ALEX BLOG

COPENHAGEN, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's Frankfurt-listed shares rose 4.5% on Monday after telehealth ​firm Hims & Hers reversed its launch ‌of a $49 compounded weight-loss pill over the weekend, following ‌legal threats from Novo and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Hims had introduced the pill on Thursday last week, based on semaglutide—a key ⁠ingredient in Novo's ‌blockbuster drugs Wegovy and Ozempic—sparking pushback from the Danish drugmaker and regulatory ‍authorities. On Saturday, Hims said it would stop offering the treatment after holding "constructive conversations with stakeholders."

Novo Nordisk's ​shares had already rebounded over 5% on ‌Friday after FDA Commissioner Marty Makary signaled a crackdown on unauthorized compounded GLP-1 medications, which have challenged the drugmaker's pricing power in the weight-loss and diabetes markets.

Despite the latest gains, ⁠Novo remains under considerable ​pressure as it faces competition ​from Eli Lilly and cheaper compounded alternatives. Novo flagged "unprecedented price pressure" at its ‍full-year earnings ⁠last week, triggering a 17% stock plunge.

Novo Nordisk's market value peaked in June 2024 ⁠but it has since shed nearly two-thirds of its ‌value.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen, ‌Editing by Louise Heavens)

By Eduardo Baptista

BEIJING, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Alibaba'sartificial intelligencechatbot Qwen has temporarily stopped issuing coupons due to customer overload, hampering ​a new campaign to promote the tool's capabilities beyond simply ‌answering questions to assist shopping.

Qwen began offering coupons to users on Friday that allow for ‌in-app purchases from Alibaba-owned retail platforms using chatbot prompts alone. The initiative is the first phase in a 3-billion-yuan ($433 million) plan to attract more users to the chatbot during China's annual Spring Festival holiday.

Since last month, Alibaba has ⁠sought to make Qwen ‌a one-stop shop where users can access its other apps directly in the chatbot and complete payments, much like ‍Google integrates its Gemini chatbot into apps like Maps.

But the rollout of what the e-commerce giant calls the chatbot's Agentic AI strategy has been marred by technical difficulties ​since the start of the coupon giveaway.

Alibaba said that 10 million ‌orders were placed within the first nine hours of the campaign. And faced with an overwhelming flood of attempted orders over the weekend, Qwen announced on Sunday on its official Weibo channel that it was overloaded and pleaded for users to give the chatbot a break.

Repeated purchase prompts ⁠on Monday generated different versions of a ​refusal, citing user oversubscription, Reuters checks showed.

"Everyone's enthusiasm ​for experiencing AI shopping is too high! Currently there are too many participants in 'Qwen free order', we are working tirelessly ‍to maintain the ⁠campaign's experience," replied Qwen to one of the purchase prompts on Monday.

The chatbot added that shoppers would still have time to redeem ⁠their coupons, which will remain valid until February 28.

Alibaba declined to comment further on the ‌technical difficulties.

($1 = 6.9289 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing ‌by Miyoung Kim and Joe Bavier)

Feb 9 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's most vocal China critic, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in jail, ending the city's biggest national security case which drew international concern about Beijing's clampdown on the city's freedoms and autonomy.

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai to be sentenced in the landmark national security trial

Here is ​reaction to the sentence from domestic and world figures:

YVETTE COOPER, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY:

"For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence.

"I ‌remain deeply concerned for Mr Lai's health, and I again call on the Hong Kong authorities to end his appalling ordeal and release him on humanitarian grounds, so that he ‌may be returned to his family. Following today's sentencing, we will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai's case."

JOHN LEE, HONG KONG LEADER:

"Jimmy Lai's crimes are heinous and utterly unforgivable.

"His 20‑year sentence demonstrates the rule of law, delivers justice, and is gratifying to the public."

RICK SCOTT, U.S. REPUBLICAN SENATOR:

"Tonight, my friend Jimmy Lai was unjustly sentenced by Communist China to 20 years in prison for the 'crime' of daring to think differently from the CCP and refusing to use his ⁠newspaper to spread CCP propaganda.

"We will not forget what ‌Xi and his thugs have done to Jimmy and so many political prisoners. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! The world is watching, and we know the truth: Jimmy Lai is innocent, and he should be home with his family tonight, ‍not in the hands of Xi's thuggish regime."

SEBASTIEN LAI, JIMMY LAI'S SON:

"Sentencing my father to this draconian prison sentence is devastating for our family and life-threatening for my father.

