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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#Protests #Feb29

Another hard evidence of police brutality in arresting young protesters

In the video, 2 police officers were head-locking a black-clad youngster attempting to pin him to the ground and arrest him.

The officers stepped on his feet, twisted his arm backwards and pushed his head to the ground, causing the young man to scream in pain.

#Mar1 #831Incident #PoliceState #PoliceBrutality
#DailyUpdate #Feb29 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (29/2)

The total number of infected is now standing at 85718, where the death number is at 2933. Among them 79257 infections and 2835 deaths are from China.

813 new cases were confirmed in South Korea today, the total number of cases is now 3150. South Korea now has the second most number of cases outside China.

South Korean authorities found out that 42 followers of Shincheonji returned from Wuhan in the past 8 months.

American forces stationed in South Korea closed down military facilities.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned of “serious consequences” if coronavirus spreaded to the country. He has called for stronger efforts in anti-epidemic work, including the banned of group dining and suspend of classes.

Beijing announced new anti-epidemic measures, including controlling the people visiting tourists’ attraction and parks, strengthened hostel managements and restricted people from entering railway and transport stations.

Number of cases in Iran has risen to 593, including 5 members of the Iranian Parliament. Hospital sources said there are 210 deaths while the official number is 43. A member of the parliament has also died.

Iranian government refused America’s medical aid offer.

The US had 4 confirmed cases with unknown origins; President Trump claimed closing borders of countries having an outbreak would be considered.

WHO said the outbreak has reached the “highest level” of risk for the world. It said some countries have not taken measures for the epidemic as effective as China did.

Chinese experts estimated the death rate of the novel coronavirus is 1.4%, after analyzing over a thousand cases.

New infection group was found in Singapore, 4 staff members of a technological firm were confirmed infected. There are a total of 93 cases in the country.

First confirmed case was found in north-eastern Japan, the individual is a 70 years old living in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.

First confirmed cases were found in Iceland, Mexico, Monaco, Qatar and Belarus.

The Lega Serie A announced 5 matches would be postponed to mid-May.

The United airlines announced reduced flights to Asian countries.

Source: Now news, RTHK, Beijing Daily, Yonhap News Agency, Hong Kong Economic Journal, CNN, CCTV, RĂ­kisĂştvarpiĂ°, World Meter
#PoliceState #PoliceBrutality #Feb29
Police suspected of pointing a gun at reporter


As the photos shown, an officer was left alone in a police operation to disperse protesters in Mong Kok. He was sighted holding his gun at the crowd in downtown area.

In the meantime, reporter of DB Channel, an internet media, followed tentatively to the whereabouts of the policeman, to properly execute his duty as a reporter. However, It was said that the police officer was suspected of pointing the gun at the reporter with his finger locked up on the trigger.

Source: DB Channel
Graphic: DB Channel, Editorial Board CityU SU
#Protests #831Incident #Rememberance
#Denialism #NationalEducation
Chauvinism Or Cajolery?:
Patriotic Rhetoric in Textbooks for Primary Students Went Viral
#Denialism #NationalEducation
Chauvinism Or Cajolery?:
Patriotic Rhetoric in Textbooks for Primary Students Went Viral


Netizens shared texts from a new general studies textbooks, a mandatory subject in primary schools, and immediately went viral on the internet. On the matter of Hong Kong history, the book called British establishment of the Hong Kong colony as an "occupation", and stressed that Hong Kong, despite under the sovereignty of the UK, remained a "Chinese territory".

Critics questioned whether the curriculum was able provide students with an impartial and accurate view of history, calling the move political by pointing to Vladivostok, a Russian occupied territory of China only since Late Qing.

Editor's Note:
Hong Kong's mandatory education system is a two tier-system. About 5-6 years old, children will be enrolled into primary school and would study there for 6 years, after which they will study at secondary schools for 6 more years. Usually children will enroll in pre-class or kindergarten before primary school.

Source:
https://m.facebook.com/shensimon/

Further reading:
Vice-principal suspended over a poem shared on social media
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17930

#Feb20 #HistoricalNegationism #Education
#NetizensVoice

Art Show cancelled due to artists’ concern about political situation not because of Coronavirus

Summary: Due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the Hong Kong Art Basel event, due to be held in March, was cancelled on 7 February. Sampson Wong suggests other possible reasons apart from the coronavirus, such as the fact that just a month earlier, 24 international galleries called for a cancellation in response to China’s clampdown on freedoms in Hong Kong, not the outbreak.

Image source: OrangeNews HK, 2019


⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ Continues
Art Show cancelled due to artists’ concern about political situation not because of Coronavirus

I have been following the controversy surrounding overseas galleries demanding the cancellation of this year’s Art Basel exhibition. Media portrayals I have come across so far seem to be a bit liberal with the truth. According to my understanding:

On 16 January, 24 international galleries wrote to demand the cancellation of Art Basel — the concern was of politics and not the virus. At that time, Western media coverage of the Wuhan coronavirus was minimal.

The main points of the letter were:

1. The galleries stated that "many of our artists are unwilling to have their work exhibited at the event because participation in a territory under threat of increased Chinese control is against their core belief in freedom of expression”. They were not saying that the artists were worried about censorship, but were referring to the development of the Anti-extradition bill movement since June, the reason why these artists wanted to boycott the event.

A follow-up news story by Art Forum also quoted the letter and stated that the artists were unwilling to participate in the exhibition “as a result of China’s response to and censorship of the ongoing protests” which again were inconsistent with their belief in freedom of expression.

