#ShopwithU
Families join protest activities in shopping mall in Father's Day

On Father's day today (June 21), a family of four partook in "shop with you", waving protest flags, that read "Liberate Hong Kong" "Revelation of our Times" in a shopping mall in Mong Kok.

Source: Stand News
#Jun21 #FathersDay #HKProtest

District Commander of Mong Kok denies police brutality

Yau Tsim Mong District Council held a meeting in the morning of Jun 18. Pan-democratic lawmakers urged the police to follow up on police brutality in the district on 10 May and explain why citizens were asked to kneel on the ground when being stopped and searched near GT (Ellen Yeung) College.

District Commander of Mong Kok Bradley Stephen Wright explained the officer only asked citizens to “sit down” instead of “kneel”, and never raised any “inhumane requests”.

Pan-democratic lawyer To Kun-sun criticised him for being ridiculous and unreasonable. He pointed out either the citizens were willing to kneel down, or Wright trusted his subordinates blindly.

Source: InMedia HK #Jun18
#PoliceBrutality #PoliceState #HongKongPolice

What Happened on May 10:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20542

#FailedState
Recruitment difficulties allegedly made police management to go easy on trainees caught cheating on finals

Early May this year in HK Police Academy in Wong Chuk Hang, a group of 7 police trainees were found engaging in an organized effort to cheat on their graduation examination. They were caught on the scene when copying answers from a crib sheet prepared in advance as the examiner walked away to another examination hall.

As a standing arrangement, trainees caught cheating on an examination will be immediately dismissed. However, Police management officers were suspected of taking a lenient approach to these trainees due to recruitment difficulties they encountered in past few months. Instead of discharging these trainees, they arranged for the whole class of 24 trainees to re-take the examination.

It was said that the involved trainees will be allowed to graduate after being verbally reprimanded. Other affected trainees were dissatisfied, and they questioned the integrity of the trainees involved in the incident and are doubtful of their ability to enforce the law responsibly.

Source: Apple Daily
#Jun18 #PoliceState

'Inconsistent with foreign policy': Morris urges Victoria to scrap the BRI deal

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has blasted Victoria's Belt and Road Initiative agreement with China, saying it is against Australia's national interest, and is urging Premier Daniel Andrews to scrap the deal.

The BRI is Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy agenda to bankroll infrastructure around the world. The deal with Victoria will allow for Chinese investment in the state and for Victorian companies to participate in Chinese government projects overseas.

Mr Morrison said all states and territories should not be entering into agreements inconsistent with Australia's foreign policy. Furthermore, there are critics from different parties against the BRI due to its nature; in fact, it is not a bargain for Australia. Others point out that the BRI is just a show to please China for attracting more Chinese students to study in Australia.

Australia's relationship with China is at all-time low, with Beijing issuing a warning for students and tourists travelling to Australia, accusing the country of "an alarming increase" in racial discrimination and violence during the pandemic.

China also launched trade strikes on AUD 1 billion worth of beef and barley in April after Australia lobbied for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. However, Mr Morrison stated that Australia would not back down from standing up for its values.

From an economic point of view, it seems unwise for Australia to have its income too reliant on China. Now that the world is suffering from Covid-19 and has seen the dark side of China. Many countries are quitting deals with China, maybe Daniel Andrews should reconsider whether the BRI is in the genuine interest of Australia.

#Australia #China #BRI

Source:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/inconsistent-with-foreign-policy-morrison-urges-victoria-to-scrap-bri-deal-20200611-p551k7.html

Further reading:
Romania terminates BRI project with China
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3946001

#YuenLong721 #Jun21
Lest We Forget: 11 Months After the Yuen Long July 1 Triad Attack

11 months ago, white-clad mobs attacked pro-democracy protesters, train passengers, journalists and passersby in Yuen Long, as civilians returned home after protests. The police had allegedly turned a blind eye to the attack such as delaying their arrival at the scene.

