📡Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#LunchtimeProtests
Mother and son attend "Lunch with U" Assembly in Central: Tear gas is more dangerous than COVID-19, "We are in it together, so we must go on"

Citizens attended a "Lunch with You" assembly at IFC Mall in Central in the afternoon of April 24. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs Yu, a citizen, took her son and both wore masks to attend. Mrs Yu held the self-made flag of "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times ", and her son also brought a "Blinded Pepe" doll.

Mrs Yu said even in a pandemic, they will never forget what Hongkongers are fighting for, "Let our fellow protesters know that we are always reminding ourselves of these things in our hearts."

When asked whether she would worry about the danger of protesting under the pandemic, Mrs Yu responded that "it will not be more dangerous than tear gas. I think that tear gas is very harmful to human body". Mrs Yu also said that she would continue to stand up and fight, "We are in it together, so we must go on."

Source: Stand News #Apr24
#Court
Pro-democracy activist Au Nok-hin sentenced to 140 hours of community service: Hongkongers should "speak the truth" in light of "difficult times for the rule of law"

Au Nok-hin, pro-democracy activist and ousted lawmaker, was sentenced to 140 hours of community service for "assaulting police" with a loudhailer during a protest on July 8, 2019. Au was accused of hurting an officer's ears by speaking too loudly through the device. It was previously told in the court that the look on Au's face at the time led the officer to fear a violent attack.

Speaking before the sentence on April 24, Au said he believes he is not guilty. He urged the people of Hong Kong to "speak the truth" in light of "difficult times for the rule of law".

Au was also one of 15 prominent pro-democracy figures arrested last Saturday and charged with organising and joining unauthorised anti-government protests last year. The 15, who also include barristers Martin Lee and Margaret Ng, and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, are due in court in May 2020.

Source: RTHK #Apr24
#AuNokHin
#PoliceState #HongKongprotests
Hong Kong Police Likely to Ban May 1st Protest, Uncertainties on June 4th Tiananmen Massacre Vigil and July 1st March: Sources

Ming Pao, a Chinese-language newspaper in Hong Kong, quoted police sources that the police would not approve the May 1st Protest. Worse, the police may consider the current pandemic as an excuse and cite public security regulations to disallow the annual June 4th vigil in memory of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.

Even the Democratic Front had already applied for the annual July 1st March in advance, the police will not deal with it at this stage.

Source: Stand News #Apr24
#DailyUpdate #Apr24 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (24/4)

At the time of writing, 2,753,425 cases of coronavirus had been confirmed with 192,310 deaths. US, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany are the worst affected countries by the pandemic. 731,825 have recovered so far.

Singapore reports nearly 900 new cases today.

Japan adds 85 fatalities missed from death toll.

Ecuador's coronavirus cases nearly double due to backlog of tests.

Bavaria, Germany's largest federal state will allow some religious services next month.

European Union aims to raise $8 billion for coronavirus response.

France won't consider a reopen date for restaurants before end of May.

UN human rights chief alarmed by media clampdowns over Covid-19 reporting.

Several Sydney beaches shut again after beachgoers flout rules.

The UK won't ease restrictions unless it's safe to do so, health secretary says.

Malaysia extends lockdown ahead of Ramadan.

No decision yet on when Boris Johnson will return to work, says UK health secretary.

Indonesian President "welcomes the blessing of Ramadan to break the chain of transmission".

Indonesia travel ban goes into effect ahead of annual Ramadan mass migration.

The Czech Republic is relaxing some coronavirus restrictions.

Hawaii is now paying for visitors to leave.

Source: CNN, Worldometer
Citizens Crowdfund Newspaper's Frontpage to Express Worry Over Beijing's Interference

The following was printed on Apple Daily's frontpage on 24 April, 2020:

"Say No To Party Committee's Rule of Hong Kong
Violatation of Basic Law Article 22

Support Legislator Dennis Kwok
For Abiding LegCo Rules of Procedure and
Defending freedom, democracy and rule of law

If it is not Apple Daily, we do not even have a channel to release this statement. We appeal to Hongkongers to support and subscribe Apple Daily, so that it can continue to stand with Hong Kong!"

