INTERNACIONAL
Rubio blasts China over ‘unjust and tragic’ 20-year sentence for Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The U.S. urged China to reverse what Secretary of State Marco Rubio called an «unjust and tragic» sentence against Hong Kong publisher and democracy activist Jimmy Lai, after Beijing-backed courts handed the 78-year-old a 20-year prison term under the national security law.
«The conviction shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong,» Rubio said in a statement. «The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole.»
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) used Hong Kong’s courts to sentence Lai on Monday, cementing one of the most consequential national security cases since Beijing imposed a sweeping new law in the wake of months-long anti-CCP protests.
Lai, a billionaire media entrepreneur, founded the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper in 1995 once Hong Kong’s most outspoken pro-democracy publication. He is among the highest-profile figures arrested under the 2020 National Security Law Beijing imposed following the unrest.
The protests, sparked by fears Beijing was eroding Hong Kong’s promised autonomy, were followed by a sweeping security crackdown that criminalized dissent and reshaped the city’s legal system.
MARCO RUBIO VOICES CONCERN THAT AMERICANS MAY SOMEDAY BE ARRESTED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WHEN VISITING EUROPE
Jimmy Lai, owner of Hong Kong-based media company Next Media Ltd, leaves the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) headquarters in Hong Kong Sept. 17, 2014. (Tyrone Siu / Reuters)
The sentence also puts renewed pressure on President Donald Trump, who has previously spoken out about Lai’s detention and is expected to travel to Beijing in April amid broader negotiations with China. Human rights advocates and some lawmakers have urged Trump to raise Lai’s case directly with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, warning that silence would be read in Beijing as acquiescence.
Trump said in December 2025 that he had personally urged Xi to release Lai.
«I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked to consider his release,» Trump said. «He’s not well, he’s an older man, and he’s not well, so I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens.»
Hong Kong authorities convicted Lai of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, a national security offense under the Beijing-imposed law. Prosecutors argued that Lai and his co-defendants used his media platform and international network to lobby for sanctions, blockades or other hostile actions by foreign governments against China and Hong Kong — actions the court said threatened national security.
Judges labeled Lai the «mastermind» of the alleged plots.
RUBIO SAYS COMMITMENT TO TAIWAN WON’T CHANGE AMID TRADE TALKS WITH CHINA
Lai also was convicted of conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a separate provision of Hong Kong’s colonial-era Crimes Ordinance, applied in conjunction with the national security regime. Prosecutors cited hundreds of Apple Daily articles they said were designed to «incite public hatred or contempt» against authorities.
Lai and his defense team rejected that characterization as criminalizing expression.
Crowds of protesters marching on the streets of Hong Kong during the demonstration on January 1, 2020. Anti-CCP demonstrations led to a major crackdown. (Willie Siau / SOPA Images via Getty )
Sebastian Lai, the publisher’s son, said the sentence effectively amounts to a life term given his father’s age and deteriorating health.
«20 years, he’s 78 years old now. This is essentially a life sentence — or more like a death sentence, given the conditions he’s being kept in,» Sebastian Lai said on FOX Business Monday. He said his father has lost significant weight in detention and now suffers from heart issues and diabetes, adding, «we’re incredibly worried about his life.»
Sebastian Lai said his father, a Catholic, remains «a man of deep faith» despite years in detention, believing «no matter how hard the conditions he was under, that he still did the right thing.»
He also recalled that his father declined multiple opportunities to leave Hong Kong before his arrest, choosing instead to stay rather than abandon his principles or colleagues.
Sebastien Lai and Sen. Marco Rubio posing for a photo with a poster of Lai’s father. (Fox News)
The younger Lai said his father’s case should serve as a warning for Taiwan, arguing that Beijing’s promise of autonomy under a «one country, two systems» model in Hong Kong has revealed how tightly mainland China ultimately controls the territory.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Lai already has spent more than five years in prison serving a separate sentence for a fraud conviction and for organizing unauthorized assemblies during the protests.
His defense has argued the case criminalized political speech and journalism rather than genuine national security threats, saying Lai’s calls for international pressure on Beijing amounted to lawful advocacy and that meetings with U.S. officials and media appearances were routine for a prominent publisher and democracy advocate, not evidence of conspiracy.
china,donald trump,xi jinping
INTERNACIONAL
La falta de combustible en Cuba: teletrabajo, semana de cuatro días y veda de tránsito para hacer frente a la crisis
– «Muy injusto» –
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a sweeping win in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, capturing about 316 seats in the 465-member lower house and achieving a governing supermajority alongside allies. The result gives her a strong mandate to advance a conservative agenda focused on defense, immigration and economic reforms, the Associated Press reported.
