Latest news with #Prague
The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Taiwan's vice-president undeterred after Czech reports of alleged Chinese car collision plot
Taiwan's vice-president has said she will not be intimidated after reports by Czech intelligence that Chinese officials planned to stage a car collision when she was in Prague last year. Hsiao Bi-khim visited the Czech Republic in March 2024, in the first overseas visit by her and president Lai Ching-te after winning the election in January. It was reported at the time that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following her car – under police escort – from the airport. This week Prague intelligence officials told local media that the incident was part of a much larger and escalatory plan by Chinese diplomats and intelligence officers working out of the embassy in Prague, which included preparing to stage an apparent car collision. On Saturday, Hsiao thanked Czech authorities for ensuring her safety during the visit. 'The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community,' she said in a social media post. The new details of the plan against Hsiao were revealed by Czech public radio service, Irozhlas, on Thursday. Petr Bartovský, director of the Czech military intelligence service, told Irozhlas that the driver stopped by police was only following Hsiao, but that the service had also identified plans, run out of the Chinese embassy, to 'demonstratively confront Ms Hsiao'. Jan Pejšek, spokesperson for the service, said the plan involved an 'attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions to perform a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which however did not go beyond the phase of preparation'. The Czech reporting team said this was understood to be a collision with Hsiao's car. Pejšek said the other activity of the Chinese actors went 'to the point of endangering' Hsiao. 'These activities, which flagrantly breach the obligations arising from the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, were conducted, amongst others, by individuals holding diplomatic posts at the Chinese embassy in Prague,' Pejšek said. Taiwan's China-focused Mainland Affairs Council on Friday condemned the Chinese actions, which it said 'seriously threatened the personal safety of vice-president Hsiao and her entourage'. It demanded an explanation and public apology. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun, said Chinese diplomats 'always observe the laws and regulations of host countries', and that the Czech government had 'grossly interfered in China's internal affairs' by allowing Hsiao to visit, calling her a 'diehard Taiwan independence separatist' – a designation for which China has threatened the death penalty. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion 'China urges the relevant party to avoid being incited or used by 'Taiwan independence' forces, and refrain from creating troubles, spreading rumours, and disrupting and undermining the bilateral relations.' The Czech Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the Chinese ambassador over the incident at the time but did not comment further on Friday. Beijing intends to annex Taiwan under a claim that it is a Chinese province currently run by separatists, and vociferously objects to other governments acting in any way which lends legitimacy to Taiwan's democratically elected government.
Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Czechs say China followed and planned intimidation of Taiwan vice-president
Chinese diplomats and secret service followed Taiwan's Vice-President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim and planned to intimidate her physically when she visited Prague last year, Czech military intelligence said on Friday. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic in March 2024. Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but has fostered warm relations with the democratically-governed island, which China views as its own territory. Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light when following her car. Czech public radio news website said on Thursday that the Chinese had also planned to stage a demonstrative car crash. Czech Military Intelligence spokesman said Chinese diplomats in Prague had taken actions that violated diplomatic rules. "This consisted of physically following the vice-president, gathering information on her schedule and attempts to document her meetings with important representatives of the Czech political and public scene," spokesman Jan Pejsek said in emailed comments. "We even recorded an attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions to perform a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which however did not go beyond the phase of preparation." A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, commenting on the matter, denied any wrongdoing by Chinese diplomats and also said the Czech Republic had interfered in China's internal affairs by allowing Hsiao's visit to go ahead. The Czech Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the Chinese ambassador over the incident at the time but did not comment further on Friday. Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said the Chinese actions "seriously threatened the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage." "The Mainland Affairs Council today protested and strongly condemned the Chinese communist's bad behaviour and demanded that the Chinese side should immediately explain and publicly apologize," it said. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: "Chinese diplomats have always abided by the laws and regulations of the countries in which they are stationed." "China urges the parties concerned not to be provoked and exploited by separatist forces for Taiwan independence, and to not make a fuss over nothing, engage in malicious speculation, and interfere with and undermine the relations between the two countries." Hsiao assumed office, along with President Lai Ching-te, on May 20 last year. Czech relations with China have cooled in recent years. The Czechs accused China in May of being behind a cyberattack on the foreign ministry. Czech politicians have visited Taiwan and former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited Prague last October.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This 1 Cryptocurrency Could Soar 20,000% Over the Next 21 Years, According to Michael Saylor of Strategy (MicroStrategy)