[Editor's note: The founder of Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai, pleads for help for Apple Daily, under the boycott of pro-Beijing network. As an outspoken pro-democracy tycoon, Lai has been attacked and arrested for numerous times.]

#Apr24 #AppleDaily #FrontPage #JimmyLai #FreedomOfSpeech #DennisKwok #Article22 #Crowdfunding
#Poll #PublicOpinion #CUHK
Public Opinion Poll: The Young Generation and Half of the Elderly Population Support Resuming the Protest

The Chinese University of Hong Kong has conducted a public opinion poll in March concerning the perception of the pro-democracy protest during the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the findings, a large majority support resuming the protest.

While young respondents have a higher tendency to support the proest, among the elderly, only 40% hold an oppositional opinion and 10% expressed an unmodified opinion. 

Source: Leung Kai-chi @ The News Lens #Apr24
#HongKongProtests #Elderly #Generation
#Court
Barrister on Fiat Requests to Be Heard Over Cyberharassment; Denied Due to Irrelevance to Case

Former legislator Au Nok-hin was sentenced to 140 hours of community services on April 24 2020 for "assaulting police" with a loudhailer during a protest on July 8, 2019.

Barrister on fiat Vivien Chan, who acts as prosecutor to the case on behalf of the Department of Justice, has been found with a Facebook account with her name which openly censured protesters, calling protesters "animals", "yellow corpses", while calling the judge a "useless piece of trash". Chan has not responded to the claims despite half a month had passed since the initial reporting of this news.

Source: Stand News #Apr24
#AuNokHin

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#Court
Barrister on Fiat Requests to Be Heard Over Cyberharassment; Denied Due to Irrelevance to Case

Former legislator Au Nok-hin was sentenced to 140 hours of community services on April 24 2020 for "assaulting police" with a loudhailer during a protest on July 8, 2019.

Barrister on fiat Vivien Chan, who acts as prosecutor to the case on behalf of the Department of Justice, has been found with a Facebook account with her name which openly censured protesters, calling protesters "animals", "yellow corpses", while calling the judge a "useless piece of trash". Chan has not responded to the claims despite half a month had passed since the initial reporting of this news.

After the session on April 24, Chan requested the court to put on record the harassment she and her family had received over the internet and her to be heard over for two minutes.

Magistrate Leung Ka-kie denied her request, stating that the case had been adjourned, and that the court was not certain as to the request's irrelevancy to the current case. Chan, however, was agitated and yelled, "it's my right to be heard."

Source: Stand News #Apr24
#AuNokHin

Read more:

Pro-democracy activist Au Nok-hin sentenced to 140 hours of community service:
Hongkongers should "speak the truth" in light of "difficult times for the rule of law"
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19801

Prosecutor with Outspoken Pro-Beijing Stance Allegedly Imposes Bias Against Pro-democracy Faction
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19406
The West must ensure China pays for its role in the spread of Covid-19

//China, we all know, is run by an autocratic, dictatorial regime which brooks no dissent and is highly secretive about the problems and challenges the country faces.

The Chinese authorities were alerted to the threat the outbreak posed when human-to-human transmission was confirmed in early December, just as they were about to sign a trade deal with the USA...Was the reason that the government closed down any mention of the outbreak through December and January to protect this deal? 

...Just look at the strategic way that China set out to dominate areas of the world which have important raw materials. At present, China owns nearly 20 per cent of Africa’s debt with a combined loan total of $152 billion to 49 African governments.

This is one tactic among many that has secured China’s control of around 85 per cent of the world’s supply of rare earth metals, which go into the production of all electronics.//

Source: Telegraph #Apr24
New Zealand must be 'respectful' of China, even if there are disagreements - Nanaia Mahuta

The Foreign Affairs Minister says New Zealand and China's significant economic ties mean Aotearoa must be "respectful" of the Asian superpower, even if there are areas of disagreement between the two nations. 

Nanaia Mahuta's latest comments come as more overseas commentators accuse Wellington of cosying up to Beijing and undermining its standing within the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network.

