World News – AU – Award-winning photojournalist injured in Paris protest

News agencies such as Agence-France Presse joined forces with media rights activists to denounce the violation of an award-winning Syrian photojournalist during a Paris protest against police brutality.

Ameer Alhalbi, a freelance photographer who worked for Polka Magazine and AFP, covered Saturday’s demonstrations against police violence and the French government’s plans to restrict the sharing of pictures by officers.

Christophe Deloire, General Secretary of Reporters Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old was wounded by « a police baton » on Place de la Bastille and condemned the « unbearable » violence.

« Ameer came to #France from #Syria to seek refuge, like several other Syrian journalists. The land of human rights should not threaten them, but protect them, « he said in a second tweet.

« We are shocked by our colleague Ameer al-Halbi’s injuries and condemn the unprovoked violence, » said Phil Chetwynd, AFP’s global news director.

« The injuries were sustained while exercising his legal rights as a photojournalist documenting protests on the streets of Paris.

« Ameer worked with a group of colleagues who were clearly identified as journalists, » he added.

« We call on the police to investigate this serious incident and to ensure that all journalists are allowed to carry out their work without fear or restrictions. « 

Publications magazine’s director Alain Genestar said the incident was « all the more shocking and objectionable » since he was clearly identified as a press photographer.

Dimitri Beck, Polka’s cameraman, said Alhalbi had a broken nose and an injured forehead and was hospitalized.

Alhalbi has received several international awards, including second prize in the Spot News category for the World Press Photo in 2017, mainly for his coverage of the Syrian conflict in his hometown of Aleppo for AFP.

Police said on Sunday that two demonstrators had complained that officials were injured during protests outside Paris, while no count had been taken in the capital itself.

During the demonstrations on Saturday, 62 police officers were injured while 81 people were arrested.