Billionaire Michael Saylor now thinks Bitcoin could hit a price of $21 trillion within 21 years. A significant boost in Bitcoin adoption by corporations and governments could lead to Bitcoin soaring in value by nearly 20,000%. At a price of $21 million, Bitcoin would be worth nearly 10 times the current value of the S&P 500. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › On June 21, billionaire Michael Saylor, founder and executive chairman of Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) unveiled his latest price prediction for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC): $21 million per coin. That's significantly higher than most mainstream Bitcoin predictions, which usually top out at around $1 million. A price of $21 million would require Bitcoin to soar in value by nearly 20,000%. It would be easy to dismiss this prediction as just a pie-in-the-sky fantasy, except for one important fact: Bitcoin is up an extraordinary 216,474,168% since it hit an all-time low of $0.05 back in July 2010. Back then, nobody could have possibly predicted that Bitcoin would reach its current price of $105,000. In a presentation ("The Power of 21") at a recent Bitcoin event in Prague, Saylor explained why he thinks Bitcoin will eventually hit a price of $21 million within the next 21 years. For one, Bitcoin has a capped lifetime supply of just 21 million coins. The capped lifetime supply introduces tremendous scarcity. This theoretically ensures that any significant increase in demand will send its price soaring. Secondly, Bitcoin is currently experiencing a period of rapid institutional adoption as investors race to add Bitcoin to their portfolios. If these investors decide to boost their crypto allocation by just a tiny amount, it could have a very significant impact on the price of Bitcoin. Finally, Bitcoin has emerged as a true gold alternative. Many investors now refer to Bitcoin as "digital gold." They view it as a long-term store of value and a potential hedge against inflation, just like gold. Putting all this together, Saylor thinks the path to $21 million is inevitable. If Bitcoin can grow at a steady rate of 29% per year for the next two decades, it can hit a price of $21 million by the year 2046. Last summer, at a Bitcoin event in Nashville, Saylor famously predicted that Bitcoin would hit a price of $13 million. At the time, Bitcoin was trading for just $65,000. Today, Bitcoin trades for $105,000 and now appears to have stronger tailwinds, thanks to the Trump administration's pro-crypto policies. In his "The Power of 21" presentation, Saylor specifically points out the new pro-crypto approach of the Trump administration, which has led to new euphoria around Bitcoin as an asset class. The White House has gone all-in on Bitcoin, even going so far as to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. While Saylor thinks that it will take 21 years for Bitcoin to hit $21 million, it's still a pretty incredible price target. Based on a Bitcoin coin supply of 21 million, that implies a future valuation of $441 trillion. By way of comparison, the S&P 500 is currently worth about $50 trillion. The total value of global investable assets is usually estimated to be around $250 trillion. So, you can see what needs to happen, right? Bitcoin needs to establish itself as the preeminent asset class in the world, and all global wealth must start to flow into Bitcoin. At some point within the next two decades, investors will need to boost their Bitcoin allocations from 1% to 100%. That's asking a lot of investors since it will require them to break one of the fundamental rules of investing: Always diversify your portfolio. Keep in mind, too, that Bitcoin has always been a very volatile asset, prone to boom-and-bust cycles. In order for Bitcoin to grow at a steady rate of 29% per year, investors have to assume that Bitcoin has finally broken out of this cycle. From here on out, it's upward only. Finally, keep this in mind: Saylor has a very real reason to promote a very high price for Bitcoin. His company Strategy is now the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin in the world. The company now holds 592,345 Bitcoins, equivalent to almost 3% of all the Bitcoin in the world. That's more Bitcoin than even the U.S. government holds. While the overall pace of Bitcoin adoption over the past year has been impressive, the math involved in Bitcoin hitting a price of $21 million requires a giant leap of faith. A more realistic price target might be $500,000 to $1 million. However, even if Bitcoin "only" grows by a multiple of 5x or 10x over the next decade, that would likely still make it among the top-performing assets in the world. Thus, I'm still long-term bullish on Bitcoin. However, I'm not as convinced as Saylor that Bitcoin's boom-and-bust days are fully behind it. Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $704,676!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $950,198!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 175% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This 1 Cryptocurrency Could Soar 20,000% Over the Next 21 Years, According to Michael Saylor of Strategy (MicroStrategy) was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prague pencilled in for double York Racecourse visit
Prague will visit York twice this Summer, starting today at today's races. (Image: PA) DYLAN Cunha has pencilled in for Prague to visit York Racecourse twice this Summer – starting with a shot at this Saturday's £100,000 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Criterion Stakes. It is the first time the Knavesmire has ever staged this Group 3 race (previously held at Newmarket) so, as part of a wider strengthening of its seven-furlong programme, it will give the winner a free entry* into the Group One Sky Bet City of York Stakes on Saturday 23 August. Advertisement The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Criterion Stakes will also be the first time Prague has been tested at this distance. If it proves a success, Newmarket-based Cunha will bring back his stable star for that £600,000 Sky Bet City of York Stakes, which is set to be staged as a Group One for the first time. Otherwise, the trainer will target the nine-furlong Group 3 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes, scheduled for the same card at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival. This weekend's fact-finding mission sees Prague back in action, having not been seen on a racecourse since British Champions Day at Ascot last October. The five-year-old proved a real star for connections in 2024, finishing second in the Group 3 Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock before winning the Group 2 Joel Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket. Advertisement As a result, Prague must carry 9st 13lb – 5lb more than any other horse in the 13-strong entry. Cunha said: 'He's in great form – as well as I've ever seen him. He's training really well. 'The drop to seven furlongs is just that he's quite keen in his races – we just want to teach him to settle. "We've been going a mile and a mile and a quarter with him, but his mother was actually a six-furlong Group 3 winner. 'We're thinking he might just be that keen because we might be going too far with him. So, it's an experiment. "If he runs in the first two, he'll go to the City of York. If it's too short, he'll run in the Strensall. Advertisement "He's definitely going to York twice in the next two months!' Cunha had hoped to have Jim Crowley aboard Prague for his seasonal bow, but the jockey looks likely to be required elsewhere by Shadwell, who retain him. Instead, Prague will be ridden for the first time by Kieran Shoemark. Cunha said: 'Jim would have ridden him, but he's booked for Shadwell. So, Kieran then messaged for the ride and I said, 'Absolutely'. He rides quite a bit for us – so, a great replacement for Jim.' The trainer enjoys visiting York where Silver Sword gave him a first high-profile success at the 2023 Ebor Festival. Advertisement And Cunha has fingers crossed Prague can put him back in the same winner's circle on Saturday. He said: 'He'll jump out, go forward and he'll be sitting in the first three or four and hopefully run a huge race for us.' Saturday's seven-race card starts at 1.55pm with the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Mile Handicap.
