#Newspaper

Taiwanese singer Teresa Tang - I want freedom

(9 May) 8 May 2020 was the 25th Anniversary of the death of the Taiwanese singer Teresa Tang. The Japanese broadcaster TBS aired a special documentary on Tang’s life, named “Terasa Hot Songs - Reality after 25 years of her death”.

In the latter half of the program, it showed Teresa’s aspirations of democracy, mentioning a quote from a Japanese TV show she was on. She said, “I want freedom, everyone deserves to be free and it is very sad that freedom is being threatened.”

Later, the show played her song “the sorrows of freedom” (悲哀的自由) and ended with scenes of the anti-government protests in Hong Kong. The voice-over concluded the Show with: “how would Teresa think of the current situation of Hong Kong?”

It is understood that the Show producer 落合芳行 (@ochy) lived in Hong Kong when the anti-government protests began last year, at that time he couldn’t stop to think of Teresa, who loved Hong Kong as it was before.

落合芳行 said: “According to her life, and all the happenings during these 25 years after her death, how could we interpret when we listen to her songs. The audience would watch the show and think about it.

Source: Apple Daily
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_9R08VJTfI/?igshid=1iorsiw9t13o3

#TeresaTang #Democracy #Freedom #Taiwanese #Japan #TBS

Hong Kong‘s Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) has released its 999-page report on the behaviour of the police force during last year’s city-wide protests and unrest, concluding that officers generally acted within guidelines but there was “room for improvement.”

Why are we not surprised?

#IPCC #HongKongPolice

#Newspaper

Internal Conflict between Riot Police and PPRB? Police Officer Needs ‘a Pat on the Back’ for Consolation

(10 May) Police claimed that they received reports on crowd gathering in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. Large numbers of police broke into the shopping mall at around 4pm to disperse the crowds and formed a cordon, during which the group of press was forced back to a corner by the staircase.

A riot police tried to step forward and pressure the journalists to retreat, but was immediately pushed away by Ko Chun-pong from the police public relations branch (PPRB), who was directing the scene with his microphone.

PPRB asked the press to step back, but a riot police seemed to be impatient and kept ‘pointing his fingers’ at the press. It seemed like he wanted to force his way towards the press. However, Ko stopped him again, and appeared to ask, “Hey Commander, who’s in charge here?” The two squads fought against each other, with one riot police comparably more agitated and had to be pulled away by other officers, while patting his back to comfort him. However, he was seen complaining continuously to his colleagues after the incident.

Source: Apple Daily News
https://bit.ly/36j8eLy

#PPRB #RiotPolice #HKPF #FreedomOfPress #PoliceState

#Newspaper

Hong Kong JoD withdraws lawsuit against a woman who lived in Police only apartment

(11 May) A 22-year-old saleswoman who lived in police only apartment was initially charged with trafficking drugs. She received a parcel sent from France to Hong Kong with 3 kg of ketamine in it. However, the prosecutor applied for the withdrawal of prosecution due to inadequate evidence. Mr. Daniel Tang, the Acting Principal Magistrate, challenged that this case came under the jurisdiction of the High Court and required an explanation from the legal advisor of the Department of Justice (JoD).

The case was adjourned until 27 May. Being accused of trafficking drugs of 2.96 kg ketamine on 12 Dec last year, the suspect continued to be released on bail under the same terms (HK$12,000 in cash and not to leave Hong Kong).

The prosecutor explained that they could not get any information from the defendant’s mobile phone and that she had no knowledge of the content of the parcel. While the label on the parcel stated that it was hair care product and the suspect mentioned in the cautioned statement that “it looks like drugs after I have opened the parcel and saw it”, the prosecutor believed that “it would be difficult to continue with the prosecution at this stage”.

However, the magistrate argued that there were many precedents that prosecution could be made without information from mobile phones. Given the element of “traffic” was constituted when the parcel was delivered from France and the severity of this case, it shall be processed by the High Courts with presentation made by the barrister and verdict made by the jury. “This is not the case to be processed by magistrates' courts”. The magistrate then decided to adjourn this case and order an explanation from the legal advisor of JoD on the court.

According to recent precedent cases, 3 kg of ketamine is estimated to be HK$2 million. In 2014, a 17-year-old teenage who was found in possession of 2.63 kg of ketamine was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in the High Court.