The Home Office added that 133. 000 people took part in the demonstrations, 46. 000 of them in Paris, while organizers said there were 500 nationwide. 000 and in Paris 200. 000 were.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was out in Japan and South Korea last week to bring US key allies to justice, but the prospect of a new President in the White House cast a long shadow over his efforts. The trip also provided an opportunity to assess countries’ attitudes towards the new Biden administration, and Wang concluded his four-day trip on Friday with mixed results. He secured agreements to work together on Covid-19 and economic recovery, but an ongoing territorial dispute with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands or Senkaku Islands has been a major obstacle to efforts to improve relations. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Japan condemns China’s renewed Diaoyu claim days after Wang Yi’s statements. Observers say Wang’s trip was part of Beijing’s efforts to prevent the emergence of a stronger anti-China coalition between Washington, Tokyo and Seoul. Beijing fears that relations with the United States will continue to deteriorate in the final weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency and expects little or no political change in the first few months after Joe Biden took office. Wang’s visit, originally scheduled before the US election, is also taking place as both Japan and South Korea face a difficult balancing act between China, their main trading partner, and the US, their main security ally. Trump has raised concerns among many U.S. allies by questioning the value of these relationships and complaining about the financial burden they place on Washington. His complaints about the cost of the troop base in South Korea and the overtures to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have also weighed on relations with Seoul. « If anything, China’s desire to [win] US allies at a time when the alliance is being challenged by US policy-makers has been around for some time, » said Yun Sun, senior fellow at the Stimson Center. a think tank in Washington. The three countries have worked together to fight Covid-19, which many in China see as « a great opportunity to advance regional cooperation in Northeast Asia without US involvement, » she noted. Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, an international affairs expert at Temple University in Tokyo, said it was clear that Beijing wanted to stabilize its relationship with two important neighbors and advance its interests before Biden took office in January. « China can benefit a lot from a weaker American base in East Asia, and trying to undermine Washington’s alliance system and even put American allies and partners into its own geopolitical orbit has been a strategic priority it has pursued for several years, » said China he said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls for closer ties with South Korea. Compared to his one-day visit to Tokyo, largely overshadowed by the maritime dispute, Wang appeared to have found it easier to manage relations with Seoul, which some analysts have labeled lower hanging fruit. Despite the growing anti-China sentiment in the country, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha have largely managed to avoid topics like China’s dealings with Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea. so as not to offend Beijing. As a result, both sides reached a 10-point consensus, which included improving their diplomatic and security dialogue, stepping up cooperation on coronaviruses and calling for a political solution to the nuclear issue in the Korean peninsula. While China has been more optimistic about building ties with Seoul under the Beijing-friendly moon, « China’s commitment to South Korea is clearly aimed at undermining the US alliance system in Northeast Asia, » Sun said. . « It’s just that South Korea is inevitably anchored in the alliance agreement so things like THAAD cannot be reversed according to China’s aspirations, » she said, referring to a US missile defense system installed in South Korea in 2016 and one angry reaction sparked from Beijing and an unofficial economic boycott. Lee Seong-hyon, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, has argued that Wang’s visit had more to do with the United States than with its hosts. In an opinion piece in the Korean Times newspaper, he said Wang’s trip to Seoul and Tokyo was due to fears that the Biden government would step up its trilateral cooperation to increase pressure on China. China’s ambassador to South Korea, Xing Haiming, said earlier this month that Seoul would be the first destination President Xi Jinping visited once the coronavirus situation stabilizes. But Wang’s visit did not seem to have produced any tangible result in relation to Xi’s trip, which has already been postponed due to the pandemic. When asked about the problem on Thursday – the day South Korea reported the largest daily surge in coronavirus infections – Wang said it could only happen if Covid-19 was under « complete control ». . Japan urges China to take « positive action » on the Diaoyu maritime dispute in talks when Wang Yi Yoshihide meets SugaCollin Koh, a research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, economically let South Korea formal treaty alliance with the USA little leeway. “The desire would be to maintain close economic ties with China … while maintaining close security ties with the US. In the latter case, it would not lead to a security coalition against China – or at least Seoul would like to reassure Seoul that it is not part of such a containment system, ”he said. But Wang’s attempts to woo Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga did not seem to ease criticism of Beijing’s dealings with Hong Kong and renewed tensions over the Diaoyus. Although China wants to separate the territorial dispute from other aspects of the two countries’ relations, Japan has refused to budge. Instead, it was mentioned at almost every meeting Wang had with Japanese officials, including his counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi. It also overshadowed his first face-to-face meeting with Suga on Wednesday, which lasted about 20 minutes. Citing Japanese government sources, Kyodo said Suga had urged China to take « positive action » on the disputed islands and expressed concern about the situation in Hong Kong after a draconian national security law was passed earlier this year. To Beijing’s dismay, Suga also brought up both issues during his first phone conversation with Xi shortly after he took office in September. Wang told reporters that, according to the Japan Times, the two sides had agreed on better relations, adding, “We will work to ensure that [the dispute] does not affect the future development of China-Japan relations. « American troops could be dispatched to defend the Senkaku Islands, » says the US commander. But Wang’s proposals that both sides should only allow government ships to sail near the disputed islands were quickly rejected by Tokyo. Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Katsunobu Kato, and Suga’s Liberal Democratic Party both beat Wang’s remarks and dismissed them as part of China’s attempt to assert its own territorial claims. They also accused two Chinese ships of entering the disputed waters on the day Suga met Wang, adding that such incursions happened almost every day that year. Chinese state news agency Xinhua and the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not mention Suga’s comments on the dispute or Hong Kong and instead focused on Wang’s statement, which echoed China’s stance. Liu Jiangyong, a Japanese affairs specialist at Tsinghua University, said the maritime dispute, which led to a dramatic decline in relations and angry anti-Japanese protests in China in 2013, has once again become the main obstacle to better relations. Liu warned that both sides should act cautiously to avoid the situation getting out of hand, adding: « While it is imperative to discuss crisis management mechanisms in the disputed waters, we must address the problem at its roots historical is origins of the dispute. Liu also said that despite shared interests on issues such as trade and the environment, relations between the two countries remained tense. “Japan has long hoped for its treaty alliance with the US to confront China over the sea dispute. And the attempt by [former Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe in recent years to expand the alliance with other countries such as Australia and India to form a quadrangular security bloc against China has inevitably increased tension in the region, ”he said. Niu Zhongjun, a scholar at China Foreign Affairs University, a member of the State Department, said it was worrying that both Abe and Suga tried to change the status quo by urging the US to intervene. On his first phone call with Suga two weeks ago, Biden informed him that the US-Japan security treaty covered the disputed islands – a clear message to China. « Wang Yi’s visit to Japan was a good start to China’s relationship with the Suga government . . . But having high expectations is not realistic as Sino-Japanese relations ultimately depend largely on China’s US-US rivalry, « he said. Analysts generally expect Suga to continue Abe’s pragmatic foreign policy. « If anything, China’s previous assertive policies, not least with regard to the East China Sea, have been a strong justification for continuing Abe’s policies. Even if Suga wanted to change course, he would likely encounter opposition from within Japanese political circles, ”said Koh. “Both countries will speak well about economic cooperation and still maneuver against each other on the security front. According to Koh, Wang’s high-level meetings with key Japanese political elites have led to some agreement on the economy, which helps with the « look » of the visit. « Beijing could boast that it is something that Wang achieved through his journey to foster relations with Suga – and it is something that owes to the Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration, » he said. Observers also said Wang’s trip provided little indication of whether Beijing would treat its neighbors differently in a post-Trump era, especially given the international backlash it had in its initial treatment of the coronavirus and « Wolf Warrior » diplomacy. « Maybe this will have to wait until the Biden government’s policies are over, » said Sun of the Stimson Institute. She argued that China would « theoretically » want to show more benevolence to its neighbors, but had « no problem converting benevolence into a penalty if its neighbors refuse to join China ». . According to a poll by the Pew Research Center published last month, negative perceptions of China have hit an all-time high in Japan and South Korea. 75 percent of South Koreans and 86 percent of Japanese were negative about China, while 73 percent of Americans viewed China negatively. More from the South China Morning Post: * China’s place in a post-Trump world order is about relationships and timing. * Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls for stronger ties with South Korea. * Can China, Japan and South Korea follow RCEP with their own freedom? -Trade deal? * Japan Calls on China to Take « Positive Action » Talks on Diaoyu Maritime Dispute As Wang Yi Meets Yoshihide Suga News from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.