Malay Mail
15 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
How Czechs quit Russian oil without getting a black eye
NELAHOZEVES, June 28 — Holding a black belt in karate, Jaroslav Pantucek, the man in charge of Czech oil pipelines, is not afraid of tough battles. Like the ones he had to fight to wean the central European country off Russian oil in March, after more than 60 years of reliance and under EU pressure following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. 'I have completed my mission,' Pantucek, the chief executive and board chairman of the state-run Mero firm, told AFP in an interview. Until March, the EU and Nato member of 10.9 million people relied largely on the Druzhba pipeline taking Russian oil to Europe via Ukraine. When the EU moved to end its reliance on Russian fossil fuels after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Druzhba was exempted because the Czechs had few other options — though they had been working on alternatives for decades. Across the EU, Russian oil imports have shrunk from 27 per cent at the beginning of 2022 to three per cent now, European Commission data showed. 'Blackmail potential' Former Czechoslovakia — comprising today's Czech Republic and Slovakia — got connected to Druzhba in the 1960s when it was part of the Soviet bloc. But faltering supplies following the fall of the communist government in 1989 and the split of the country four years later led Prague to rethink the source. 'The first government after the (1989) revolution was already aware of the blackmail potential of Russian oil,' said Pantucek, who is 65. He joined Mero in 1997, a year after the launch of the IKL pipeline, an alternative route bringing in oil via Germany. 'I came to the job interview with a very decent black eye' from karate, chuckled Pantucek. He was already the chief executive when Druzhba suddenly curbed supplies to the Czech Republic in 2008. 'Moscow insists it was a coincidence,' Pantucek said, but he drew a link between the move and US plans to build a radar south of Prague, a thorn in Moscow's side that never materialised. The drop in supplies led Mero to consider joining a consortium running the Transalpine Pipeline (TAL) connecting the Italian port of Trieste with the IKL pipeline. 'We bought a 5-per cent stake after three years of tough talks in December 2012. It was a great success,' said Pantucek. But Prague wanted more and started planning a capacity boost that would make it even less dependent on Druzhba. Pantucek was dismissed from Mero in 2015, but he returned shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, resuming work on the TAL expansion at once. 'I felt there was no time to waste, that the moment when oil stops flowing may be near,' he said. 'Historic moment' The Czechs needed the 60-year-old TAL pipeline to run at maximum capacity for the first time ever to ensure they got the annual eight million tonnes they need. They had to persuade partners in the consortium to change the capacity-sharing rules, unchanged for decades, and adjust the regime for tankers bringing oil to Trieste. 'That was a massive mental clash,' Pantucek said. Mero offered cutting-edge pumps that reduced power consumption and maintenance costs, and got a go-ahead to draft a contract — a process that took seven months as the consortium members kept tweaking it. Czech refineries meanwhile had to adapt to non-Russian oil mixtures with lower sulphur content, currently comprising oil from Azerbaijan, the North Sea, Saudi Arabia or Iraq. The expansion swallowed 42 million euros-worth of Mero's money. 'We were pushing to have everything ready by the end of 2024,' Pantucek added. 'Druzhba never worked 24/7, in fact it was off pretty often. But I had a gut feeling that it may stop completely. And somebody up there helped us I guess.' On March 3 this year, Pantucek had a call from TAL confirming operation readiness after thorough tests. 'On March 4, I came to work and my colleagues told me Druzhba was off. And I said, look, this is a historic moment.' Pantucek is leaving his future at Mero open as he has reached retirement age and the political situation may change after October's general election. 'I can take it easy now,' he said. 'I've done my job.' — AFP
