(HONG KONG) — At least eight pop stars from mainland China and one each from Taiwan and Hong Kong are publicly stating their support for Beijing’s one-China policy, eliciting a mixture of disappointment and understanding from fans. Many of the statements came after protesters opposed to Beijing’s growing influence over semi-autonomous Hong Kong removed a Chinese flag and tossed it into Victoria Harbour earlier this month.

Lay Zhang, Jackson Wang, Lai Kuan-lin and Victoria Song were among the K-pop artists who recently uploaded a Chinese flag and declared themselves as “one of 1.4 billion guardians of the Chinese flag” on their official Weibo social media accounts. Wang is from Hong Kong and Lai is from Taiwan.

Some see the public pronouncements as the latest examples of how celebrities and companies feel pressured to toe the line politically in the important Chinese market. Yet they also coincide with a surge in patriotism among young Chinese raised on a steady diet of pro-Communist ..

Buckingham Palace has issued a statement on behalf of Prince Andrew regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case, saying the Prince is “appalled” by Epstein’s alleged crimes.

The statement comes shortly after the Daily Mail published footage that claims to show the Duke of York inside Epstein’s Manhattan home in 2010 — two years after the financier’s controversial 2008 plea deal.

“The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes. His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent,” according to the statement released on Sunday.

Prince Andrew had been photographed with Epstein on several occasions, but recently distanced himself from the disgraced financier.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and served 13 months of his 18-month sentence. The plea deal angered many who claim it was much too light for the f..

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health has confirmed two new deaths due to suspected methanol poisoning, raising the number of people believed to have recently died consuming tainted alcohol in the Central American country to 25.

The agency said in a press release that one person died in Santa Bárbara de Heredia, and another in Santa Cruz de Guanacaste.

The health ministry said that since at least June, 19 men and six women between the ages of 32 and 72 have died from suspected alcohol poisoning in several cities.

Of the 25 deaths, seven were poisoned in the capital city of San José, one in Alajuela, two in Heredia, five in Cartago, three in Guanacaste, one in Puntarenas, four in Limón and two additional deaths that are currently under investigation. Overall, 59 people have been hospitalized for methanol poisonings, per data from the Health Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health.

As a result of the poisonings, the ministry said they have closed 10 establishments in San José and Alaju..

(LONDON) — Secret British government documents have warned of serious disruptions across the country in the event that the U.K. leaves the European Union without a trade deal on Oct. 31, according to a report.

The Sunday Times newspaper published what it said was what the British government expects in the case of a sudden, “no-deal” Brexit. Among the most serious: “significant” disruptions to the supply of drugs and medicine, a decrease in the availability of fresh food and even potential fresh water shortages due to possible interruptions of imported water treatment chemicals.

Although the grim scenarios reportedly outlined in the government documents have long been floated by academics and economists, they’ve been repeatedly dismissed as scaremongering by Brexit proponents.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is ready to leave the EU regardless of whether he is able to renegotiate the Brexit deal struck with Brussels by his predecessor, Theresa May.

His own officials..