all her passports and travel documents to Canadian police, the court heard. BEIJING WARNS ON "BULLYING" The arrest has roiled markets over fears it will exacerbate tensions between the United States and China in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1. Beijing has demanded Meng's immediate release and threatened "consequences" for Canada. But both Chinese and US officials appear to be avoiding linking her arrest to the trade dispute. Speaking at a forum in Beijing on Tuesday, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said the government kept constant watch on the safety of Chinese citizens abroad, though did not directly mention Meng's case. "For any bullying that wantonly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, China will never sit idly by," state television quoted him as saying. Asked whether Wang was referring to Meng, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China's complaints to Canada and the United States about the case were the same as the position Wang had laid out earlier in the day about defending Chinese overseas. Huawei is the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and second-biggest maker of smartphones, with revenue of about $92 billion last year. Unlike other big Chinese technology firms, it does much of its business overseas. US officials allege the telecom giant was trying to use multinational banks to move money out of Iran. Companies are barred from using the US financial system to funnel goods and services to sanctioned entities. Huawei and its lawyers have said the company operates in strict compliance with applicable laws, and is confident that both the Canadian and US legal systems "will reach a just conclusion".

Huawei CFO back in Canada court as bail hearing set to wrap up

The Netherlands defeated Canada in the fourth Crossover match on Tuesday in the ongoing Hockey World Cup 2018 at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium.&nbsp; The Dutch mauled Canada 5-0 in the final scoreline.

By the virtue of this win, Netherlands proceed into the quarterfinals wherein they will face hosts India.&nbsp;

The Netherlands dominated the first quarter after netting two brilliant goals. While they were behind in ball possession, they made up for it in terms of pass accuracy. Their goalscorers were Lars Balk and Robbert Kemperman respectively.&nbsp;

The second half of the encounter was about the Netherlands holding onto the lead and further dominate the game.&nbsp;

The penultimate quarter brought more shock for the Canadian side. They were just no match to the Dutch and the latter slammed two more goals to stretch the lead to 4-0.

The deal was sealed long back but ended the game with their fifth goal on Canada's goalpost.&nbsp;

The Dutch, however, will face a litmus test against hosts and hot favourites India in the next clash on on December 13

The Netherlands defeated Canada in the fourth Crossover match on Tuesday in the ongoing Hockey World Cup 2018 at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium. The Dutch mauled Canada 5-0 in the final scoreline.

The Netherlands defeated Canada in the fourth Crossover match on Tuesday in the ongoing Hockey World Cup 2018 at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium. The Dutch mauled Canada 5-0 in the final scoreline. By the virtue of this win, Netherlands proceed into the quarterfinals wherein they will face hosts India. The Netherlands dominated the first quarter after netting two brilliant goals. While they were behind in ball possession, they made up for it in terms of pass accuracy. Their goalscorers were Lars Balk and Robbert Kemperman respectively. The second half of the encounter was about the Netherlands holding onto the lead and further dominate the game. The penultimate quarter brought more shock for the Canadian side. They were just no match to the Dutch and the latter slammed two more goals to stretch the lead to 4-0. The deal was sealed long back but ended the game with their fifth goal on Canada's goalpost. The Dutch, however, will face a litmus test against hosts and hot favourites India in the next clash on on December 13

Hockey World Cup: Netherlands beat Canada to face India in quarterfinals

After a Canadian court adjourned the decision on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-accuses-canada-for-inhumane-treatment-of-huawei-cfo-182869">bail of Meng Wanzhou</a>, Huawei on Tuesday said in a statement carried by Chinese state media that it believes the Canadian and US legal systems will deliver a fair conclusion&nbsp;Huawei will continue to pay attention to the bail hearing, the company added.

Huawei will continue to pay attention to the bail hearing, the company added.

China on Monday protested Canada's "inhumane" treatment of an executive of telecom giant Huawei who is being held on a US extradition bid, citing reports she was not getting sufficient medical care.

Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, has filed court papers in Vancouver arguing she should be released on bail from her Canadian jail.

Wanzhou, 46, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested on December 1 as part of a US investigation while she was changing planes in Vancouver, British Columbia.

After a Canadian court adjourned the decision on bail of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei on Tuesday said in a statement carried by Chinese state media that it believes the Canadian and US legal systems will deliver a fair conclusion Huawei will continue to pay attention to the bail hearing, the company added.

After a Canadian court adjourned the decision on bail of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei on Tuesday said in a statement carried by Chinese state media that it believes the Canadian and US legal systems will deliver a fair conclusion Huawei will continue to pay attention to the bail hearing, the company added. Huawei will continue to pay attention to the bail hearing, the company added. China on Monday protested Canada's "inhumane" treatment of an executive of telecom giant Huawei who is being held on a US extradition bid, citing reports she was not getting sufficient medical care. Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, has filed court papers in Vancouver arguing she should be released on bail from her Canadian jail. Wanzhou, 46, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested on December 1 as part of a US investigation while she was changing planes in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Believe Canadian, US legal systems will deliver fair conclusion, says Huawei

The CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is set to be back in a Canadian courtroom on Monday, fighting for her freedom with the help of pressure from Beijing, while prosecutors argue she cannot be trusted.

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested by Canadian authorities December 1 at the request of the United States.

Meng, 46, faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran. This deception put the banks at risk of violating US sanctions and incurring severe penalties, court documents said US officials allege that Huawei was trying to use the banks to move money out of Iran.

Canadian prosecutors argued against giving her bail while she awaits extradition to the United States.

Meng argued that she should be released on bail while awaiting an extradition hearing due to severe hypertension and fears for her health while incarcerated in Canada, court documents released on Sunday showed. In a sworn affidavit, Meng said she is innocent of the allegations and will contest them at trial in the United States if she is surrendered there.

She was detained while transferring flights in Canada and appeared in a British Columbia court on Friday for her bail hearing. After nearly six hours of arguments and counter-arguments, the hearing was adjourned until Monday.

China has strongly criticized her detention and demanded her immediate release. Her arrest has roiled global markets as investors worry that it could torpedo attempts to thaw trade tensions between the United States and China.

Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, has been held in custody since her arrest. Her lawyer argues that this situation is untenable due to her health. Meng said in the sworn affidavit she was taken to a hospital for treatment for hypertension after being detained.

Meng also has sleep apnea and was treated for a carcinoma, lawyer David Martin told court on Friday.