"It signifies the total destruction of the Hong Kong legal system and the end of justice.

"After more than five years of relentlessly persecuting my father, it is time ​for China to do the right thing and release him before it is too late."

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TAIWAN'S CHINA POLICY-MAKING MAINLAND AFFAIRS COUNCIL:

"Taiwan's people should take ‌Hong Kong's painful experience as a lesson and safeguard the hard-won freedoms of daily life."

STEVE LI, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT, NATIONAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT OF HONG KONG POLICE:

"Regarding the discussion about whether Jimmy Lai will spend the rest of his life in prison, I believe that no one can tell right now, only heaven knows. But I would like to say that the sentence he received, he deserves it very much."

JODIE GINSBERG, CEO, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISM:

"The rule of law has been completely shattered in Hong Kong.

"Today's egregious decision is the final nail in the coffin for freedom of the press in ⁠Hong Kong. The international community must step up its pressure to free Jimmy Lai ​if we want press freedom to be respected anywhere in the world."

CAOILFHIONN GALLAGHER, LEAD COUNSEL ​ON LAI'S INTERNATIONAL LEGAL TEAM:

"Today marks the final blow to the rule of law in Hong Kong.

"Sentencing Jimmy Lai, already aged 78, to two decades behind bars is an affront to justice, and the culmination of over five years of ‍malicious lawfare against a courageous, elderly British ⁠citizen and prisoner of conscience.

"Now that this sham trial is finally over, we call on leaders from around the world to speak with one voice in their demand for China to free Jimmy Lai."

ELAINE PEARSON, ASIA DIRECTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH:

"The harsh 20-year sentence against ⁠78-year-old Jimmy Lai is effectively a death sentence. A sentence of this magnitude is both cruel and profoundly unjust.

"Lai's years of persecution show the Chinese government's determination to crush independent ‌journalism and silence anyone who dares to criticise the Communist Party."

(Reporting by Jessie Pang, James Pomfret and Farah Master; Comprised by ‌Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Michael Perry, Christian Schmollinger and Clarence Fernandez)

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — As rising global temperatures speed up the melting of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, it's set off a boom of ships taking routes that previously were frozen and not traversable.

The increase in marine Arctic traffic, which received increased attention as President Donald Trump pushed for the United States to take overGreenland, has come with a heavy environmental cost: black carbon, or soot, that spews from ships and makes the ice melt even faster. Several countries are making a case for ships in the Arctic to use cleaner fuels that cause less pollution in meetings this week with international shipping regulators.

Glaciers, snow and ice covered in the soot emitted by ships have less ability to reflect the sun. Instead, the sun's heat is absorbed, helping to make the Arctic the fastest warming place on Earth. In turn, melting Arctic sea ice can affectweather patternsaround the world.

"It ends up in a never-ending cycle of increased warming," said Sian Prior, lead adviser for the Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition of nonprofits focused on the Arctic and shipping. "We need to regulate emissions and black carbon, in particular. Both are completely unregulated in the Arctic."

In December, France, Germany, the Solomon Islands and Denmark proposed that the International Maritime Organization require ships traveling in Arctic waters to use "polar fuels," which are lighter and emit less carbon pollution than the widely used maritime fuels known as residuals. The proposal includes steps that companies would take to comply and the geographic area it would apply to — all ships traveling north of the 60th parallel. The proposal was expected to be presented to the IMO's Pollution Prevention and Response Committee this week and possibly another committee in April.

A 2024 ban on using a type of residual known as heavy fuel oil in the Arctic has had only modest impacts so far, partly because of loopholes.

Concerns about shipping pollution are overshadowed by geopolitics

The push to reduce black carbon, which studies have shown has a warming impact 1,600 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year span, is happening at a time of conflicting interests, both internationally and among the countries that have coastlines in the Arctic.

In recent months, Trump's periodic comments about the need to "own" Greenland to bolster U.S. security have raised many issues, from Greenland's sovereignty to the future of the NATO alliance. Pollution and other environmental issues in the Arctic have taken a backseat.

Trump, who has calledclimate changea "con job," has also pushed back against global policies aimed at fighting it. Last year, the IMO was expected to adopt new regulations that would have imposed carbon fees on shipping, which supporters said would have pushed companies to use cleaner fuels and electrify fleets where possible. Then Trump intervened, lobbying hard for nations to vote no.The measure was postponed for a year, its prospects at best uncertain. Given that, it's hard to see the IMO making fast progress on the current proposal to limit black carbon in the Arctic.