The Hong Kong Examinations Board has selected an economics professor from a local university to be its new head after the current chief decided not to renew his contract after a controversy over a historical paper issue of Sino-Japanese relations. Professor Wei Xiangdong of Lingnan University will succeed So Kwok-sang as Secretary General of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) when So’s term ends next March. « With a deep understanding of e-learning research and extensive administrative and management experience, Professor Wei will be able to reinforce HKEAA’s pursuit of excellence in conducting exams and assessments to meet the educational needs of the community « said the chairman of the agency, Samuel Yung Wing. ki in a statement announcing the date. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Wei’s appointment comes after a turbulent period for the examining board. In May, the HKEAA, an independent, self-funded statutory body, became the target of establishment campaigners and Beijing’s Foreign Ministry in the city over a mandatory question in the Secondary Education Diploma (DSE) history paper, in which the students were asked if you agreed that between 1900 and 1945 Japan « did more good than harm to China ». They said the question hurt the sentiments of the Chinese people who remembered the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the two countries’ war. The Education Bureau then took an unprecedented move to ask the agency to remove the question – a move that some have said was political interference in professional work. Three agency officials, including one responsible for developing questions about the story, announced the question of the scrapped exam or strong political ties in their social media posts based on reports from pro-Beijing media accusing them to show. Hong Kong to rename liberal studies to oblige students to visit mainland China, also later announced that it would not renew his contract when it ends next year and said he would instead spend time on his personal vision. In her keynote address on Wednesday, CEO Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor re-examined the HKEAA and pointed out the « wrong question » in the history test. She said she expected the agency to improve its question moderation mechanism to prevent the same from happening in the future. Although independent, most of the members of the 17-member HKEAA council are appointed by the director general, including his chairman. The HKEAA appoints the Secretary General who oversees the agency through its own recruitment process. According to his biography on the Lingnan University website, Wei received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Zhongshan University in China, as well as a master’s degree in money, banking, and finance and a doctorate in economics from the University of Birmingham. Education lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen called Wei’s appointment unexpected and raised some questions about the academic’s ability to run the city’s auditing agency. “Compared to previous secretaries-general who were usually university officials, Wei was a faculty director. The management skills used vary widely, ”said Ip, adding that registrars generally have a better understanding of both secondary and tertiary education. “Whether or not an academic is suitable for management remains to be seen, although Wei’s background in business and mathematics could also be helpful. « Ip also said Wei’s stance on the core values ​​of HKEAA, » a strong sense of professionalism, independence and confidentiality « , would be closely watched by many as it was a delicate time in light of the recent controversy. More from the South China Morning Post: * Two of Hong Kong’s top universities are falling for the second straight year in Asia, but researchers say protests weren’t the cause of the slump. * The chief of the Hong Kong audit committee says he will not renew the contract months after the controversial issue of the history paper on Japan’s relations with China This Hong Kong article examines the names of Lingnan University economics professors as the new chief after the boss first appeared in the South China Morning Post following a controversial question about the history of DSE. For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.