At issue is whether Meng should be set free while her extradition case proceeds. The US&nbsp;has 60 days to file a formal request; if its evidence convinces a judge the case has merit, Canada's justice minister will decide whether to extradite Meng.

On Monday a judge could decide to set Meng free on any number of conditions, including high-tech surveillance, or to keep her in jail, according to some legal experts.

According to local media reports, Meng is being kept in Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, a Vancouver-area jail. Reuters could not independently verify these reports.

Meng's wealth and power are undeniable as the financial chief of one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world, which builds everything from networks to handsets and is seen as one of China's best chances to change the global technology landscape.

Huawei is now China's largest technology company by employees, with more than 180,000 staff and revenue of $93 billion in 2017.

The CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is set to be back in a Canadian courtroom on Monday, fighting for her freedom with the help of pressure from Beijing, while prosecutors argue she cannot be trusted.

The CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is set to be back in a Canadian courtroom on Monday, fighting for her freedom with the help of pressure from Beijing, while prosecutors argue she cannot be trusted. Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested by Canadian authorities December 1 at the request of the United States. Meng, 46, faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran. This deception put the banks at risk of violating US sanctions and incurring severe penalties, court documents said US officials allege that Huawei was trying to use the banks to move money out of Iran. Canadian prosecutors argued against giving her bail while she awaits extradition to the United States. Meng argued that she should be released on bail while awaiting an extradition hearing due to severe hypertension and fears for her health while incarcerated in Canada, court documents released on Sunday showed. In a sworn affidavit, Meng said she is innocent of the allegations and will contest them at trial in the United States if she is surrendered there. She was detained while transferring flights in Canada and appeared in a British Columbia court on Friday for her bail hearing. After nearly six hours of arguments and counter-arguments, the hearing was adjourned until Monday. China has strongly criticized her detention and demanded her immediate release. Her arrest has roiled global markets as investors worry that it could torpedo attempts to thaw trade tensions between the United States and China. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, has been held in custody since her arrest. Her lawyer argues that this situation is untenable due to her health. Meng said in the sworn affidavit she was taken to a hospital for treatment for hypertension after being detained. Meng also has sleep apnea and was treated for a carcinoma, lawyer David Martin told court on Friday. At issue is whether Meng should be set free while her extradition case proceeds. The US has 60 days to file a formal request; if its evidence convinces a judge the case has merit, Canada's justice minister will decide whether to extradite Meng. On Monday a judge could decide to set Meng free on any number of conditions, including high-tech surveillance, or to keep her in jail, according to some legal experts. According to local media reports, Meng is being kept in Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, a Vancouver-area jail. Reuters could not independently verify these reports. Meng's wealth and power are undeniable as the financial chief of one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world, which builds everything from networks to handsets and is seen as one of China's best chances to change the global technology landscape. Huawei is now China's largest technology company by employees, with more than 180,000 staff and revenue of $93 billion in 2017.

Huawei CFO bail hearing to resume in Canada as Beijing piles pressure

China on Monday protested Canada's "inhumane" treatment of an executive of telecom giant Huawei who is being held on a US extradition bid, citing reports she was not getting sufficient medical care.

Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, has filed court papers in Vancouver arguing she should be released on bail from her Canadian jail.

In a sworn affidavit, the 46-year-old woman said she has been treated in a Canadian hospital for hypertension since she was arrested on December 1 for possible extradition.

China's state-run Global Times newspaper reported, without citing sources, that "it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care."

"We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular press briefing, citing such reports. 
&nbsp;

China on Monday protested Canada's "inhumane" treatment of an executive of telecom giant Huawei who is being held on a US extradition bid, citing reports she was not getting sufficient medical care.

China on Monday protested Canada's "inhumane" treatment of an executive of telecom giant Huawei who is being held on a US extradition bid, citing reports she was not getting sufficient medical care. Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, has filed court papers in Vancouver arguing she should be released on bail from her Canadian jail. In a sworn affidavit, the 46-year-old woman said she has been treated in a Canadian hospital for hypertension since she was arrested on December 1 for possible extradition. China's state-run Global Times newspaper reported, without citing sources, that "it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care." "We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular press briefing, citing such reports.

China accuses Canada of 'inhumane' treatment of Huawei CFO

China warned Canada on Saturday that there would be severe consequences if it did not immediately release Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's chief financial officer, calling the case "extremely nasty."

Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's global chief financial officer, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/arrest-of-huawei-cfo-throws-rare-spotlight-on-family-181953">was arrested in Canada on December 1 and faces extradition to the United States</a>, which alleges that she covered up her company's links to a firm that tried to sell equipment to Iran despite sanctions.

The executive is the daughter of the founder of Huawei.

If extradited to the United States, Meng would face charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, a Canadian court heard on Friday, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge.

No decision was reached at the extradition hearing after nearly six hours of arguments and counter-arguments, and the hearing was adjourned until Monday.

In a short statement, China's Foreign Ministry said that Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had issued the warning to release Meng to Canada's ambassador in Beijing, summoning him to lodge a "strong protest."

There was no immediate reaction from the office of Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Saturday. When asked about the possible Chinese backlash after the arrest of Huawei's CFO, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Friday that Canada has a very good relationship with Beijing.

Canada's arrest of Meng at the request of the United States while she was changing planes in Vancouver was a serious breach of her lawful rights, Le said.

The move "ignored the law, was unreasonable" and was in its very nature "extremely nasty," he added.

"China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained person, and earnestly protect their lawful, legitimate rights, otherwise Canada must accept full responsibility for the serious consequences caused."

The statement did not elaborate.

"There will probably be a deep freeze with the Chinese in high-level visits and exchanges," David Mulroney, former Canadian ambassador to China, said on Friday.

"The ability to talk about free trade will be put in the ice box for a while. But we're going to have to live with that. That's the price of dealing with a country like China."

Meng's arrest was on the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump met in Argentina with China's Xi Jinping to look for ways to resolve an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The news of her arrest has roiled stock markets and drawn condemnation from Chinese authorities, although Trump and his top economic advisers have played down its importance to trade talks after the two leaders agreed to a truce.

A Huawei spokesman said on Friday the company has "every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach the right conclusion." The company has said it complies with all applicable export control and sanctions laws and other regulations.

China warned Canada on Saturday that there would be severe consequences if it did not immediately release Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's chief financial officer, calling the case "extremely nasty.