Even inside Arctic nations, which are most impacted by black carbon and other shipping pollution, there are internal tensions around such regulations. Iceland is a good example. While the country is a world leader in green technologies such as carbon capture and the use of thermal energies for heating, conservationists say the country has made less progress on regulating pollution in its seas. That is because the fishing industry, one of the country's most important, holds huge sway.

"The industry is happy with profits, unhappy with the taxes and not engaged in issues like climate or biodiversity," said Arni Finnsson, board chair of the Iceland Nature Conservation Association.

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Finnsson added that the costs of using cleaner fuels or electrifying fleets have also prompted resistance.

"I think the government is waking up, but they still have to wait for the (fishing) industry to say yes," he said.

The country has not taken a position on the pending polar fuels proposal. In a statement, Iceland's Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate said the proposal was "positive with regard to its purpose and basic content," but that further study was needed. The statement added that Iceland supports stronger measures to counter shipping emissions and reduce black carbon.

Arctic ship traffic and black carbon emissions both rise

Soot pollution has increased in the Arctic as cargo ships, fishing boats and even some cruise liners are traveling more in the waters that connect the northernmost parts of Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Russia, Norway, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Between 2013 and 2023, the number of ships entering waters north of the 60th parallel increased by 37%, according to the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum made up of the eight countries with territory in the Arctic. In that same period, the total distance traversed by ships in the Arctic increased 111%.

Black carbon emissions have also increased. In 2019, 2,696 metric tons of black carbon was emitted from ships north of the 60th parallel compared with 3,310 metric tons in 2024, according to a study by Energy and Environmental Research Associates. The study found that fishing boats were the biggest source of black carbon.

It also found that the 2024 ban on heavy fuel oil would only result in a small reduction in black carbon. Waivers and exceptions allow some ships to continue using it until 2029.

Environmental groups and concerned countries see regulating ship fuel as the only way to realistically reduce black carbon. That is because getting nations to agree to limit traffic would likely be impossible. The lure of fishing, resource extraction and shorter shipping distances is too great. Ships can save days on some trips between Asia and Europe by sailing through the Arctic.

Still, the path known as the Northern Sea Route is only traversable a few months of the year, and even then ships must be accompanied by icebreakers. Those dangers, combined with Arctic pollution concerns, have driven some companies to pledge to stay away — at least for now.

"The debate around the Arctic is intensifying, and commercial shipping is part of that discussion," wrote Søren Toft, CEO of Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world's largest container shipping company, in a LinkedIn post last month. "Our position at MSC is clear. We do not and will not use the Northern Sea Route."

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

By Karen Sloan

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell intends to refuse to answer ​questions at a Monday deposition before the House's ‌Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, according to a Sunday letter ‌from U.S. Representative Ro Khanna.

Maxwell, who was found guilty in 2021 for her role in helping Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls and is currently serving a ⁠20-year prison sentence, plans ‌to invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and decline to answer all substantive ‍questions, according to Khanna's letter to Representative James Comer, the committee chair.

Maxwell's attorney did not immediately respond to a ​request for comment on Sunday.

Instead of answering individual ‌questions, Maxwell plans to read a prepared statement at the beginning of her deposition, Khanna, who serves on the committee, said without detailing the source of his information.

"This position appears inconsistent with Ms. Maxwell's prior ⁠conduct, as she did not ​invoke the Fifth Amendment when ​she previously met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss substantially similar subject matter," ‍Khana, a California ⁠Democrat, wrote in his letter seeking clarification on her testimony.

Maxwell's deposition comes as the U.S. Department ⁠of Justice has released of millions of internal documents related ‌to Epstein.

(Reporting by Karen Sloan; Editing by ‌Sergio Non and Lincoln Feast.)

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — In a city long defined by conflict,Somalia's capital of Mogadishu now echoes with the crash of pins at the country's first modern bowling alley.

Somalia Bowling

It's the latest sign of revival in the once-thriving Indian Ocean port shaped by 35 years of civil war and militant bombings. Millions of people were forced to flee what became one of the world's most dangerous cities. Those who remained avoided public spaces as the al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabab waged an insurgency against the Somali state.

In recent years, improved security measures against al-Shabab, an expanded government presence and growing private investment have allowed daily life to re-emerge. Cafes line newly reopened streets, beaches draw evening crowds and traffic congestion, once unimaginable, now clogs key intersections.

The Feynuus Bowling Center opened last year and draws many locals and Somalis returning from the diaspora, who bring investment and business ideas after years of sending billions of dollars in remittances from abroad.