Image: 黑霧
#NeverForgive #Neverforget

#FirstHand #Jun21
Police Stop and Search First Aiders in Yuen Long

22:48 | Yuen Long
Outside Yoho Mall, police intercept 7 - 8 voluntary first aiders who were leaving.

It has been 11 months since the triad attack on July 21. Voluntary first aiders were on stand by in the area.

#YuenLong721 #PoliceState #FirstAiders

#DailyUpdate #Jun21 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (Jun 21)

At the time of writing, 8,962,808 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed with 467,579 deaths. 4,767,989 have recovered.

The 4 most affected countries are the US, Brazil, Russia and India.

Hong Kong has reported 3 new imported cases.

Sources suggest Hong Kong has 30 new preliminarily confirmed cases; all of them are from the chartered planes from Pakistan and India.

Beijing has reported 22 new cases, including one staff member from a local Pepsi factory.

Studies predict case number in Brazil will surpass USA very soon.

France announces allowing civilians to watch sports games inside stadiums starting from 11th July.

The US CDC has been conducting a scientific review about the public health benefits of masks, and will soon make an updated recommendation, according to a senior CDC official.

More than 5,000 new coronavirus cases reported in a single day in Chile

UK “on track” to further ease lockdown measures, says Health Secretary Matt Hancock

US Actor D.L. Hughley tests positive for COVID-19

Former Iraqi soccer star Ahmed Radhi dies from COVID-19

Source: Now News, Worldometer, CNN

#Interview

Angel’s Paradise, unique and independently owned

Angel’s Paradise is a women’s clothing store featuring Japanese imports, owned and managed by a team of brother and sister. In this interview, they discuss their thoughts on the social movement and how it has affected their business. They also talked about their views on how the government has handled the virus outbreak.

Click on the link to find out more: ⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://telegra.ph/Angels-Paradise-interview-06-19

#YellowEconomicCircle

#Research

Antibodies may not provide immunity for long enough to prevent second infection

The Wuhan Virus pandemic has forced countries into lockdown. To return to normality, countries such as Italy, Britain and the US are considering issuing "Immunity certificate" to free people from the lockdown. This policy assumes an individual can retain long-lasting immunity after the first infection. However, this assumption has yet to be validated.

Recent studies cast even more doubts on this assumption. One study (not peer-reviewed yet) showed that 10% of recovered patients did not produce antibodies against the Wuhan Virus after 21 days, hinting to an immune response that lasts for less than a month after among some patients. Another study (published in Nature Medicine) demonstrated showed a reduced level of antibodies from 81% of asymptomatic patients 8 weeks after their recoveries, in contrast to 62% of symptomatic patients. The results highlighted asymptomatic patients are more likely to suffer from a second infection.

Both sets of results demonstrated that immunity against the Wuhan Virus is short-lived, and thus invalidate the assumption behind issuing "Immunity certificate". Instead, the Nature Medicine team suggests prolonging public health intervention such as social distancing, sanitisation, quarantining and widespread testing.

Source: https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-antibodies-lost-10-wuhan-study-patients-within-21-days-1511850

#WuhanVirus

#SocialDistancing
Health Secretary denies new social distancing measure considered politically sensitive dates; refutes commenting on police approval for the city’s annual rally on July 1

Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan Siu-chee announced further relaxation of “social distancing rule” and restrictions in eateries and entertainment premises on Tuesday (June 16), which she claimed an attempt to normalize the city’s social and economic activities.

In the next 14 days from June 19, maximum number of people gathering in public places has been increased to 50 with exemptions also granted for eateries and banquets. For bars and pubs, people allowed for each table has been increased from 4 to 8 persons.

Although Chan reiterated a few times that the new measures do not take political issues into consideration, duration of these new measures do cover several sensitive dates concerning the anti-ELAB movement. For instance, July 1 was one year from protesters entering the Legislative Council, a determined action showing end of rule of law in Hong Kong.