China warned Canada on Saturday that there would be severe consequences if it did not immediately release Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's chief financial officer, calling the case "extremely nasty." Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's global chief financial officer, was arrested in Canada on December 1 and faces extradition to the United States, which alleges that she covered up her company's links to a firm that tried to sell equipment to Iran despite sanctions. The executive is the daughter of the founder of Huawei. If extradited to the United States, Meng would face charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, a Canadian court heard on Friday, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. No decision was reached at the extradition hearing after nearly six hours of arguments and counter-arguments, and the hearing was adjourned until Monday. In a short statement, China's Foreign Ministry said that Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had issued the warning to release Meng to Canada's ambassador in Beijing, summoning him to lodge a "strong protest." There was no immediate reaction from the office of Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Saturday. When asked about the possible Chinese backlash after the arrest of Huawei's CFO, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Friday that Canada has a very good relationship with Beijing. Canada's arrest of Meng at the request of the United States while she was changing planes in Vancouver was a serious breach of her lawful rights, Le said. The move "ignored the law, was unreasonable" and was in its very nature "extremely nasty," he added. "China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained person, and earnestly protect their lawful, legitimate rights, otherwise Canada must accept full responsibility for the serious consequences caused." The statement did not elaborate. "There will probably be a deep freeze with the Chinese in high-level visits and exchanges," David Mulroney, former Canadian ambassador to China, said on Friday. "The ability to talk about free trade will be put in the ice box for a while. But we're going to have to live with that. That's the price of dealing with a country like China." Meng's arrest was on the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump met in Argentina with China's Xi Jinping to look for ways to resolve an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies. The news of her arrest has roiled stock markets and drawn condemnation from Chinese authorities, although Trump and his top economic advisers have played down its importance to trade talks after the two leaders agreed to a truce. A Huawei spokesman said on Friday the company has "every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach the right conclusion." The company has said it complies with all applicable export control and sanctions laws and other regulations.

China tells Canada to free Huawei CFO or face consequences

Breaking News: Canada arrests Huawei's global chief financial officer

Like many top Chinese executives, Meng Wanzhou is a mysterious figure even in her home country, but the 46-year-old chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies had been widely tipped to one day take the helm of the tech giant her father founded.

That was until her shock arrest in Canada at the request of US authorities on Wednesday, a move that has entangled her in the protracted diplomatic tensions between Washington and Beijing. Her fate is now uncertain.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the arrest stems from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran. Similar allegations of breaching US export restrictions led to rival Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE Corp being hit with a devastating ban and heavy fines this year.

Huawei said in a statement that it had been provided with little information "about the charges" against Meng, who is also one of the vice chairs of its board and the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei from his first marriage. Huawei added that it was "not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms Meng".

The detention of Meng, who takes her family name from her mother and has also used the English first names "Cathy" and "Sabrina", has once again thrown the spotlight on Huawei at a time of heightened global concerns over electronic security.

Much of the scrutiny stems from Ren's background with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), where he worked as a civilian engineer for nearly a decade until his departure in 1983, after helping to build its communications network.

Officials in some governments, particularly the United States, have voiced concern that his company is close to the Chinese military and government. Huawei has repeatedly insisted Beijing has no influence over it.

LOW PROFILE

Ren, 74, founded the Chinese telecommunications company in 1988 and, like his elder daughter, has largely kept a low profile.

But in a rare move, he posed last month for a family photo shoot for French lifestyle magazine Paris Match with his younger daughter and current wife.

Annabel Yao, 20, Meng's half-sister, posed in front of a grand piano with her mother, identified by the magazine as Yao Ling, and Ren, who wore a blue shirt with his hand resting on his smiling daughter's shoulder.

A Huawei spokesman confirmed to Reuters that Yao is Ren's wife. Few outsiders had previously heard of the younger daughter, a Harvard computer science student and ballerina. She recently made a high-profile appearance at the exclusive Le Bal Debutante ball in Paris.

Huawei is privately held and describes itself as employee-owned. Though Ren owns only around 1.4 per cent of the shares, employees say he has supreme leadership within the company, frequently communicating to staff scattered throughout the world via internal memos.

Huawei, now China's largest technology company by employees, with more than 180,000 staff and revenue of $93 billion in 2017, started off selling digital telephone switches in the 1990s.

It won its first big overseas contract for fixed-line network products from Hong Kong's Hutchison-Whampoa in 1996. Today, Huawei's domestic and overseas revenue is equally split, according to the 2017 annual report.

Huawei derives around half of its revenue from supplying equipment to telecoms carriers around the world. It has overtaken Sweden's Ericsson and Finland's Nokia to be the world's largest telecoms equipment maker by revenue.

Smartphones have become another key business in recent years, pitting it against Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics in the highly competitive market.

HEIR APPARENT

According to Huawei's website, Meng joined the company in 1993, obtained a master's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1998, and rose up the ranks over the years, mostly holding financial roles.

She has held the positions of director of the international accounting department, CFO of Huawei Hong Kong, and president of the accounting management department, according to the website.

In her first media appearance before the Chinese press in 2013, Meng said she had first joined the company as a secretary "whose job was just to take calls".

She also said she was married with a son and a daughter and that her husband did not work in the industry, dismissing speculation she was married to a senior Huawei executive.

Meng's importance at Huawei became apparent in 2011 when she was first named as a board member. Company insiders describe her as capable and hardworking.

While her brother, Meng Ping, as well as her father's younger brother and his current wife all work at Huawei and related companies, none has held such senior management roles.

"The other family members are in back office, Sabrina is CFO and sits on the board," a Huawei source said. "So she is viewed as the boss's most likely successor."

Like many top Chinese executives, Meng Wanzhou is a mysterious figure even in her home country, but the 46-year-old chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies had been widely tipped to one day take the helm of the tech giant her father founded.