On a recent evening, young Somalis gathered in groups, laughing and filming each other on their phones while music played. Many from the diaspora are visiting Mogadishu for the first time in years, or the first time ever.

"I couldn't believe Mogadishu has this place," said Hudoon Abdi, a Somali-Canadian on holiday, as she prepared to take her turn to bowl.

"I'm enjoying it. Mogadishu is actually safe," she said, urging others to visit.

Mogadishu remains vulnerable to militant attacks, however, with security measures like checkpoints and heavily guarded zones part of daily life. Non-Somalis remain largely confined to a compound at the international airport.

But residents say the ability to gather for recreation signals an important psychological shift. Such venues provide a welcoming environment for a younger generation eager for safe spaces to socialize.

Abukar Hajji returned from the United Kingdom on holiday after many years away and found the difference between what he imagined and what he experienced eye-opening.

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"When I was flying from the U.K., I believed it was a scary place, like a war-torn country," he said. "Everyone told me, 'Good luck,' but when I came and saw it with my own eyes, I didn't want to leave."

Sadaq Abdurahman, the manager of the bowling center, said the idea for the business emerged from a growing demand among young people for recreational facilities.

"It has created employment opportunities for at least 40 youths," he said.

According to the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, Somalia's unemployment rate stands at 21.4%.

The bowling alley has private security guards, bag checks and surveillance cameras, reflecting the precautions common at public venues in Mogadishu.

Urban planners and economists say businesses like the bowling alley signal a broader shift in Mogadishu's recovery, as private sector growth increasingly complements international aid and government-led rebuilding efforts.

Ahmed Khadar Abdi Jama, a lecturer in economics at the University of Somalia, said innovative businesses are responding to the needs of diaspora returnees and the growing middle class, "which in turn adds to the expected increase in Somalia's GDP."

Outside the bowling alley, traffic hummed and neon signs flickered, other reminders of Mogadishu's fragile transformation.

For more on Africa and development:https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

Credit: worldwithoutexploitation.org

A group of Jeffrey Epstein's victims released an advert on Super Bowl Sunday demanding the release of millions ofremaining documentsrelated to the late paedophile.

In the clip, which aired just ahead of America's most-watched TV event of the year, eight women called on the public to help press the Trump administration for full transparency.

"After years of being kept apart we're standing together," the women said, while holding photos of their younger selves at the ages they were abused by Epstein. In unison, they added: "Because we all deserve the truth."

Earlier this week, Mr Trump – whose second term has been marred by his one-time friendship with Epstein – told Americans it was time to"move on" from the sex offender.

The video's timing may cause a stir, as it was released right before Mr Trump, along with millions of others, tuned-in towatch the Seattle Seahawks battle the New England Patriotsin the championship of the National Football League (NFL).

On January 30, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released three million pages related to theirinvestigation into Epstein,including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

However, the DoJ's decision to hold back the other half of the approximate six million files has renewed concerns that some of Epstein's accomplices will not be held accountable and sparked further allegations over a cover-up.

Epstein's victims are leading the calls for the release of the remaining records. Their video ended with a call for the public to "stand with us" and "tell Attorney General Pam Bondi it's time for the truth".

The DoJ insists that the withheld files either reveal victims' identities, contain child pornography or interfere with ongoing federal investigations.

"We didn't protect or not protect anybody," Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, said as he announced that the department had "completed" its release of the files.

There are more than 38,000 references to Mr Trump, his wife and his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida across 5,300 of the newly released files.

Epstein died in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in a death ruled a suicide.

His longtime associateGhislaine Maxwellwas jailed in 2022 and is serving a 20-year prison for her role in helping him recruit underage victims.

Members of Congress will be able to review the un-redacted files on computers at the justice department starting on Monday, according to a letter obtained by NBC News.

Trump: Half-time show 'absolutely terrible'

The sporting spectacle's half-time show was performed by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny completely in Spanish, despite fury from inside Maga at both his selection and refusal to bow to their demands to sing in English.

Despite the furore, the rapper wrapped his performance without controversy.

The Latino artist, who has been vocal in his opposition to the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign, instead emphasised unity in a dance-filled spectacle that featured Lady Gaga as a surprise guest.

He finished the show by holding up a football that said: "Together we are America".

As fireworks exploded around the stadium, a Jumbotron message read: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love."

The show also featured a young boy hugging Bad Bunny's Grammy Award, which he won three of last week.

The child's involvement is believed to bea reference to five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos,whose detainment by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota sparked a national outcry.

After the show, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to criticise the performance, calling it "absolutely terrible".

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