Former aide to New York governor charged with acting as an agent of the Chinese government

CNN,

A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government, US Attorney Breon Peace announced Tuesday.

Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to Hochul, was charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registrations Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy, according to an unsealed copy of the indictment.

Her husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit bank fraud as well as misusing means of identification, prosecutors said.

Their home was raided by federal investigators in July, according to sources.

According to prosecutors, Sun acted as “an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government while her husband, Hu, facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain.”

Sun and Hu were arrested at their Long Island residence Tuesday morning. The couple is set to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, the US Attorney’s office said. CNN has reached out to attorneys representing Sun and Hu.

Sun “was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago. We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, said in a statement to CNN.

At least 12 migrants dead after vessel capsizes in Channel

BOULOGNE-SUR-MER, France, Sept 3 (Reuters),

At least 12 migrants died on Tuesday after their boat capsized on its way across the Channel to Britain, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said, adding that rescue operations were underway to find two people still missing.

Tackling illegal immigration has been a priority for both the British and French governments. More than 2,000 people have arrived in Britain on small boats over the past seven days, according to UK government figures.

BOULOGNE-SUR-MER, France, Sept 3 (Reuters) – At least 12 migrants died on Tuesday after their boat capsized on its way across the Channel to Britain, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said, adding that rescue operations were underway to find two people still missing.

Tackling illegal immigration has been a priority for both the British and French governments. More than 2,000 people have arrived in Britain on small boats over the past seven days, according to UK government figures.

“Women and men are dying as a result of these human traffickers who are real criminals,” Darmanin told reporters.

Kyoto University Hospital seeks to treat Type 1 diabetes using iPS cell

Japan Times,

Kyoto University Hospital is looking to develop a treatment for severe Type 1 diabetes using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells reprogrammed to function as pancreatic islet cells, which produce the hormones that regulate glucose levels in the blood.

The hospital announced Monday that it will start a clinical trial to transplant such cells to three people as early as next February. If proven safe and effective, the study could pave the way for a treatment that would eliminate the need for Type 1 diabetes patients to get daily insulin shots. Currently, 100,000 to 140,000 people in Japan have the disease.

Saudi Stock Exchange index closes higher with a trading of SR7 billion

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH,

The Saudi Stock Exchange main index, Tadawul All Share Index (TASI), rose on Tuesday by 12.9 (0.11 percent) points, to close at 12,180 points, with a trading valued at SR7 billion ($1.86 billion).The shares of Al-Asmak, Al-Baha, and Savola companies were the highest gainers, with rates of 9.91 percent, 8.33 percent, and 6.72 percent respectively, while the shares of Eastern Pipes, Zamil Industrial, and Red Sea companies were the lowest in trading, with rates of 4.97 percent, 4.74 percent, and 3.14 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, Al Rajhi Bank stock topped the most active companies in terms of value, rising 1.14 percent to close at SR88.50, followed by Saudi Aramco stock, which remained unchanged from the previous day at SR27.90, followed by Savola Group. As for the most active companies in terms of volume, Al-Baha topped the list with an increase of 8.33 percent, followed by Shams and then Anaam Holding.

The final offering price of the Saudi company Almajed for Oud was set at a maximum price of SR94, according to the financial advisor and subscription manager, Saudi Fransi Capital. The Saudi Capital Market Authority approved the offering process last June, while Almajed for Oud announced last August its intention to offer 7.5 million shares for public subscription, equivalent to 30 percent of its capital, and allocated 20 percent of the shares to individual investors. Meanwhile, the Saudi parallel stock index (Nomu) closed down 153.15 points, closing at 26,044 points, with trades worth SR36 million ($9.6 million), and the volume of traded shares reached two million.