Like many top Chinese executives, Meng Wanzhou is a mysterious figure even in her home country, but the 46-year-old chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies had been widely tipped to one day take the helm of the tech giant her father founded. That was until her shock arrest in Canada at the request of US authorities on Wednesday, a move that has entangled her in the protracted diplomatic tensions between Washington and Beijing. Her fate is now uncertain. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the arrest stems from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran. Similar allegations of breaching US export restrictions led to rival Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE Corp being hit with a devastating ban and heavy fines this year. Huawei said in a statement that it had been provided with little information "about the charges" against Meng, who is also one of the vice chairs of its board and the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei from his first marriage. Huawei added that it was "not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms Meng". The detention of Meng, who takes her family name from her mother and has also used the English first names "Cathy" and "Sabrina", has once again thrown the spotlight on Huawei at a time of heightened global concerns over electronic security. Much of the scrutiny stems from Ren's background with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), where he worked as a civilian engineer for nearly a decade until his departure in 1983, after helping to build its communications network. Officials in some governments, particularly the United States, have voiced concern that his company is close to the Chinese military and government. Huawei has repeatedly insisted Beijing has no influence over it. LOW PROFILE Ren, 74, founded the Chinese telecommunications company in 1988 and, like his elder daughter, has largely kept a low profile. But in a rare move, he posed last month for a family photo shoot for French lifestyle magazine Paris Match with his younger daughter and current wife. Annabel Yao, 20, Meng's half-sister, posed in front of a grand piano with her mother, identified by the magazine as Yao Ling, and Ren, who wore a blue shirt with his hand resting on his smiling daughter's shoulder. A Huawei spokesman confirmed to Reuters that Yao is Ren's wife. Few outsiders had previously heard of the younger daughter, a Harvard computer science student and ballerina. She recently made a high-profile appearance at the exclusive Le Bal Debutante ball in Paris. Huawei is privately held and describes itself as employee-owned. Though Ren owns only around 1.4 per cent of the shares, employees say he has supreme leadership within the company, frequently communicating to staff scattered throughout the world via internal memos. Huawei, now China's largest technology company by employees, with more than 180,000 staff and revenue of $93 billion in 2017, started off selling digital telephone switches in the 1990s. It won its first big overseas contract for fixed-line network products from Hong Kong's Hutchison-Whampoa in 1996. Today, Huawei's domestic and overseas revenue is equally split, according to the 2017 annual report. Huawei derives around half of its revenue from supplying equipment to telecoms carriers around the world. It has overtaken Sweden's Ericsson and Finland's Nokia to be the world's largest telecoms equipment maker by revenue. Smartphones have become another key business in recent years, pitting it against Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics in the highly competitive market. HEIR APPARENT According to Huawei's website, Meng joined the company in 1993, obtained a master's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1998, and rose up the ranks over the years, mostly holding financial roles. She has held the positions of director of the international accounting department, CFO of Huawei Hong Kong, and president of the accounting management department, according to the website. In her first media appearance before the Chinese press in 2013, Meng said she had first joined the company as a secretary "whose job was just to take calls". She also said she was married with a son and a daughter and that her husband did not work in the industry, dismissing speculation she was married to a senior Huawei executive. Meng's importance at Huawei became apparent in 2011 when she was first named as a board member. Company insiders describe her as capable and hardworking. While her brother, Meng Ping, as well as her father's younger brother and his current wife all work at Huawei and related companies, none has held such senior management roles. "The other family members are in back office, Sabrina is CFO and sits on the board," a Huawei source said. "So she is viewed as the boss's most likely successor."

Arrest of Huawei CFO throws rare spotlight on family

An invitation to a Khalistani supporter by the Canadians had soured ties between India and Canada. Now, it turns out that Canada's prime minister's office had extended this invite.&nbsp;

This revelation comes from a report by the national security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians in Canada. WION has accessed a copy of this report.&nbsp;

The report says that the Canadian Prime Minister Office had invited Jaspal Atwal --- a man who was convicted of attempting to assassinate a Punjab minister.

The report goes on to say that the prime minister's office should have a done a better job of screening the invitees.&nbsp;

An invitation to a Khalistani supporter by the Canadians had soured ties between India and Canada. Now, it turns out that Canada's prime minister's office had extended this invite.

An invitation to a Khalistani supporter by the Canadians had soured ties between India and Canada. Now, it turns out that Canada's prime minister's office had extended this invite. This revelation comes from a report by the national security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians in Canada. WION has accessed a copy of this report. The report says that the Canadian Prime Minister Office had invited Jaspal Atwal --- a man who was convicted of attempting to assassinate a Punjab minister. The report goes on to say that the prime minister's office should have a done a better job of screening the invitees.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's disastrous India visit comes back to haunt him

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup.

Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time. However, in the 3rd quarter, it was Proteas, who took the lead in the 43rd minute through a fine reverse stick field goal by Nqobile Ntuli.

two minutes later, Canada scored the equaliser to end South Africa's moment. Canada equalised when they were awarded a penalty stroke and skipper Scott Tupper took the onus on himself to level the match.

Thereafter, both the teams pressed hard in search of the winner but they failed to breach the rival defence to eventually end the game in a draw.&nbsp;

The result kept both the teams in the hunt for a place in the knock-out round.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Canada will next play hosts India in their last pool match on December 8, while South Africa will face world no. 3 Belgium on the same day.&nbsp;

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup. Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time.

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup. Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time. However, in the 3rd quarter, it was Proteas, who took the lead in the 43rd minute through a fine reverse stick field goal by Nqobile Ntuli. two minutes later, Canada scored the equaliser to end South Africa's moment. Canada equalised when they were awarded a penalty stroke and skipper Scott Tupper took the onus on himself to level the match. Thereafter, both the teams pressed hard in search of the winner but they failed to breach the rival defence to eventually end the game in a draw. The result kept both the teams in the hunt for a place in the knock-out round. Canada will next play hosts India in their last pool match on December 8, while South Africa will face world no. 3 Belgium on the same day.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Canada, South Africa encounter ends in a draw

Fleeing the frosts of Canada and the United States, monarch butterflies each year travel 4,200 km (some 2,600 mi.) to reach the forests of Mexico, pollinating millions of flowers along the way.

Once they arrive in the sanctuaries of the states of Mexico and Michoacan, the forests return the favor by sheltering them throughout the winter, when tourists flock to the area to observe the monarchs.

During a visit to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, the director of the terrestrial ecosystem program of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Eduardo Rendon, said that the value of the service the monarchs provide to the ecosystem is "incalculable."

"Millions of them came through the ecosystems of Canada and the United States visiting plants with flowers, which means they came doing the ecosystem the service of pollination," the biologist explained.

Scientists are now "trying to determine what type of plants (the butterflies) use during their trip" to determine the magnitude of this migratory phenomenon.

This year, as per the monitoring conducted during the migration, it is estimated that more butterflies will arrive in Mexico than last year, which was one lowest in recent years.

"Last year we had 2.48 hectares (6.1 acres) of forests occupied by butterflies in all hibernation sites, and that represented a 40 per cent decrease from the previous season. But what we saw this year with the monitoring of migration is that more butterflies are coming," he said.