A heavy metal fan and drummer, Takaichi — who has long cited former British PM Margaret Thatcher as a personal and political inspiration — expressed gratitude for President Trump’s support, thanking him for his congratulatory message following the victory and signaling continued alignment with Washington.
Trump praised her leadership in a post after the results were announced. «Congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Coalition on a LANDSLIDE Victory in today’s very important Vote,» Trump wrote on social media, «Sanae’s bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time. Her Party now runs the Legislature, holding a HISTORIC TWO THIRDS SUPERMAJORITY — The first time since World War II. Sanae: It was my Honor to Endorse you and your Coalition. I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda. The wonderful people of Japan, who voted with such enthusiasm, will always have my strong support.»
SANAE TAKAICHI BECOMES JAPAN’S FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER, CITING THATCHER INSPIRATION
President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrive to speak to troops aboard USS George Washington at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Oct. 28, 2025 in Yokosuka, Japan. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The election outcome represents one of the strongest performances for the ruling party in years and solidifies Takaichi’s position only months after taking office as Japan’s first female prime minister.
Following the results, Takaichi said she was prepared to move forward with policies aimed at making Japan «strong and prosperous,» as she seeks to implement reforms and bolster national security, the Associated Press reported.
Her agenda includes boosting defense spending, revising security policies and stimulating economic growth, while maintaining a tougher posture toward regional threats such as China. Known for her hawkish stance on Beijing, Takaichi is expected to maintain Japan’s close alignment with the United States.
«Takaichi’s landslide win shows other leaders that defiance of China can be popular with voters. Nobody has to appease or please Xi Jinping anymore,» Asia analyst Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital.
JAPAN’S PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI PLANS TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT AND CALL EARLY ELECTION TO STRENGTHEN COALITION
Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, is seen playing drums in Tokyo on Sept. 24, 2021, when she was the internal affairs minister. (Kyodo via Reuters)
U.S. officials also welcomed the outcome. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described aid on Fox News’ «Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo» that Takaichi is a strong ally and emphasized that her leadership strengthens the strategic partnership between Washington and Tokyo.
Takaichi’s victory is widely seen as a geopolitical signal as well as a domestic political triumph. Analysts say the strengthened mandate could deepen cooperation with the United States on security and economic policy at a time of rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
The snap election, called just months into her premiership, was widely viewed as a referendum on her leadership. With the opposition fragmented, voters delivered a decisive result that now gives Takaichi political space to pursue her agenda through the remainder of the parliamentary term.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Lawmakers applaud Sanae Takaichi during a lower house session in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2025, after she was elected Japan’s first female prime minister. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)
Takaichi backs strengthening Japan’s defense posture and supports constitutional revision to expand the role of the military. Economically, she has praised the stimulus-driven policies associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Her public thanks to Trump underscores how central the U.S. alliance remains to Tokyo’s strategy moving forward, experts say, as she prepares to translate electoral momentum into legislative and security action at home and abroad.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
japan,donald trump,politics,elections
INTERNACIONAL
El show de Bad Bunny en el Super Bowl impactó en la Casa Blanca y reavivó el debate por las deportaciones de Trump
El show de medio tiempo de Bad Bunny en el Super Bowl fue un mensaje político y de resistencia de la comunidad latina que repercutió fuerte en la Casa Blanca y en el ala más radical de la derecha estadounidense.
El que saltó al Levi’s Stadium de Santa Clara, en California, no fue el artista estadounidense mundialmente famoso. Fue Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, el orgulloso puertorriqueño que le mandó un fuerte recado a Donald Trump: “Aquí estamos”.
Leé también: Fiesta latina y un mensaje político: así fue la histórica presentación de Bad Bunny en el Super Bowl
Es la primera vez en la historia del deporte más “americano” de EE.UU. que el tradicional espectáculo de medio tiempo se canta enteramente en español, con temática latina, cultural y política, en momentos en que el gobierno de Trump aterroriza, detiene y deporta a decenas de miles de migrantes hispanos sin importar si tienen papeles en trámite o carecen de documentos.
“El show de medio tiempo de Bad Bunny funcionó como una declaración política construida desde una afirmación de la realidad cultural”, dijo a TN la experta en comunicación estadounidense Mary Arda.
Un mensaje de resistencia
Trump quedó shockeado, a juzgar por su airada reacción tras el show del “Conejo Malo”.
“El show de medio tiempo es absolutamente terrible, uno de los peores de la historia. No tiene sentido, es una afrenta a la grandeza de Estados Unidos y no representa nuestros estándares de éxito, creatividad o excelencia”, escribió. Además, afirmó: “Nadie entiende lo que está diciendo este tipo”. Bad Bunny brilló en el Super Bowl (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
El show fue un rescate de las raíces latinas, con banderas de países de todas las Américas, bailes y gestos de respaldo y orgullo a una comunidad en jaque. También contó con la participación de Ricky Martin, interpretando “Lo Que le Pasó a Hawaii”, un canción de protesta sobre Puerto Rico cuya letra reza “no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawaii”
“Interpretado íntegramente en español y anclado en la identidad puertorriqueña, Bad Bunny situó la presencia latina como una experiencia transnacional en el escenario más masivo de Estados Unidos”, dijo Arda.