When being asked whether police force will approve rally gatherings for no more than 50 people once these new measures take effect, she denied responding but repeating policy statement.

Source: Stand News #Jun16
#FailedState #Coronavirus

#GatheringBan #FailedState
Hong Kong government’s new requirements to reduce public gathering seem to be illogical and unscientific. They are suspected to be a means to restrict political activities

#NetizensVoice

Sing Hallelujah to the Lord

(11 Jun) Thinking back exactly a year ago, on 11 June 2019, it was the first time I felt like crying when listening to poetry:

Sing Hallelujah to the Lord
Sing Hallelujah to the Lord
Sing Hallelujah
Sing Hallelujah
Sing Hallelujah to the Lord

What touched me was not the content, nor the melody of the poem.

It was the people who sang. I was surprised that they could sing all night long in front of the Legislative Council without a break.

I have a Christian friend staying there that night, who is also a secondary school teacher. I just asked him what happened back on the night of 11 June and why would people starting singing the song.

He said he was supposed to participate in a prayer meeting that night, and after the prayer meeting was over, the crowd began on their own to sing Hallelujah to the Lord. He was going to leave after singing a while, but then time passed so swiftly and it just happened that he has doing 9 hours of singing, he even saw the sunrise…

Over the past year, I have seen so many Christians in Hong Kong living out their faith courageously, defying oppression and insisting on speaking out for justice! (Thank you for letting everyone know that religion can be “far from impractical”.)

At last, my friend explained to me that in the Book of Revelation, “Hallelujah” prophesied that evil regimes and corrupt economies would fall apart, thus all the angels “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord”!

My friend also said that Kevin Yeung Yun-hung (Secretary for Education) had forbidden “Glory to Hong Kong” to be sung in schools, but then my friend would sing “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” to Praise the Lord, as well as to remind the students of what date tomorrow (12 June; 612) is.

#SingHallelujahtotheLord
#WeRemember612

Source: Finance Fellow’s Facebook

#GloryToHongKong #Censorship #12June #NationalSecurityLaw

#Newspaper

Hong Kong’s contentious national security law concerns some academics

China’s plan to introduce a new security law in Hong Kong has prompted mixed reactions from scientists there. Some fear that such a law could lead to government interference in research, restrict participation in international collaborations and increase self-censorship, whereas others are confident that research will be unaffected.

“Academics in Hong Kong are very concerned about possible changes,” says an administrator at a university in Hong Kong who requested anonymity because they think their university is under pressure to publicly support the security law. They worry that a national security law could be used to restrict the publication of sensitive research, such as studies on the new coronavirus. Scientists on the mainland need government approval to publish research relating to the origins of the pandemic.

A Hong Kong-based editorial board member for a scientific journal who also requested anonymity because they need permission to speak to the press, says they are worried that foreign research grants or international collaborations — particularly with the United States — could be defined as foreign interference and restricted under the law.

Some academics think that one of the greatest effects the new law will have on research will be an increase in self-censorship. Researchers are already wary about making comments or publishing research that could upset the central government — work that could distress financial markets, for example, such as negative results from a large vaccine trial... whether or not they’re at risk of breaking the law...

A foreign researcher who studies science and ethics at a university in Hong Kong, who requested anonymity for fear their comments could jeopardize their work visa, says they no longer feel able to criticize the science and technology practices of the central government while living in Hong Kong, and worry that the security law could bring the risk of prison sentences for such criticisms... a visiting environmental researcher at the City University of Hong Kong, says she doesn’t think her research on environment management and governance in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan is particularly sensitive. But she has decided that she will do less work focusing on mainland China — and work on existing data sets rather than generating her own — to avoid the risk of her work being classified as subversive under the security law.