In the sanctuary located in El Rosario, which can only be accessed on horseback, butterflies take wing when the sun brightens the forests.

The Mexican forests in which the monarchs live are of vital importance, especially because they are part of the watersheds that - through the Cutzamala System - supply 4.1 million people in Mexico City and the state of Mexico with water.

These forests full of oyamels - or sacred firs - are in a good state of conservation, in Rendon's opinion, even though in March 2016 a storm in the core area of the reserve knocked down about 22,000 trees that are in the process of being replaced.

According to data from WWF Mexico, there has been a significant reduction in illegal logging since 2009 thanks to the commitment of area farmers and the residents of nearby indigenous communities, the monitoring efforts and the payments for environmental services.

The degradation of the reserve decreased by 57 percent last year.

Fleeing the frosts of Canada and the United States, monarch butterflies each year travel 4,200 km (some 2,600 mi.) to reach the forests of Mexico, pollinating millions of flowers along the way.

Fleeing the frosts of Canada and the United States, monarch butterflies each year travel 4,200 km (some 2,600 mi.) to reach the forests of Mexico, pollinating millions of flowers along the way. Once they arrive in the sanctuaries of the states of Mexico and Michoacan, the forests return the favor by sheltering them throughout the winter, when tourists flock to the area to observe the monarchs. During a visit to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, the director of the terrestrial ecosystem program of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Eduardo Rendon, said that the value of the service the monarchs provide to the ecosystem is "incalculable." "Millions of them came through the ecosystems of Canada and the United States visiting plants with flowers, which means they came doing the ecosystem the service of pollination," the biologist explained. Scientists are now "trying to determine what type of plants (the butterflies) use during their trip" to determine the magnitude of this migratory phenomenon. This year, as per the monitoring conducted during the migration, it is estimated that more butterflies will arrive in Mexico than last year, which was one lowest in recent years. "Last year we had 2.48 hectares (6.1 acres) of forests occupied by butterflies in all hibernation sites, and that represented a 40 per cent decrease from the previous season. But what we saw this year with the monitoring of migration is that more butterflies are coming," he said. In the sanctuary located in El Rosario, which can only be accessed on horseback, butterflies take wing when the sun brightens the forests. The Mexican forests in which the monarchs live are of vital importance, especially because they are part of the watersheds that - through the Cutzamala System - supply 4.1 million people in Mexico City and the state of Mexico with water. These forests full of oyamels - or sacred firs - are in a good state of conservation, in Rendon's opinion, even though in March 2016 a storm in the core area of the reserve knocked down about 22,000 trees that are in the process of being replaced. According to data from WWF Mexico, there has been a significant reduction in illegal logging since 2009 thanks to the commitment of area farmers and the residents of nearby indigenous communities, the monitoring efforts and the payments for environmental services. The degradation of the reserve decreased by 57 percent last year.

The invaluable journey of monarch butterflies to Mexico

US President Trump, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-us-reach-deal-save-nafta-trilateral-trade-pact-168687">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau</a> and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto took part in the signing ceremony to approve the Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Buenos Aires today ahead of the G20 summit.

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The deal came about after over a year of negotiations between all three parties aimed at replacing&nbsp;the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA). Canada had reached a deal at the last minute in September, Mexico had already struck a deal with the US earlier.

President Trump had personally pushed for the deal, however, it wasn't without its bottlenecks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said working with Trump was "not always simple," during the renegotiation stage.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had said he was putting Mexico first, saying the deal would be known in Spanish as "T-MEC," after conducting a poll of his Twitter followers.

"T-MEC stands for "Tratado Mexico-Estados Unidos-Canada" which translates as the Mexico-United States-Canada Treaty. More than 102,000 people participated in the poll on the social media site.

Canada, Mexico and the United States had reached the deal on September 30th.

The deal has made sweeping changes in manufacturing and labour requirements in the auto sector. According to the new deal, 75 per cent of auto content be made in the region, increased from 62.5 per cent, and that 40-45 per cent be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour.

Mexico, in turn, agreed to continue to recognise US auto safety standards. USMCA exempts Mexico and Canada autos up to a threshold of 2.6 million vehicles a year, including light trucks.

Canada on its part agreed to open its borders wider to American milk, cheese, cream, butter and other goods and allowed greater import of US chicken, eggs and turkey. The US agreed to keep Canada's demand for keeping Chapter 19 which involves the dispute settlement system.

Under the new agreement, the signatories also allowed equal copyright treatment for writers, composers and others from member countries.

The new agreement also prohibited customs duties for digitally distributed goods namely software and games, e-books, music and movies.&nbsp;

US President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto took part in the signing ceremony to approve the Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Buenos Aires today ahead of the G20 summit.

US President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto took part in the signing ceremony to approve the Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Buenos Aires today ahead of the G20 summit. #USMCA🇺🇸🇲🇽🇨🇦 https://t.co/7CYsYBYbd1 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2018 × The deal came about after over a year of negotiations between all three parties aimed at replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA). Canada had reached a deal at the last minute in September, Mexico had already struck a deal with the US earlier. President Trump had personally pushed for the deal, however, it wasn't without its bottlenecks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said working with Trump was "not always simple," during the renegotiation stage. Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had said he was putting Mexico first, saying the deal would be known in Spanish as "T-MEC," after conducting a poll of his Twitter followers. "T-MEC stands for "Tratado Mexico-Estados Unidos-Canada" which translates as the Mexico-United States-Canada Treaty. More than 102,000 people participated in the poll on the social media site. Canada, Mexico and the United States had reached the deal on September 30th. The deal has made sweeping changes in manufacturing and labour requirements in the auto sector. According to the new deal, 75 per cent of auto content be made in the region, increased from 62.5 per cent, and that 40-45 per cent be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. Mexico, in turn, agreed to continue to recognise US auto safety standards. USMCA exempts Mexico and Canada autos up to a threshold of 2.6 million vehicles a year, including light trucks. Canada on its part agreed to open its borders wider to American milk, cheese, cream, butter and other goods and allowed greater import of US chicken, eggs and turkey. The US agreed to keep Canada's demand for keeping Chapter 19 which involves the dispute settlement system. Under the new agreement, the signatories also allowed equal copyright treatment for writers, composers and others from member countries. The new agreement also prohibited customs duties for digitally distributed goods namely software and games, e-books, music and movies.