The officer in charge of the Canadian Police Department at Vancouver Airport when Huawei Technologies chief executive officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested almost two years ago has defended his advice that Meng should not be detained until hers is released Flight was disembarked. Ross Lundie, sergeant with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, testified in the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver on Friday that there were « well-documented » risks of arresting someone near an airplane. Meng was born on Jan.. Arrested December 2018, but only after disembarking the Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong and being questioned for nearly three hours by border officials. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Meng’s attorneys presented the decision to postpone the arrest until after the inspection – which interrogated them and confiscated their electronic equipment – as undercover evidence conducted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation in violation of Meng’s rights has been. They say the decision also disregarded the warrant’s instructions to arrest Meng « immediately. ». . The US extradition request should therefore be rejected, they say. The Canadian official denies covering up Meng Wanzhou’s phones and the FBI. On Friday, Meng’s attorney Richard Peck asked Lundie for advice to arrest officer Constable Winston Yep and partner Constable Gurvinder Dhaliwal that Meng should only be arrested on the plane if there was « a security problem » that made it necessary. « It’s a very tight space . . . Definitely not on a plane unless you can’t avoid it, « Lundie said. Lundie was on the last day of two weeks of testimony in the extradition case. The court heard from a number of Canada Border Services Agency officers and police officers who played various roles in the border inspection and subsequent arrest of Meng on an American arrest warrant, which strained China’s relations with Canada and the United States. However, a key officer, retired Sergeant Ben Chang, has refused to testify. In a court case in June, Canadian government attorneys representing U.S. interests in the case said they had concerns about the safety of witnesses for Chang, who now lives on Macau Chinese territory and works as a security officer at the Galaxy Casino Resort. Canada feared the safety of a Meng witness in Macau who refuses to testify. The US is trying to bring Meng to trial in New York for defrauding HSBC by lying about Huawei’s dealings in Iran and putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions. Meng, who denies the charges, lives under partial house arrest in one of the two houses she owns in Vancouver while fighting the extradition offer. The treatment of Meng, Huawei’s CFO and daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, enraged China. Shortly after their imprisonment, Beijing arrested Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor and accused them of espionage. Ottawa regards the arrests as retaliation and both men as hostage-taking victims. The hearing was interrupted by Assistant Judge Heather Holmes, who left Meng until Jan.. December had tied until another week of testimony begins. More from the South China Morning Post: * Canadian border official denies attempting to aid the FBI by questioning Meng Wanzhou about Iran. * The retired Canadian policeman refuses to testify at Meng Wanzhou’s extradition trial. * Canadian Mountie ‘concluded that the FBI never received Meng Wanzhouse’s phone information’ but her notes say otherwise. * Meng Wanzhou: Canadian border official « fake report on interrogation, » the defense attorney alleged in court. * The Canadian official who arrested Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou said it might have started a fight, but the chief said there were « no safety concerns » Article Meng Wanzhou Case: Arresting Huawei Exec on the plane was too risky, says the Canadian official said the court first appeared in the South China Morning Post. For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.

The Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday (28. 6 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, bringing the country’s total cases to 58. 205.

An Aeroflot delivery of the Russian Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine to EU member Hungary last week sparked new criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s policies at home and abroad.