Source: The Stand News
https://bit.ly/3bnKI0w

#RuleOfLaw #PoliceState #Ketamine

When there is no Rule of Law
#LegCo #RuleOfLaw

#Newspaper
Huawei sends an HKSP patch with a backdoor to Linux Foundation

HKSP or Huawei Kernel Self Protection is a tool for kernel protection. The kernel protection tool was supposed to introduce a series of security-hardening options to the Linux kernel.

Grsecurity found an exploitable vulnerability in the HKSP patch which was originally scheduled to be included in the next Linux update. The patch was found to introduce a backdoor to the Linux kernel project, which Huawei called a “trivially exploitable” vulnerability.

Huawei is infamous for security relates issues. It has already been banned by the U.S. government from supplying 5G technology to US telecom providers. Grsecurity is standing by its report that Huawei surreptitiously implemented the vulnerability in the patch as the patch was owned by a level 20 Principal Security employee in Huawei, and it is not possible for such a high ranking official to publish a code without the knowledge of the parent organization.

Huawei denied its involvement and put the blame on an individual employee.

Full Article: Android Rookies
https://bit.ly/2LBRrtv

#huawei #linux #securityissues

#Newspaper

FBI arrests Arkansas professor on fraud charges over financial ties to China

Simon Ang, 63, a professor and also the director of the High-Density Electronics Center at the University of Arkansas’s department of electrical engineering, has been arrested and charged with wire fraud.

According to a criminal complaint filed against him, Ang had close ties with the Chinese government and Chinese companies. He failed to tell federal authorities about his jobs and payments from these sources when applying for grant money from NASA. Since 2013, Ang’s work received more than $5 million in federal grant money from NASA and other agencies.

This case marks the latest strike by the Justice Department against academics that violate ethics rules for federal grant money by hiding their financial and professional arrangements with China, who runs a number of “talent” programs to attract accomplished scientists and experts from around the world.

Full Article: The Washington Post, (12 May)
https://wapo.st/2ZfJkei

#ChinaUSrelations #fraud #US #Chinatalentprograms #federalgrantmoney

#DailyUpdate #May20 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (May 20th)

At the time of writing, 4,922,137 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed with 323,855 deaths.

China reports 5 new COVID-19 cases

Russia surges past 300,000 coronavirus cases.

India reports more than 5,600 new cases in the biggest one-day jump as the country reports 106,750 cases.

Nearly 200 cases in South Korea have been linked to the Itaewon nightclub cluster.

China - Wuhan has conducted over 2 million coronavirus tests since May 12, health commission says.

India to resume domestic flights in "calibrated manner" starting Monday.

Iran to allow Eid al-Fitr prayers in religious centers.

Ukrainian president says the country's lockdown may be eased earlier than planned.

UK - Cambridge University is scrapping face-to-face lectures for the entire year due to the pandemic.

Dutch authorities believe minks may have infected human with Covid-19.

The pandemic could push 60 million people into extreme poverty, World Bank warns.

Chinese advisers hit back at allegations the country is using coronavirus aid for political leverage.

Spain makes face masks mandatory in public spaces where people can't social distance.

Japan's case numbers dip as government considers whether to lift state of emergency.

Colombia extends quarantine measures until end of the month.

Switzerland will allow places of worship to open as of May 28.

Source: CNN, John Hopkins Universty

From #NathanLaw's Facebook:

On 1 July 2019, protestors went inside the #LegCo and unfurled the banner reading “There is no rioter, only tyranny”. They declared a manifesto and reiterated the 5 demands.

Today, Andrew Leung disqualified Dennis Kwok; Chan Kin-Bor removed most pro-democracy lawmakers; Starry Lee was elected as the House Committee chairperson with 40:0 votes.

To quote from the #July1 manifesto: “The society might criticise us. Yet, who is behind the social divide? Who causes public discontent? What did Hong Kong do? Why are Hongkongers persecuted like this?"

Violence comes from tyranny. Under the CCP's oppression, Hongkongers resist, fight for their future and take back their legislature. The LegCo on July 1 represented the people.

After that day, the LegCo spent millions to redo the chamber, costing Hong Kong’s future. I'd rather have a LegCo filled with graffiti and manifesto, instead of glamour but evil deeds. Structural violence is way more destructive than the so-called street violence.