G20 summit: Trump, Trudeau and Enrique Pena sign US-Mexico–Canada Agreement, replace NAFTA

Belgium defeated Canada 2-1 in the first match of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/hockey-world-cup">Men's Hockey World Cup 2018</a> on Wednesday.

The Olympic silver medallist Belgium's created the pressure in the first quarter itself through a fine field strike by Felix Denayer in the third minute of the game.

In the second quarter, they did not only saved a penalty corner but also scored again, extending the lead to 2-0.

In the 12th minute, captain Thomas Briels found the back of the net again for Belgium but the goal was disallowed after Canada went for the referral, claiming the ball hit his hand before rolling on to the goal.&nbsp;

As it happened | <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/hockey-world-cup-2018-belgium-vs-canada-180008">Belgium vs Canada</a>

However, he scored with a brilliant strike after he was set up by Arthur van Doren.&nbsp;

Doren was awarded player of the match for his overall performance during the match.

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🏑 | POTM | <a href="https://twitter.com/ArthurVDoren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArthurVDoren</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/BELRedLions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BELRedLions</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> 
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Belgium completely dominated the first two quarters as Canada hardly managed to get a shot at the opposition goal.&nbsp;

But they failed to keep up the momentum as after the halftime, Canada started to find their grip on the match. &nbsp;

They fought brilliantly to pull a goal back through Mark Pearson's penalty corner conversion in the 48th minute.&nbsp;

It was far from an ideal start for Belgium as they wasted as many as four penalty corners in the match, a fact which their captain Thomas Briels accepted.&nbsp;

"We played a very good first half. We started positively and dominated but Canada came back strongly after halftime to give us some tough time," Briels said.&nbsp;

Belgium will next face hosts India on December 2 while Canada will be up against South Africa.&nbsp;

Belgium defeated Canada 2-1 in the first match of Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 on Wednesday. The Olympic silver medallist Belgium's created the pressure in the first quarter itself through a fine field strike by Felix Denayer in the third minute of the game.

Belgium defeated Canada 2-1 in the first match of Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 on Wednesday. The Olympic silver medallist Belgium's created the pressure in the first quarter itself through a fine field strike by Felix Denayer in the third minute of the game. In the second quarter, they did not only saved a penalty corner but also scored again, extending the lead to 2-0. In the 12th minute, captain Thomas Briels found the back of the net again for Belgium but the goal was disallowed after Canada went for the referral, claiming the ball hit his hand before rolling on to the goal. As it happened | Belgium vs Canada However, he scored with a brilliant strike after he was set up by Arthur van Doren. Doren was awarded player of the match for his overall performance during the match. 🏑 | POTM | @ArthurVDoren | @BELRedLions#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 🇧🇪 #BELvCAN 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/Iv4tTPkdX4 — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) 28 November 2018 × Belgium completely dominated the first two quarters as Canada hardly managed to get a shot at the opposition goal. But they failed to keep up the momentum as after the halftime, Canada started to find their grip on the match. They fought brilliantly to pull a goal back through Mark Pearson's penalty corner conversion in the 48th minute. It was far from an ideal start for Belgium as they wasted as many as four penalty corners in the match, a fact which their captain Thomas Briels accepted. "We played a very good first half. We started positively and dominated but Canada came back strongly after halftime to give us some tough time," Briels said. Belgium will next face hosts India on December 2 while Canada will be up against South Africa.

Belgium cruise past Canada 2-1 in hockey World Cup opener

Men's Hockey World Cup 2018: All teams and their squad list

Canadian PM Trudeau acknowledges receiving Khashoggi tapes

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that his government was holding talks with Pakistan over potentially offering asylum to Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently freed from prison after her blasphemy conviction was overturned.

"We are in discussions with the Pakistani government," Trudeau said in an interview with AFP in Paris, where he was attending a peace conference organised by French President Emmanuel Macron.

"There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don't want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country," he said.

Bibi has been blocked from leaving Pakistan after the overturning of her conviction prompted a wave of protests among Islamist hard-liners.

She has since been flown to a "safe place" in the country as several governments have offered to grant her family asylum.

Her husband has appealed in particular to Britain, Canada and the United States, claiming that Bibi's life would be in danger as long as she lived in Pakistan.

Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields.

Muslim labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim. A fight reportedly erupted, and a local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed.

Bibi has consistently denied the charges and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that his government was holding talks with Pakistan over potentially offering asylum to Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently freed from prison after her blasphemy conviction was overturned.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that his government was holding talks with Pakistan over potentially offering asylum to Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently freed from prison after her blasphemy conviction was overturned. "We are in discussions with the Pakistani government," Trudeau said in an interview with AFP in Paris, where he was attending a peace conference organised by French President Emmanuel Macron. "There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don't want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country," he said. Bibi has been blocked from leaving Pakistan after the overturning of her conviction prompted a wave of protests among Islamist hard-liners. She has since been flown to a "safe place" in the country as several governments have offered to grant her family asylum. Her husband has appealed in particular to Britain, Canada and the United States, claiming that Bibi's life would be in danger as long as she lived in Pakistan. Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim. A fight reportedly erupted, and a local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.

Canada in talks with Pakistan over possibly taking in Asia Bibi

Canada is prioritising the deportation of asylum seekers who walked across the border from the United States illegally, federal agency statistics show, as the Liberal government tries to tackle a politically sensitive issue ahead of an election year.

The number of people deported after their refugee applications were rejected was on track to drop 25 per cent so far this year compared to 2017 to its lowest point in a decade, even as the number of deported border-crossers was on track to triple, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data.

More than 36,000 people have walked into Canada from the United States to file refugee claims since January 2017, many saying they feared US President Donald Trump`s election promise and policy to crack down on illegal immigration.

The influx has thrown the Canadian asylum system into turmoil and caused a political uproar in a country accustomed to picking and choosing its newcomers.

In response, the government gave more money to the independent body adjudicating refugee claims and appointed a minister responsible for border-crossers.

The CBSA, which is responsible for deportations, said in an email to Reuters that it classifies border-crossers with criminals as a top deportation priority. 
Refugee lawyers and border officers said the prioritisation seems to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau`s way of dealing with those asylum seekers, who have become a hot political issue for his Liberal Party ahead of a general election in 2019.

Border Security Minister Bill Blair declined to comment.

In an email, Blair`s office said the government is committed to a "robust and fair" refugee system and that everyone ordered removed has been given due process.