Source: NewsHub #Apr24

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/new-zealand-must-be-respectful-of-china-even-if-there-are-disagreements-nanaia-mahuta.html

#NewZealand #China #Economic #FiveEyes
Australian clarity and Beijing’s panic mark a tumultuous week

After another tumultuous week in the Australia–China relationship, four conclusions are becoming increasingly clear. First, we are going to be on this rollercoaster ride for years. National positions are hardening. Neither Beijing nor Canberra will back down and the prospects for ‘negotiation’ are zero given China’s ‘wolf warrior’ mania.

Second, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his senior ministers look increasingly confident in their stance to seek ‘a balance in favour of freedom’. The language used about relations with China is careful but is becoming clearer and more definitive. There is something to be said for knowing when your back is hard up against a strategic wall.

Source: The Strategist #Apr24

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australian-clarity-and-beijings-panic-mark-a-tumultuous-week/

#Australia #Beijing #Strategic #Canberra #ScottMorrison
The US Regulates Broadcaster to Declare Foreign-Sponsored Programs to Increase Transparency and to Prevent Chinese or Russian Propaganda

Source: Stand News #Apr24

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The US Regulates Broadcaster to Declare Foreign-Sponsored Programs to Increase Transparency and to Prevent Chinese or Russian Propaganda

Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accounting for regulating broadcasting, has a unanimous vote on Thursday (22 April) that television and radio broadcasting must declare the programs sponsored or provided by a foreign government.

Acting Chairman of FCC, Jessical Rosenworcel, stated that FCC recently received countless reports relating to foreign government-sponsored programs. She indicated that FCC knew that foreign entities purchase broadcast time slots across the country. She especially pointed Chinese and Russian out for their government-sponsored programs.

The original policy does not state when and how a foreign government-sponsored program being publicly reported. Under FCC new-passed regulation, if foreign government entities directly or indirectly purchase time slots through television or radio station, they must state during the broadcasting.

FCC stated in the statement, “This regulation will increase the transparency to make sure audience understand foreign government or its representative’s organisations are using atmospheric waves to persuade American”.

Source: Stand News #Apr24

https://bit.ly/3xsak8Z

#UnitedStates #US #China #Russia #FCC #Radio #Television #Transparency #Propaganda #Broadcasting
Xinjiang: Joe Biden to urge G7 to act on China’s use of forced labour

The United States will urge its Group of Seven (G7) allies to increase pressure on China over the use of forced labour in its northwestern Xinjiang province, home to the Muslim Uygur minority, a top White House official said on Friday.

 US President Joe Biden will attend a meeting of the G7 advanced economies in person in Britain in June, where he is expected to focus on what he sees as a strategic rivalry between democracies and autocratic states, particularly China.

Source: South China Morning Post #Apr24

https://t.co/nqRLZ0BY1A?amp=1

#Xinjiang #JoeBiden #G7 #China #Uygur
China Censors ‘Nomadland’ Director Chloé Zhao’s Oscar Win

“Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao made history on Sunday by becoming the first woman of color and first Chinese woman to win the Oscar for best director. Official media, major search engines and internet censors in her home country are making as if it didn’t happen.

Ms. Zhao’s win, just the second time a woman has walked away with best director, unleashed a flurry of congratulatory messages on Chinese social-media sites when it was announced Monday morning Beijing time. By midafternoon, nearly all of the posts had been erased.

Source: WSJ #Apr24

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-censors-nomadland-director-chloe-zhaos-oscar-win-11619440550

#China #Nomadland #Director #Chloé #Oscar
City economists say China covering up mass unemployment despite rebound from Covid

China’s economy is facing a “hidden unemployment problem” as the inefficiencies of Beijing’s brand of state capitalism begin to mount, City analysts have warned.

The number of unemployed or underemployed workers in China has soared to 17pc, up from around 5pc in 2013, according to economists at Fathom Consulting.

The calculations are far above Beijing’s official jobless figures, which are distrusted by many economists, suggesting China has more unemployed and unproductive workers weighing on its economy.

Source: The Telegraph #Apr24

https://t.co/89hlOhqtip

#China #Economy #Beijing #Covid