#IPCC Police Review Report Criticised for being false and biased

Continue Reading
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20998

#IPCC Police Review Report Criticised for Being False and Biased

IPCC published its report on the anti-ELAB movement. Yuen Long District Councillor Tommy Cheung commented on the report on 17 May during RTHK’s City Forum program. Cheung said that he did not expect anything from the report: “you can’t be disappointed when you don’t have any expectation, but this report still blew our minds.”

He pointed out that the “facts” in the report were partial. In one instance, the report cited fake news and a fake poster calling for protest in Yuen Long on July 22, 2019 from Chinese social media, Weibo. Though it was known to be fake, the report still claimed that it was from LIHKG forum.

Cheung criticised IPCC for failing to verify its source and questioned the credibility of the report. IPCC council member Chan Kam-wing admitted that they “did not investigate”.

Cheung also indicated that the report reduced the July 21 incident into a “conflict between the black-clad and the white-clad". In reality, the white-clad gangsters did not just attack black-clad citizens, but also train passengers and passersby including a pregnant lady.

Moreover, the report justified the police’s claims such as “I can’t read the watch” and “I can’t see any weapon” as a “public relations” problem. Cheung showed that the report was biased towards the police: For instance, it was mentioned that someone tried to “freeze” the 999 call center, but in reality, they were citizens who tried to seek help.

Former Student Union President of the Education University Leung Yiu-ting, who was arrested during the 8.31 Prince Edward station incident, questioned why the police never seek information from witnesses. This contradicts the police saying that they want to investigate.

Source: Stand News #May17 #PoliceBrutality #HongKongPolice #721YuenLong #831PrinceEdward

Thanks to the Hong Kong Police, the hidden meaning of “justice” is finally revealed

#HongKongPolice #Justice #Meth #Ice

#PRC #Lianghui #CCP #Article23
Beijing Loyalist Lobbys the Implementation of Anti-Subversion Law in Hong Kong, Despite Opposition

The PRC's National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference's (CPPCC) National Committee are holding the annual "two sessions" ("lianghui") in Beijing on May 21 and 22.

Many are worried that Beijing will find ways to discuss or implement the controversial anti-subversion law "Article 23" in Hong Kong, even by breaching "one country two systems" potentially.

Beijing loyalist Chan Man-ki announced her proposal to Beijing about bypassing Hong Kong's legislature to implement what the local population named as the "evil law": By invoking Article 18 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, the National Security Law would be directly added into the Annex III of the Basic Law.

That way, according to Chan, will allow the direct enforcement of the controversial anti-subversion law.

Source: Stand News #May19
#EvilLaw

#Newspaper

World Health Assembly agreed on the draft resolution regarding COVID-19, while Taiwan solemnly protested on the denial of its attendance.

(19 May) World Health Assembly (WHA), calling the second and final day of its meeting on Tuesday, agreed on a draft resolution on the response to COVID-19, asking the WHO to initiate a full assessment of the response to the epidemic at the earliest appropriate time. Representatives of multiple countries at the meeting supported WHO's role in the fight against the epidemic. In addition, the WHA decided to leave the discussion of the proposal to "invite Taiwan to participate as an observer" for the second half of the year. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in Beijing responded that it was once again proven that there was no way out for "Taiwan independence", and that the speculation about the Taiwan-related proposal at the WHA was unpopular. In Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen criticized WHO's decision which may have been due to political pressure, expressing regret and a solemn protest against the decision.

Source: RTHK News
https://t.me/rthk_new_c/113664

#WHO #Taiwan #Coronavirus

2020.05.20: Taiwan inauguration - President Tsai Ing-wen pledges to expand international presence

Congratulations to President Tsai!
Taiwan is working hard to gain international recognition and to develop its economy under her leadership in the next 4 years.

Taiwan's pandemic preparedness under Tsai yielded an extraordinary result in combating the coronavirus, despite the lack of recognition from international bodies. Furthermore, they have also been promoting the 'Taiwan Can Help' campaign, where #Taiwan has been donating surgical face masks and other medical supplies to countries in need.

