Asia

Lai was denied bail as there is risk of further offences, says Hong Kong court

Editorial Bureau February 23, 2021

HONG KONG – A court in Hong Kong said on Tuesday bail was denied for media mogul Jimmy Lai as there is a risk of him committing further offences. He is the most high profile person to be charged under the new national security law. Last week, Lai’s bail application was rejected by

Asia

Canada’s parliament approves motion saying treatment of Uighurs by China is genocide

Editorial Bureau February 23, 2021

OTTAWA (CANADA) – Canada’s parliament passed a non-binding motion on Monday, adding that China’s treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region amounts to genocide, thereby putting pressure on Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to toe the line. Canada’s House of Commons voted 266-0 for the motion brought by the

Asia

Malaysia gears up to deport asylum seekers from Myanmar sparking outcry from rights groups

Ren Leen February 23, 2021

LUMUT (MALAYSIA) – Malaysia has started ferrying asylum seekers and other detainees from Myanmar to a port where ships are berthed to take them to their homeland. This comes as rights groups made a late legal attempt to halt the deportation process, saying lives were at risk. The navy ships sent by Myanmar will leave […]

Asia

European bloc mulls sanctions on Myanmar as protests continue

Editorial Bureau February 23, 2021

BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) – In the wake of the US penalising two Myanmarese generals for links to the coup, the EU too is mulling sanctions on Myanmar. This comes as Western nations are demanding the junta to desist from a violent crackdown on protesters. There was a general strike in the nation on Monday with businesses […]

Asia

Pakistan deploys cops on rollerblades to catch criminals in port city of Karachi

Editorial Bureau February 23, 2021

KARACHI (PAKISTAN) – In a bid to curb robbery and harassment on its crowded streets, police in Karachi, which is the largest city in Pakistan, have deployed an armed rollerblading unit. The 20-member unit is undergoing strict training, gliding in a circle with their guns pointed inwards and lowering and lifting it in unison. “We […]

Asia

Lam supports Beijing plan to ensure patriots rule Hong Kong

Editorial Bureau February 23, 2021

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam has backed the plans of Beijing to ensure “patriots” rule the city. She said on Tuesday they were necessary to prevent hatred of China and sustain the ‘one country, two systems’ governance model. She was speaking at a weekly news conference which came after a key […]

Asia

Rebound of COVID-19 in India’s Maharashtra pushes for fresh containment measures

Editorial Bureau February 22, 2021

MUMBAI (INDIA) – Alarmed by signs that a second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is building, India’s richest state of Maharashtra ordered fresh restrictions on people’s movement and imposed night curfews in some cities, though not in the financial capital Mumbai. Maharastra alone reported nearly 7,000 new cases on Sunday, a steep rise from just […]

Asia

China dismisses charges of genocide in Xinjiang, says door open to UN for talks

Editorial Bureau February 22, 2021

GENEVA (SWITZERLAND) – China on Monday rejected “slanderous attacks” about conditions for Muslim Uighurs and other minorities living in its Xinjiang region, insisting that they enjoyed freedom of religion and labour rights. Activists and UN rights experts have said that at least 1 million Muslims are detained in camps in the remote western region. China

Asia

Threats of strike by South Korean doctors fuel fears of vaccine rollout disruption

Editorial Bureau February 22, 2021

SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – Doctors in South Korea have threatened to ahead with a protest strike against legislation to scrap down the licences following criminal convictions. This move by the doctors have triggered fears among people whether the coronavirus vaccination efforts likely to begin this week will get affected. Healthcare workers are likely to receive […]

Asia

Strike intensifies in Myanmar, anti-coup protesters dismiss junta’s warning

Ren Leen February 22, 2021

NAYPYIDAW (MYANMAR) – Myanmar police began to separate pro-democracy protesters on Monday as businesses around the country came to a halt in a general strike against the military coup. From the northern hills on the border with China to the central plains, there were protests in cities and towns across the country on Monday, images […]