The World Health Organization is investigating controversial research suggesting the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was circulating in Italy months before it was first discovered in China, the health agency said on Friday, warning against such data being open to speculation about the origins of the disease to use. The WHO plans to run tests with Italian researchers, who made waves earlier this month, to uncover their peer-reviewed results, based on tests of blood samples from a cancer screening done before the pathogen was discovered in China. The team found antibodies specific for the coronavirus in over 11 percent of the 959 subjects. Positive samples were from last September, a few months before the world’s first registered case in China in early December. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. « We reached out to these researchers and they generously offered to work with us and work on some more studies with these samples, » said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical director for Covid-19. Where does the coronavirus come from? These virus scanners evaluate each theory. As WHO worked with scientists around the world to track and investigate any discoveries or « unusual » published results, the investigation that led them to create the virus would begin in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the first cases were discovered. « We have to be careful with our speculations here, » said Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, when asked if signs that the virus was earlier than previously known in Europe could mean it in humans circulated outside of China before it was found in Wuhan. « It is highly speculative for us to say that the disease did not occur in China. However, we do know that the first clusters of human cases were discovered in Wuhan. In order to understand the origins of the virus, it is crucial to initiate the investigation in the city in which it was first identified. « After that, the evidence should get us where we need to go, but speculating on exactly where the virus came from without starting where the human disease came for us is not the best way forward, » said he. The comments come as Chinese officials and state media have stepped up rhetoric, saying that just because the virus was first identified in China, it doesn’t mean it came from the country. Although scientists generally believe that the virus originated in a bat before it passed on to humans, possibly via an intermediate species, it is unknown where and how this happened. The closest known relative of the novel virus was discovered in southwest China. Last month, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist for the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suggested, with no concrete evidence, that the pathogen might originally have entered China via imported seafood. Chinese health officials have linked subsequent sporadic Covid-19 outbreaks in major Chinese cities to chilled imported foods, although other specialists question whether this could be a major driver of infection. Officials have not yet released full information about investigations into the early spread of the virus in Wuhan. Zeng Guang, former chief epidemiologist for China’s CDC, quoted the Italian research in a speech at a recent academic conference and said the coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan, but may not be where it originated. WHO names line-up for international team dealing with coronavirus origins. However, researchers have raised concerns about the conclusions drawn from the Italian study. For one, serological tests that detect antibodies in the blood that indicate whether a person is already infected are less accurate than DNA-based tests that can be done on fresh or frozen samples. Hong Kong University virologist Malik Peiris, who was a key figure in identifying the Sars virus during this outbreak nearly two decades ago, said the data from the Italian study « needs further clarification ». . Because of the limitations in how the team extrapolated data from the samples, we “cannot say with certainty that this is a real result,” he said. The tests could detect other coronaviruses as well, even an unknown but related virus, according to Gavin Smith, professor of the Emerging Infectious Disease Program at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. « It’s really hard to say. It is possible that it is this Sars-CoV-2 virus, especially what they ingest, « he said, referring to the official name for the new coronavirus. However, Smith said that if it were, « the fact that it is picked up in Italy does not necessarily mean that it started in Italy ». . « Given the weight of historical evidence, it is likely that it appeared in Asia, but it is impossible to say anything specific [at this point] about it, » he said. Sanjaya Senanayake, an infectious disease specialist at the Australian National University, said it was « very interesting to see if things go that far back ». . « This would suggest [the virus] has been flying under the radar for a long time, » he said, noting that « no stone should be left unturned » when it came to gathering information about Covid-19. He pointed to other signs of earlier spread, such as the retrospective discovery of a Covid-19 patient in France in late December, almost a month before the country confirmed its first cases. Scientists in Italy have also found traces of the new coronavirus in wastewater collected this month. WHO’s Van Kerkhove said Friday that global efforts continue to understand the spread of the virus, including examining retrospective wastewater samples and analyzing genomic sequences. “There are many sources of information, however . . . The [original] studies must start from where the first cases were discovered in Wuhan, ”she said. “Then we follow science. More from the South China Morning Post: * The coronavirus was on many continents before the Wuhan outbreak, the Chinese team says. * Coronavirus: More heat than light in search of the origin of Covid-19 New tests on ancient cave samples * Coronavirus: WHO and Chinese experts start origin mission – online This article Coronavirus: WHO examines controversial Italian samples in search of origins appeared first in the South China Morning Post app. Copyright 2020.