Leé también: Aunque es el rey de las tendencias, Bad Bunny eligió un look low cost para su show en el Super Bowl
La analista afirmó que “desde el entretenimiento, confirmó la centralidad de la cultura latina en el mainstream estadounidense. Desde lo político, puso en evidencia la distancia creciente entre esa realidad social y unas políticas migratorias materializadas en deportaciones masivas y operativos de control que han profundizado la división social en el país”.
La derecha radical quiso sabotear el show
No solo Trump expresó su enojo. La derecha radical estadounidense buscó sabotear el show.
“Hubo un boicot y una indignación de figuras de derecha que se opusieron a escuchar español durante el Super Bowl o afirmaron erróneamente que los puertorriqueños no son estadounidenses”, escribió el diario The Washington Post.
Además, la organización conservadora Turning Point USA, fundada por el activista Charlie Kirk, asesinado el año pasado, transmitió su propio concierto alternativo con Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert y artistas country de nivel medio. Bad Bunny cantó en el Super Bowl (Loren Elliott/The New York Times)
La activista mexicana María Elena Valdivia, abogada de la organización Migrantes y Minorías de la Florida, dijo a TN que aún estaba emocionada. “Nos puso identidad a todos, aunque todos no nos llamemos Benito”, afirmó.
Para Valdivia, el show “fue un recordatorio poderosísimo de que nuestras voces, historias y raíces no pueden ser ignoradas. Bad Bunny le ha dado visibilidad no solo a Puerto Rico, sino a todos los migrantes, presentando a América como un continente, un pueblo completo desde el norte hasta el sur”.
“La voz de Benito es poderosa. Puso en la palestra lo incómodo que es para el sistema que Puerto Rico haya quedado olvidado y que EE.UU. esté presente para los latinos solo en lo que a ellos les conviene”, afirmó.
Leé también: Del conurbano a sobrevivir de milagro en Ucrania: la historia de uno de los argentinos que lucha en la guerra
Además, aseguró: “Es un mensaje de resistencia claro. Hay un antes y un después de esto. No solo es visibilidad y representación. Es resistencia”.
María Bilbao, activista argentina y coordinadora de campañas de la American Friends Service Committee, una organización de la Florida que defiende los derechos de los migrantes, coincidió:
“En un momento tan duro para la comunidad hispana, marcado por discursos de odio, políticas migratorias crueles y la criminalización del acento y del origen, ver a un artista latino en el centro del horario estelar es un acto de resistencia suave pero firme”, dijo en diálogo con TN.
Para Bilbao, Bad Bunny “no grita ni confronta, pero dice con claridad: ‘Estamos acá’. Somos millones. Y no vamos a achicarnos para encajar’. Es una caricia al alma, a nuestra comunidad tan necesaria en estos tiempos”, concluyó.
Bad Bunny, Estados Unidos, Donald Trump
Nació el hijo del Chino Darín y Úrsula Corberó: por qué el parto no fue en Argentina
«Ahora sí, todos a llevar sus ahorros al banco»: el mensaje de Caputo sobre Inocencia Fiscal
La Iglesia rechazó bajar la edad de imputabilidad y dijo que responde al “oportunismo electoral”
El Gobierno aplicará el protocolo antipiquetes en la marcha de la CGT contra la reforma laboral
Caso Bastián: qué se sabe del estado de salud y cómo avanza la investigación
Fin al culebrón saudí: Cristiano Ronaldo está de vuelta
¿La revancha de Don Chatarrín?: acuerdo Trump-Milei puede favorecer a Rocca ante el avance asiático
Natalie Weber contó toda la verdad del coqueteo de Sabrina Rojas a Mauro Icardi en un boliche: “Yo sé lo que pasó esa noche y te puedo decir que Sabrina no fue”
Top fiery moments as Democrats clash with Treasury Secretary Bessent in chaotic Hill hearings
Cande Tinelli tiene nuevo novio y casi se matan a piñas con su ex pareja
CHIMENTOS2 días agoNatalie Weber contó toda la verdad del coqueteo de Sabrina Rojas a Mauro Icardi en un boliche: “Yo sé lo que pasó esa noche y te puedo decir que Sabrina no fue”
- ECONOMIA1 día ago
El sector industrial advierte que la apertura económica exige eliminar las distorsiones internas
- CHIMENTOS2 días ago
Mirtha Legrand se quebró desconsolada al hablar de la renuncia de Jimena Monteverde a su mesaza
