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Friday 28 July 2017

Chinese billionaire convicted in United Nations bribery case

By LARRY NEUMEISTER was set. Ng, 69, could face
Associated Press up to 65 years in prison.
NEW YORK (AP) — A Chi- Ng’s lawyer, Tai Park, did
nese billionaire who want- not immediately comment.
ed to build a United Na- After the verdict, he told
tions center in Macau was the judge there were mul-
convicted on Thursday of tiple avenues for appeal.
paying more than $1.7 mil- “Nothing has changed
lion in bribes to U.N. ambas- other than the presumption
sadors to get it done. of innocence is no longer
The verdict was returned there,” Park said. “We’ve
after a day of deliberations been preparing him for this
in Manhattan federal court eventuality.”
against Ng Lap Seng, one In a statement, Acting U.S.
of China’s richest men. Ng Attorney Joon H. Kim said
was convicted of bribery, Ng “corrupted the high-
conspiracy and money est levels of the United Na-
laundering charges. tions.” “Through bribes and
Prosecutors presented evi- no-show jobs, Ng turned
dence that Ng from 2010 to leaders of the league of na-
2015 bribed two U.N. am- tions into his private band
bassadors, including a U.N. of profiteers,” Kim said.
General Assembly presi- The verdict was a triumph
dent, paying one $50,000 Ng Lap Seng, center, leaves federal court in Manhattan, Thursday, July 27, 2017. Ng, a Chinese for prosecutors who navi-
monthly at the scheme’s billionaire who wanted to build a United Nations center in Macau was convicted Thursday of gated thorny legal issues
peak to create a center to paying over $1.5 million in bribes to U.N. ambassadors to get it done. surrounding immunity given
serve struggling Southern (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) to U.N. diplomats before
Hemisphere nations. verdict was announced was now “literally under guard since his September winning the cooperation of
Defense lawyers contend- but otherwise did not dis- house arrest,” confined un- 2015 arrest. suspended Dominican Re-
ed the payments were or- play emotion. der $50 million bail to a lux- “He cannot leave that public Ambassador Fran-
dinary. But the center was U.S. District Judge Vernon ury Manhattan apartment apartment. No ifs, ands or cis Lorenzo, who pleaded
never built. S. Broderick tightened Ng’s where he has remained for buts about that,” the judge guilty to charges and testi-
Ng looked at jurors as the bail conditions, saying he most months under 24-hour said. No sentencing date fied against Ng. q

US admiral stands ready to obey a Trump nuclear strike order

By ROD McGUIRK firmed the principle of civil-
Associated Press ian control over the military.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) “The admiral was not ad-
— The U.S. Pacific Fleet dressing the premise of
commander said Thursday the question, he was ad-
he would launch a nuclear dressing the principle of
strike against China next civilian authority of the
week if President Don- military,” Brown said. “The
ald Trump ordered it, and premise of the question
warned against the military was ridiculous.”The bienni-
ever shifting its allegiance al Talisman Saber exercise
from its commander in involved 36 warships in-
chief. cluding the aircraft carrier
Adm. Scott Swift was re- USS Ronald Reagan, 220
sponding to a hypothetical aircraft and 33,000 military
question at an Australian personnel.
National University secu- Governments needed to
rity conference following a engage with Beijing to un-
major joint U.S.- Australian derstand why the Chinese
military exercise off the Aus- did not accept that the
tralian coast. The drills were United States had the same
monitored by a Chinese access rights within China’s
intelligence-gathering ship exclusive economic zone,
off northeast Australia. U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift addresses an Australian National University security Swift said.
Asked by an academic in conference in Canberra, Australia Thursday, July 27, 2017. Swifts said he would launch a nuclear “The dichotomy in my mind
the audience whether he strike against China next week if U.S. President Donald Trump ordered it and warned against the is why is there a different
would make a nuclear at- military ever shifting its allegiance from its commander in chief. rules-set applied with re-
tack on China next week if (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk) spect to taking advantage
Trump ordered it, Swift re- of the United States against ed over us,” Swift said. allegiance to civilian con- of UNCLOS in other EEZs,
plied: “The answer would all enemies foreign and do- He added: “This is core to trol, then we really have a but there’s this perspec-
be: Yes.” mestic and to obey the of- the American democracy significant problem.” tive that there’s a different
“Every member of the U.S. ficers and the president of and any time you have Pacific Fleet spokesman rules-set that applies within
military has sworn an oath the United States as com- a military that is moving Capt. Charlie Brown later another nation’s (China’s)
to defend the constitution mander and chief appoint- away from a focus and an said Swift’s answer reaf- EEZ? “ Swift said.q