Four Hong Kong lawmakers were expelled from the Legislative Council this month, in the wake of Beijing Nov.. November passed a resolution stating that lawmakers could be unceremoniously removed for failing to comply with a number of prohibited acts, including threatening national security and refusing to support China’s sovereignty. Their removal caused all 15 remaining opposition lawmakers to resign. Among those leaving are three prominent lawmakers who have served between eight and 28 years. The Post spoke to James To Kun-sun, Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung and Ip Kin-yuen about their decision to quit, the state of Hong Kong politics and what lies ahead. « Pan-Dems have not changed, Beijing has lost its tolerance »: James ToOver 28 years on the Legislative Council, the veteran of the Democratic Party, James To Kun-sun, made a name for himself as a lawmaker who often leads to major incidents and difficult cases expressed. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. These included the victims of the 2010 Manila hostage crisis in Hong Kong, in which nine people died after an armed man confiscated a tour bus, the collision with the Lamma Island ferry two years later that killed 39 people, and most recently the Case of 12 Hong Kongers arrested at sea by the Chinese Coast Guard on the mainland while fleeing to Taiwan. « I was also the first person to approach Edward Snowden while he was in Hong Kong, » he said, referring to the surveillance whistleblower who found himself in the city after fleeing Hawaii in 2013 and before landing in Russia had hidden. “I think my 20 years of experience in security matters, the legal background and the fact that I was careful with my words led people to come looking for me. To was a 28-year-old attorney when he was first elected to Legco in 1991. He held the record as the youngest legislator to win a seat until 2016, when 23-year-old pro-democracy activist Nathan Law Kwun-chung won the election. The law is currently in self-imposed exile in the UK after it was passed by Hong Kong on Jan.. June has left imposed national security law. Among the old documents, books, thank you cards, and souvenirs unearthed to leave his Legco office was his black diary from 1992, which documented his first year as a legislator. “I never thought I’d serve that long. I was supposed to be retiring, but my colleagues thought I should stay, ”said To, now 57. « My greatest regret is that not only is there no universal suffrage in Hong Kong, but also no real ‘one country, two systems’. . China, which has become stronger, has lost its tolerance. James To, Democratic Party veteran. The guiding principle of the late Supreme Leader Deng Xiaoping, which ensured that the freedoms granted to the city remained unchanged for 50 years after Hong Kong was surrendered from Britain to China in 1997, was « dead », stated. The longest-serving lawmaker before his resignation spearheaded efforts by the opposition last year to delay the review of an extradition bill that would spark months of protests and violence against the government. The law was later withdrawn, but the effects caused a change in the Hong Kong political landscape. He insisted that the Pan-Democrats had not changed over the decades, only stood firm to pursue the goal of real universal suffrage in the city. « But China, which has gotten stronger, has lost its tolerance, » he said. To compare yourself to a « broken cassette » and to repeatedly try for years to explain to Beijing and those who asked him what the pan-democratic camp wanted, the granting of democracy in Hong Kong – and even a pan-democrat as executive director – to convince. wouldn’t be the end of the world. “I will still tell them that they have gone too far and our freedoms have shrunk. I will continue to say it out loud, but it seems a little naive to me to believe that they will listen, ”he said. To, who is married to a son, said he will continue to serve on the district council of Yau Tsim Mong, where he was re-elected last year. « If people are still determined to ask me for help even though they know I am no longer a legislator, I will certainly take their case, » he said. * * * ‘Our heaven has fallen apart’: Fernando Cheung Entering Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung’s office, one is greeted by the sight of piles of files about welfare and education and more than a dozen cards on the wall showing the waiting times at different times show public service. From advocating employment opportunities for the disabled and improving child protection, to helping asylum and prison inmates, to finding more places for the elderly in nursing homes, Cheung is known on the Legislative Council for his dedication to those over 12 years of age. Recently, however, the Labor Party opposition legislature has been on the news mostly for political reasons. He was among eight lawmakers and activists arrested earlier this month over a chaotic Legco committee meeting in May that resulted in screaming and brawling. Macau-born Cheung, 63, was educated and granted American citizenship in Hong Kong and the United States before returning in 1996 to teach social work at Polytechnic University. He gave up his US citizenship to run for Legco as a social sector representative in 2004, defeating reigning veteran Cheung Kwok-chu by just 64 votes. Mass resignation of opposition lawmakers under Beijing rules on disqualification « The sky was the limit when I first became lawmaker, » he said. “I was soon elected chairman of the Social Services Board and was able to set agendas and negotiate with the government. “At the time, I believed I could do a lot for my sector, and the government respected lawmakers. The possibilities were unlimited. He lost the 2008 election when he moved to competitions in a geographic constituency. In 2012 he returned to Legco after founding the Labor Party the year before with Lee Cheuk-yan, who campaigned for democracy. At best, the party had four members in the legislature from 2012 to 2016. « Our skies have fallen apart now, » he said. “Things started to change