Despite all the efforts put in by Taiwan, the World Health Organization (#WHO ) has made the skewed decision not to invited Taiwan to this week’s meeting about the pandemic, highly possibly due to pressure from #China .

The slogan anti-pandemic campaign, 'Taiwan Can Help', was written in the skies of Canberra and Sydney over the weekend with the help of airplanes, by 26 Taiwanese doctors working in Australia. They initiated a pro-Taiwan drive on the internet. hoping that the #Australian government will support Taiwan’s admission as a country into the WHO.

#democracy #pandemic #TaiwanCanHelp #WHO #Taiwan


Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-eSUkSGyjE&feature=youtu.be

US Senator Jim DeMint: I’ve changed my mind about China, America should too

“I’ve changed my mind about China,” said former US senator Jim DeMint, “America should too.” Having belief in free enterprise, markets and trades, DeMint supported George Bush’s agenda of letting China into #WTO, which according to him, was a hard but right vote as he had believed. However, never would he realize was that the dictators of China were so capable of corrupting the world into their benefit. Instead of playing under the rule they prey on America, and the rest of the world alike. Human right in China remains a disaster, but international organizations and #US congress are too intertwined with it to make any move. And eventually, it leads to the loss of American sovereignty and interest. America cannot be truly free nor safe if it continues to depend its necessities on a hostile adversary.

this pandemic has given its warning. The question is, how far can #America get away with blaming them, be it #China or international bureaucrats, who have no reason to serve America’s interest by definition? Letting these people get away with their shady business is an indisputable failure of the government that Americans need to wake up into and call a change on.

#Dictatorship #HumanRight
#corruption

Further reading:
https://www.newsweek.com/ive-changed-my-mind-about-china-america-should-too-opinion-1504210?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR22eW80zooaW6GBsdiB0RE2wiH-eFIs-8zWrs4eQMYmF_7iWau4N1N2yGY

#Newspaper

Coronavirus: Can India replace China as world's factory?

//With Covid-19 infecting millions across the world, China is facing an unprecedented global backlash that could destabilise its reign as the world's factory of choice.

//Its neighbour India has sensed an opportunity and is keen to make inroads to a space it hopes China will vacate sooner rather than later.

//China's weakened global position is a "blessing in disguise" for India to attract more investment

//"Covid will only accelerate the process of de-risking from China for many of these companies."

//The US-India Business Council (USIBC), a powerful lobby group that works to enhance investment flows between India and the US, also said that India has significantly stepped up its pitch.

//But things are still at an evaluation stage and decisions are unlikely to be made in a hurry.

//In an environment where global balance sheets are fractured, relocating entire supply chains is easier said than done.

//Another reason India might not be the obvious choice for global multinationals is because it isn't well integrated with major global supply chains.

//As things stand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, South Korea and Taiwan seem to be favourites to benefit from the backlash against China. The latter two at the "high-tech end of the spectrum" and Vietnam and Bangladesh at the lower end.

//Multinationals began moving production out of China into these countries nearly a decade ago due to rising labour and environmental costs. The slow exodus has only gathered pace as US-China trade tensions have increased in recent years.

//The time is ripe, say experts, for India to undertake broad-based structural reforms and use these sweeping geopolitical shifts to modify its trading relationship with the world.

Full article:BBC, (18-May)

#China #worldsfactory #India #supplychain #Coronavirus

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52672510

#Research
"Something We've Never Seen Before": Scientists Still Trying to Understand Baffling, Unpredictable Coronavirus

"This gets into every major biological process in our cells," said Nevan J. Krogan, a molecular biologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who has studied HIV, Ebola, Zika, dengue and other viruses over the past 13 years.

"At the molecular level, it's something we've never seen before, and then look at what it does to the body – the long list of symptoms – we've never seen that before."

At first, the virus was thought to be mostly a risk to older adults and people with chronic illnesses; its primary point of attack, the lungs. Then 30- and 40-years-olds with the virus began dying of strokes. Recently, a small number of infected children have died of a mysterious illness resembling Kawasaki disease.

Symptoms of COVID-19 range from fever, coughing and shortness of breath to the loss of smell and taste and the angry red swelling that has come to be known as "COVID toes." Studies have found that damage from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19, isn't limited to the lungs; it can include the heart, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal system and bowels.

Source: COVID19 Report, USA Today

#Coronavirus