2. The galleries also raised another problem -- “many people who normally attend the event have indicated that they will not attend this year”. “People” here, of course, referring to the galleries’ potential customers and collectors. Again, they were not referring to the virus but the political situation in Hong Kong, which was also why many regular visitors to Hong Kong refused to visit the city this year.

3. Based on the reasons above, the 24 galleries wrote a letter to Art Basel on 16 January, urging cancellation of the exhibition. They also had a backup plan: if the organiser refused to cancel the exhibition and they had no choice but to participate, some of the galleries would “cut back on lavish parties, while others are tackling the situation head on by bringing overtly political works.”

4. Based on the same reasons, the 24 galleries also expressed concern over the inconvenience caused if the organiser refused to cancel the exhibition and insisted on the galleries’ participation. Because of this, the galleries also called for a number of concessions:

- 50% reduction on booth fees
- Option to reduce booth sizes without penalty
- Extension of the payment deadline to late February
- Access to reasonable e insurance coverage
- Waiving late fees for placing orders for lighting and wallboards
- Reduction on rental fees

Artnet news was the first media outlet to obtain the letter and revealed the content on 23 January. I believe that many local organisations, local media and readers have not seen this letter before. Links to the reports are attached here as reference.

On 24 January, 3 art media outlets published follow-up reports regarding this letter, namely The Art Newspaper, Art Forum and Artsy. I have read these three reports and summarised the information for this article.

Artnet news’ exclusive report on 23 January:
https://bit.ly/2TaKHY7

The Art Newspaper’s follow-up news report on 24 January:
https://bit.ly/2uKYAD4

Art Forum’s follow-up news report on 24 January:
https://bit.ly/39dd6Cm

Artsy’s follow-up news report on 24 January:
https://bit.ly/2PQFx1B

Source: Sampson Wong’s Facebook page 
https://bit.ly/32E0Jgd

#FreedomOfArt #SharpPower #Censorship #HongKongProtest
#ProtestArts #paperoverthecracks
Pro-democracy fights carry on in the form of public art

Local artist, Giraffe Leung Lok Hei, rolled out a public art event, Paper Over the Cracks.

Using yellow adhesive tape, Leung framed the markings of slogans and phrases written by protestors on street corners and added small tags to introduce each “art piece”, just like the display of any contemporary masterpiece at an art gallery

Leung made a territory-wide invitation for all HongKongers to take part and create “art pieces” with him. Leung explained, “it requires no particular skills. You need only tape, pen and paper.” He continued, “actually the society is full of anomalies , we shouldn’t let ourselves get numbed."

Leung called on the public to post their own “art pieces” online using hashtags like #粉飾太平香港 or #paperoverthecracks to
collate their artworks and share their feelings.

Source: Stand News
http://bit.ly/3a9W7RI
#Feb27 #HKProtest
#Statement

Arrest of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Leaders - US Department of State

(28 Feb) We are concerned by the arrest of prominent Hong Kong businessman and publisher Jimmy Lai and two other longtime advocates for civil liberties and democracy in Hong Kong. We expect Hong Kong authorities not to use law enforcement selectively for political purposes, and to handle cases fairly and transparently in a manner that preserves the rule of law and the Hong Kong people’s universal rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

Source: US Department of State
https://www.state.gov/arrest-of-hong-kong-pro-democracy-leaders

Further reading:
Pro-democracy Figures Arrested for Alleged Unlawful Assembly to Suppress Freedom of Expression
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17914
#OpinionArticle

Words of a Romanian surgical mask trader

Thanks to pseudo-Chief Executive Carrie Lam for helping bring the new coronavirus from Communist China into Hong Kong, Hongkongers have to scramble for not just face masks and rubbing alcohol but also necessities like rice, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, etc. Shelves in supermarkets and drugstores are often empty. I don't know how to shop online, but I have just received a friend's email which made me ponder for a while.

That friend of mine was looking for face masks on the internet. He noticed a Romanian trader declaring that he would only sell the masks to Hongkongers. Curiosity prompted him to write an email to ask why. He got the following reply:
"I have lived through the Communist regime, and I know precisely how it feels when you are looking at the empty shelves in a shop, the bitterness and worry that come with it. I still remember how we were subjected to a bunch of silly, impotent rulers, how we had to listen to their commands and follow their orders. That feeling, that experience, is hard to describe. Many episodes of the past are unbearable, rather than calling them 'memories', it is more accurate to call them 'painful struggles'. Of course, the era has changed now, still I am greatly impressed by the will of Hongkongers to fight for freedom. It is for this reason I would only sell the masks to your fellows."

In old China, the criteria for the selection of government officials were based on virtuosity or capability. Emperor Taizong of Tang, in his essay "The Golden Mirror", says: "A capable ruler longs for moral sages, just like a peasant longs for harvest; a virtuous ruler needs talents, just like dry sprouts need rain." The Communist Party selects neither the virtuous nor the capable, it selects the corrupt. This can be proven by the selection of pseudo-Chief Executives of Hong Kong. Emperor Taizong also says: "Use the corrupt, and the world descends into disaster." When the corrupts are in power, millions suffer. This can be proven by the history of Hong Kong after 1997.

Source: Apple Daily
https://bit.ly/3ahltge

#Coronavirus #CommunistState #GlobalSupport #MaskShortage #SelfHelp #FailedState #Romanian
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#PanicBuy #Italy
When people of Hong Kong rushed to the supermarket for packs of rice and toilet papers during the coronavirus outbreak; in Italy, the target is pasta.

Source: Internet #Feb28