Full Article: Nature, (12-Jun)

#NationalSecurityLaw #Academic #SelfCensorship #Research

#Newspaper

Stanley Ng Chau-peo criticized and accused Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung after Yuen's mentioned live animal market in China again in his academic article

(15 Jun) Stanley Ng Chau-peo, the chairmen of Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU), criticized and accused Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung , Chair of Infectious Diseases for the microbiology department at the University of Hong Kong, to apply the science and "U.S. knowledge" to frame China. The latest scientific research paper released by Dr. Yuen continued to mention mainland Chinese habit of buying and eating wild animals. Yuen also warned the cases in Lek Yuen Estate Luk Chuen House may be the sign of super-spreader and advise Hong Kong not to let the guard down.

Yuen and Dr. To Kai Wah Kelvin, associated professor, published an article in "Hong Kong Medical Journal". Coronavirus can mutate quickly and because of the culture of consuming wild animals in southeast China, it was prepared and expected "severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will happen again.

In the research article, it actively addressed not to be self-satisfied on the epidemic prevention in Hong Kong. During SARS in 2003, the incident of super spread in Amoy Gardens paralysis the Hong Kong medical system. Fortunately, it didn't happen in Hong Kong this time. However, cases in this month already alert the people in Hong Kong to examine the apartment building pipeline maintenance issue.

Yuen's article mentioned the situation at Luk Chuen House that patients were living in 6 different units at different floors. It may be the sign of super spreader. He didn't suggest to handle these cases as different cluster infection. In order to reduce super spreader risk, we should increase testing in Hong Kong. At least one out of 1000 people who is having syndrome respiratory infectious disease should be tested daily.

The article also mentioned that disease could continue to survive in the summer. The outbreak may happen again in winter due to low herd immunity. A safe and effective vaccine is still not available widely in the next 12 months.

Research team leading by Yuen published a report on 3 June in Lancet Microbe. The report mentioned 2.2 million people in China Hubei province had infected Covid-19 based on an exploration of 59 million population there. Stanley criticized Yuen a few days ago on Facebook that Yuen received substantial amount of foreign aid from the U.S and using his research data to frame against China. Stanley accused Yuen's for sidetracking the number of deaths in the U.S. during the pandemic.

Source: Stand News

Further reading:
How should we reflect upon the pandemic's spread?
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/21125

#YuenKwokyung #research #Censorship #CultureRevolutionHK #Coronavirus #LiveAnimalMarket #Academic

#Newspaper

China's state council's white paper propagandises anti-epidemic "achievements" without acknowledging whistleblower Dr Li Wenliang

(7 Jun)Today, China's State Council Information Office released a white paper entitled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action", which declared China a "victim nation" of COVID-19 that deserved fair treatment and was "not to be blamed". It expressed firm opposition against the stigmatization and politicization of the pandemic. The white paper claimed that when the pandemic began, China "provided clear and explicit information to the international community". However, it blatantly omitted the fact that Chinese provincial officials prevented hospitals from reporting cases of the virus. It also neglected to mention ophthalmologist Dr Li Wenliang being exposed to the epidemic and reprimanded by Wuhan authorities. This is an obvious cover-up of the situation's reality.

The white paper consists of 35,000 words and is divided into four sections [with the following titles]: "China's Fight against the Epidemic: A Test of Fire", "Well-Coordinated Prevention, Control and Treatment", "Assembling a Powerful Force to Beat the Virus" and "Building a Global Community of Health for All."

//Xu Lin, deputy minister of the Central Propaganda Department, responded to external criticism during the press conference for the [white paper's] announcement. He said that the Chinese media's reports on the epidemic were impartial and based on facts; accusations of false propaganda were inaccurate and totally ill-founded. Xu criticized the foreign politicians and media that politicised the pandemic and sensationalised theories of its "Chinese origin" and "China's cover-up", among others, without any scientific backing.

Full translation:
https://telegra.ph/Chinas-state-councils-white-paper-propagandises-anti-epidemic-achievements-without-acknowledging-whistleblower-Dr-Li-Wenliang-06-21

Source: Apple Daily

#LiWenliang #WHO #Coronavirus #VirusOrigin #WhitePaper #Epidemic #ChinesePropaganda