after [Former CEO] Leung Chun-ying came to power after targeting and disrespecting opposition lawmakers. Cheung said the situation had deteriorated rapidly in the past few months to a year. « Even people like me, who are seen as very ‘gentle’ protesters, have become Beijing’s target, » he said with a forced smile, recalling how radical protesters criticized him for being too mild and rational during the social unrest last year. “I would describe it as Beijing purifying us. Cheung announced earlier this year that he would not contest the Legco elections originally planned for September. When the polls were postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and Beijing approved Legco’s term of office to be extended by one year, he decided to move on to continue advocating for the vulnerable in the city while his friends, opposition lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-Dick and Ray Chan Chi-chuen decided to quit. I’ve been considering teaching again, but I wonder if any of the colleges would hire pan-democrats. Fernando Cheung’s disagreements over whether to quit or stay in Legco for the Beijing-approved longer term led to a split in the opposition camp. « That is history now, » said Cheung. But when Beijing passed the resolution that resulted in the immediate overthrow of the four legislators, it knew it was all over. « The abusive Beijing resolution pushed me to my limits, » he said. “I understand that in the coming year it may be difficult to help those in need, but we have no choice. For the time being, Cheung, who is married with three children, said he hoped to spend more time with his family, especially his disabled daughter. « I’ve been considering teaching again, but with the new red lines, I wonder if any of the colleges would hire pan-democrats, » he said. * * * « The surest way to be a teacher now is just to stick to the books »: Ip Kin-yuenIp Kin-yuen’s resignation from the Legislative Council ends eight years of teaching the Hong Kong education sector. Ip was still in the midst of various educational issues and said he didn’t have time to leave the legislature, only two weeks before leaving. Ip, the Vice President of the Professional Teachers ‘Union (PTU), has, among other things, helped two deregistered primary school teachers to appeal against the authorities’ decision. The Education Bureau took action against the teachers after it was discovered that one was using teaching materials affecting Hong Kong independence and the other was using a skewed history of the First Opium War in the 19th century. Century taught. The education sector has been under unprecedented pressure over the past year, according to Ip. After last year’s protests, numbers and anti-establishment officials turned against educators and teaching materials. “The education sector has been constantly suffocated by various attacks. We hope that we can defend ourselves and protect the integrity of our sector, ”he said. Do Hong Kong teachers radicalize the youth? Ex-leaders and lawmakers quarrel over allegationsIp, 58, was a secondary school teacher for eight years, headmaster for three years, and tertiary education for 11 years. He was elected as legislator for the sector in 2012 and re-elected in 2016, both times clearly defeating candidates for the establishment. He believed the sector became a scapegoat after last year’s protests. As a result, teachers now felt uncomfortable in class and schools had become more cautious because they were afraid of being caught anytime soon. « What you say, what class materials you write could easily be targeted, » he said. “The safest way to teach nowadays might be to just stick to the books. In that case, some very dedicated teachers could leave the profession. In recent months, Ip and its union have urged the authorities to be more transparent and to reform the system for investigating complaints about teachers’ professional behavior. What you say, what classroom materials you write could easily be targeted. Kin-yuen received at least 247 protest-related complaints from authorities between June 2019 and August this year, but noted that many complaints were filed anonymously. The current system gives the government sole power to decide on penalties, unlike in the medical or legal field, where representatives of every profession deal with complaints. « We hope to help teachers receive fair treatment under a solid investigation, » said Ip. With his exit, there will be no opposition vote for the sector in Legco, and he expected that lawmakers advocating the establishment would push the authorities for more « extreme » changes. The pro-establishment camp urged « weed out bad apples ». Some have called for the disclosure of the names and schools of teachers found guilty of wrongdoing and urged the government to impose the heaviest possible penalties in such cases. The IP union, the PTU, has also been targeted by the office, pro-Beijing figures and state media. It was branded as a politicized group and some accused them of inciting violence to young people. Ip has not yet decided whether the Legco elections should take place next September. While not at Legco, he stressed that he intended to use his PTU role to continue reviewing and balancing the pro-establishment camp. « No matter what, our work will continue, » he said. More from the South China Morning Post: * Following Legco’s disqualification, Hong Kong opposition ponders an uncertain future. * Following Legco’s disqualification, Hong Kong opposition district councils fear they will be next in the government’s crosshairs. * Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam declares the return of peace for Legco, restoring confidence in the political system after Beijing legislature’s decision * Echo Chamber or Solid Politics: How will the Hong Kong legislature function without opposition? This Article Three Hong Kong Opposition Politicians Explain Why They Turned Their Backs On The Legislative Council – And Where To Go From Here For The First Time In The South China Morning Post. For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.