A CBSA inland enforcement officer said the tradeoff is that deportees who could pose a real public safety risk are not getting deported.&nbsp;

"We have priority cases, people with extensive criminal records that are due to be deported, people with security problems - these cases are not all taken care of because we have to take care of these administrative cases," said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media.

Border-crossers "are not a priority, but they are a priority because of all the media attention around them."

A CBSA spokesman said in an email that the agency prioritises "irregular" failed refugee claimants along with criminals as a top priority, followed by other failed refugee claimants, but would not say why.

Six lawyers told Reuters they were aware of this acceleration of certain cases, some saying they have had border-crosser hearings scheduled in blocs, with a focus on those from Haiti and Nigeria.&nbsp;

Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman said there were good reasons for accelerating the processing and deportation of people who crossed the border: it deters people with weak claims from making refugee claims in the hopes of living in Canada for years while their case wends through the system.

&nbsp;"The best way of discouraging people from making frivolous claims is by having the claims processed quickly," Waldman said.

Canada is prioritising the deportation of asylum seekers who walked across the border from the United States illegally, federal agency statistics show, as the Liberal government tries to tackle a politically sensitive issue ahead of an election year.

Canada is prioritising the deportation of asylum seekers who walked across the border from the United States illegally, federal agency statistics show, as the Liberal government tries to tackle a politically sensitive issue ahead of an election year. The number of people deported after their refugee applications were rejected was on track to drop 25 per cent so far this year compared to 2017 to its lowest point in a decade, even as the number of deported border-crossers was on track to triple, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data. More than 36,000 people have walked into Canada from the United States to file refugee claims since January 2017, many saying they feared US President Donald Trump`s election promise and policy to crack down on illegal immigration. The influx has thrown the Canadian asylum system into turmoil and caused a political uproar in a country accustomed to picking and choosing its newcomers. In response, the government gave more money to the independent body adjudicating refugee claims and appointed a minister responsible for border-crossers. The CBSA, which is responsible for deportations, said in an email to Reuters that it classifies border-crossers with criminals as a top deportation priority. Refugee lawyers and border officers said the prioritisation seems to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau`s way of dealing with those asylum seekers, who have become a hot political issue for his Liberal Party ahead of a general election in 2019. Border Security Minister Bill Blair declined to comment. In an email, Blair`s office said the government is committed to a "robust and fair" refugee system and that everyone ordered removed has been given due process. A CBSA inland enforcement officer said the tradeoff is that deportees who could pose a real public safety risk are not getting deported. "We have priority cases, people with extensive criminal records that are due to be deported, people with security problems - these cases are not all taken care of because we have to take care of these administrative cases," said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media. Border-crossers "are not a priority, but they are a priority because of all the media attention around them." A CBSA spokesman said in an email that the agency prioritises "irregular" failed refugee claimants along with criminals as a top priority, followed by other failed refugee claimants, but would not say why. Six lawyers told Reuters they were aware of this acceleration of certain cases, some saying they have had border-crosser hearings scheduled in blocs, with a focus on those from Haiti and Nigeria. Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman said there were good reasons for accelerating the processing and deportation of people who crossed the border: it deters people with weak claims from making refugee claims in the hopes of living in Canada for years while their case wends through the system. "The best way of discouraging people from making frivolous claims is by having the claims processed quickly," Waldman said.

Canada rushes to deport asylum seekers who walked from US: Data

Canada will host trade officials from the European Union, Japan and others for two-day talks starting Wednesday aimed at shaping long-delayed reforms to the global trading system that have sparked tensions among major economies.

Like-minded trade ministers from Australia, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and Switzerland are also due to attend.

The group will "identify concrete means of improving the WTO," a source said last month, adding preparatory work had already begun.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also meet with WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo.

The United States and China, however, will not be at the table.

The failure to adjust global trade rules in the last two decades, particularly in agriculture and services, has undermined the potential to boost growth and reduce poverty, according to a joint report by the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and World Bank released September 30.

The organisations are urging redoubled efforts to accelerate reforms, especially in the WTO, to salvage the economic benefits of trade, which have stalled, and ensure the prosperity is shared more widely.

US President Donald Trump has accused the WTO of treating the United States unfairly, and threatened to pull his country out of the global trade body if it does not "shape up."

He also complained on Twitter that the WTO considers China a developing nation, despite its economic might.

At the same time, Washington has blocked the WTO from establishing panels to settle disputes between members.

Earlier this month, Azevedo said he agrees that the WTO needs reforms, and soon.

According to a statement, the dozen trade officials in Ottawa will discuss how to safeguard the WTO dispute settlement, improve its "monitoring and transparency functions," and adjust rules to reflect the dominance in trade of services, including ecommerce.

Canada will host trade officials from the European Union, Japan and others for two-day talks starting Wednesday aimed at shaping long-delayed reforms to the global trading system that have sparked tensions among major economies.

Canada will host trade officials from the European Union, Japan and others for two-day talks starting Wednesday aimed at shaping long-delayed reforms to the global trading system that have sparked tensions among major economies. Like-minded trade ministers from Australia, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and Switzerland are also due to attend. The group will "identify concrete means of improving the WTO," a source said last month, adding preparatory work had already begun. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also meet with WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo. The United States and China, however, will not be at the table. The failure to adjust global trade rules in the last two decades, particularly in agriculture and services, has undermined the potential to boost growth and reduce poverty, according to a joint report by the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and World Bank released September 30. The organisations are urging redoubled efforts to accelerate reforms, especially in the WTO, to salvage the economic benefits of trade, which have stalled, and ensure the prosperity is shared more widely. US President Donald Trump has accused the WTO of treating the United States unfairly, and threatened to pull his country out of the global trade body if it does not "shape up." He also complained on Twitter that the WTO considers China a developing nation, despite its economic might. At the same time, Washington has blocked the WTO from establishing panels to settle disputes between members. Earlier this month, Azevedo said he agrees that the WTO needs reforms, and soon. According to a statement, the dozen trade officials in Ottawa will discuss how to safeguard the WTO dispute settlement, improve its "monitoring and transparency functions," and adjust rules to reflect the dominance in trade of services, including ecommerce.

Canada hosts like-minded nations to talk WTO reforms

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck off the Canadian province of British Columbia on Monday, the United States Geological Survey(USGS) said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which hit at a depth of 33 km (21 miles) about 190 km (117 miles) southwest of Port Hardy, a town on the northeast end of Vancouver island.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck off the Canadian province of British Columbia on Monday, the United States Geological Survey(USGS) said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which hit at a depth of 33 km (21 miles) about 190 km (117 miles) southwest of Port Hardy, a town on the northeast end of Vancouver island.