Malaysia will go to the polls when the coronavirus pandemic is over, the prime minister said on Saturday, two days after winning legislature support for its government’s 2021 budget.

Every winter Lorina Sthapit and her cousins ​​warmed their feet in woolen socks that their grandmother had knitted.

It was late on the first Tuesday in November and Captain Hussen Besheir, an Ethiopian federal soldier, was on duty at a sentry post outside the military camp in Dansha.

A federal appeals court on Friday flatly dismissed President Donald Trump’s allegation that the election was unfair and refused to freeze Joe Biden’s victory in key state of Pennsylvania.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said she had « heaps of cash » at home because she had no bank account after the US imposed sanctions on her in response to a draconian security law China imposed on the city.

Iran said one of its most prominent nuclear scientists was murdered in an attack outside Tehran on Friday. He accused the arch enemy Israel and warned of « serious vengeance ». .

A video of officers beating and racially insulting a black music producer in Paris is the latest in a series of incidents that have put the French police in the spotlight.

A big boy restaurant in the Thumb area of ​​Michigan lost its name after owners refused to stop indoor dining under statewide restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Customers were greeted with Sandusky Diner on Friday instead of Sandusky Big Boy, which has been the name for 35 years. Big Boy restaurants are famous for the statue of a boy in plaid overalls holding a burger over his head.

The Trump administration gutted a longstanding federal protection for the nation’s birds on Friday after former federal officials and many scientists objected that billions more birds are likely to perish as a result. The U. S.. . The Fish and Wildlife Service posted its view on the proposed rollback in the Federal Register. This is a final step, which means the change – which severely restricts federal agencies prosecuting industries for practices that kill migratory birds – could be made official within 30 days.

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates LP hedge fund, opens a Singapore office to conduct his investments and philanthropy in the region. Dalio has built relationships in Singapore and China over the past three decades, and he and his family believe it is « high time » for them to have a physical presence there, according to a statement by the Dalio Family Office on Friday. Singapore has long drawn investors from China and Southeast Asian countries by offering tax incentives and the fastest possible, super-rich people for permanent residency.

The pomegranate harvest is in full swing in a field. Zhorik Grigoryan almost lost in the recent fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

A general who led NATO’s mission to Iraq and Canadian forces in Afghanistan and Bosnia will lead efforts to immunize most Canadians against the novel coronavirus by September 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both closed at record highs on Friday as markets continued to look beyond rising coronavirus cases to a better economy in 2021 with likely Covid-19 vaccines. The high-tech Nasdaq Composite Index led the major indices at 0. 9 percent to 12. 205. 85, set a second straight record after a shortened session on vacation. The broad-based S&P 500 added 0. 2 percent at 3rd. 638. 35, also a record, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average won 0. 1 percent on 29. 910. 37.

Protest, photojournalist, Agence France-Presse, Paris