Canada: 6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes off British Columbia; no casualties reported

Day two of legal recreational cannabis in Canada on Thursday saw more long lineups outside pot stores and supply shortages in parts of the country.

Most consumers were exuberant about the end of prohibition, but a few expressed disappointment over not being able to buy cannabis on the first day.

Others balked at the relatively high prices -- ranging from Can$5.25 (US$4.02) in Quebec to Can$18.99 in Saskatchewan per gram -- compared to the black market that saw average prices plunge in the last year to Can$6.79 per gram.

After waiting seven hours in line at a store in downtown Montreal on Wednesday, Alexandre, 30, said he was turned away at closing at 9 pm (0100 GMT). Police stepped in to disperse the crowd, without incident.

"It was hell, it was cold," Alexandre said. "But we had fun anyway, talking with people in the crowd and sharing joints."&nbsp;

He was back early Thursday morning to try again.

"Yesterday was the day that everyone was waiting for but I think that little by little the queue will decrease," he said.

'The bomb'

Genevieve Despres, 41, was one of the lucky ones to make it inside the store on Wednesday. She described the scene in line as "super friendly, we sang, we laughed, I made friends."

"I do not usually smoke but since it was a historic day for Canada I thought I'd try," she told AFP.

Despres smoked bought pot with a low level of THC, the psychoactive agent in cannabis.&nbsp;

"My God it's the bomb!" she said -- and returned with friends Thursday to buy more.

In Ontario, Canada's most populated province, 38,000 orders for weed worth about Can$750,000 were processed in the first few hours Wednesday (total figures for the day were not yet available), while in neighboring Quebec 42,000 orders were processed in-store and online, smashing all expectations.

"This volume of orders far exceeds the forecasts of the SQDC," the Quebec government pot retailer said.

It said it was "difficult to anticipate the volume of sales ... given the lack of data from a sector that 48 hours ago was still illegal."

The statement added that short-term supply shortages are expected due to "the craze surrounding legalization of cannabis and the scarcity of product across Canada."

Canada's smallest provinces on the Atlantic coast, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, posted Can$660,000 and Can$152,000 in sales, respectively.

Supply shortages were already reported in the provinces of Newfoundland and Saskatchewan, as well as in the Arctic territory of Nunavut.

Several online retailers including the Ontario government's pot portal warned customers to expect shipping delays of up to five days as they worked late into the night filling orders.

Canada Post workers are also poised to strike starting on Monday after more than a year of contract talks stalled, which could further delay deliveries of online orders.

Canada on Wednesday became the world's first major economy and only the second country in the world, after Uruguay, to legalize the recreational use of cannabis and embark on the controversial experiment in drug policy.&nbsp;

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has defended legalization -- the fulfillment of a 2015 campaign promise -- as intended to protect young people and to shut down drug dealers.

But there has been pushback from some doctors and the opposition Tories.

In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 -- about 15 percent of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke.

"We expected, you know, certain strains might run out and there would be a bit of a run on supply," Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief who is the government's pointman for legalization, told public broadcaster CBC.

"But, you know, they've got a pretty good infrastructure in place and I'm confident it will work," he said.

Day two of legal recreational cannabis in Canada on Thursday saw more long lineups outside pot stores and supply shortages in parts of the country. Most consumers were exuberant about the end of prohibition, but a few expressed disappointment over not being able to buy cannabis on the first day.

Day two of legal recreational cannabis in Canada on Thursday saw more long lineups outside pot stores and supply shortages in parts of the country. Most consumers were exuberant about the end of prohibition, but a few expressed disappointment over not being able to buy cannabis on the first day. Others balked at the relatively high prices -- ranging from Can$5.25 (US$4.02) in Quebec to Can$18.99 in Saskatchewan per gram -- compared to the black market that saw average prices plunge in the last year to Can$6.79 per gram. After waiting seven hours in line at a store in downtown Montreal on Wednesday, Alexandre, 30, said he was turned away at closing at 9 pm (0100 GMT). Police stepped in to disperse the crowd, without incident. "It was hell, it was cold," Alexandre said. "But we had fun anyway, talking with people in the crowd and sharing joints." He was back early Thursday morning to try again. "Yesterday was the day that everyone was waiting for but I think that little by little the queue will decrease," he said. 'The bomb' Genevieve Despres, 41, was one of the lucky ones to make it inside the store on Wednesday. She described the scene in line as "super friendly, we sang, we laughed, I made friends." "I do not usually smoke but since it was a historic day for Canada I thought I'd try," she told AFP. Despres smoked bought pot with a low level of THC, the psychoactive agent in cannabis. "My God it's the bomb!" she said -- and returned with friends Thursday to buy more. In Ontario, Canada's most populated province, 38,000 orders for weed worth about Can$750,000 were processed in the first few hours Wednesday (total figures for the day were not yet available), while in neighboring Quebec 42,000 orders were processed in-store and online, smashing all expectations. "This volume of orders far exceeds the forecasts of the SQDC," the Quebec government pot retailer said. It said it was "difficult to anticipate the volume of sales ... given the lack of data from a sector that 48 hours ago was still illegal." The statement added that short-term supply shortages are expected due to "the craze surrounding legalization of cannabis and the scarcity of product across Canada." Canada's smallest provinces on the Atlantic coast, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, posted Can$660,000 and Can$152,000 in sales, respectively. Supply shortages were already reported in the provinces of Newfoundland and Saskatchewan, as well as in the Arctic territory of Nunavut. Several online retailers including the Ontario government's pot portal warned customers to expect shipping delays of up to five days as they worked late into the night filling orders. Canada Post workers are also poised to strike starting on Monday after more than a year of contract talks stalled, which could further delay deliveries of online orders. Canada on Wednesday became the world's first major economy and only the second country in the world, after Uruguay, to legalize the recreational use of cannabis and embark on the controversial experiment in drug policy. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has defended legalization -- the fulfillment of a 2015 campaign promise -- as intended to protect young people and to shut down drug dealers. But there has been pushback from some doctors and the opposition Tories. In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 -- about 15 percent of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke. "We expected, you know, certain strains might run out and there would be a bit of a run on supply," Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief who is the government's pointman for legalization, told public broadcaster CBC. "But, you know, they've got a pretty good infrastructure in place and I'm confident it will work," he said.

Canada pot stores run out of supplies within two days of legalisation

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