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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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Anyone experiencing a sudden loss of smell could be carrying the coronavirus

//Anyone experiencing a sudden loss of smell could be a ā€œhidden carrierā€ of the coronavirus, even if they have no other symptoms, according to evidence compiled by leading rhinologists in the UK.

In South Korea, China, and Italy, about a third of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 have also reported a loss of smell ā€“ known as anosmia or hyposmia ā€“ leading ear, nose, and throat experts in the UK have reported.

The lack of other recognised symptoms in these cases may mean they are unlikely to be tested and isolated, meaning they could be contributing to the rapid spread of the disease worldwide.

The president of the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology, professor Nirmal Kuma that younger patients in particular may demonstrate only a loss of smell or taste, without demonstrating the more commonly recognised coronavirus symptoms of high fever and persistent coughs.//

Source: Business Insider #Mar23
#WuhanPneumonia
Controller of Centre for Health Protection admitted staff is working overtime as all visitors to HK need to be tested for virus

Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated earlier that all visitors to HK will be tested for the coronavirus, and that a ban on alcohol sale in restaurants will be implemented. Controller of Centre for Health Protection, Dr. KH Wong, admitted that the virus tests will add stress to laboratory workers. Overtime work will be constant, and staff from other units will be called to assist the laboratory. Since last week, 1000 tests have been conducted.

When asked whether a ban on alcohol sale can slow the infection rate, Dr Wong suggested that friends may take off their masks and talk for a long time while drinking, so stricter measures are needed.

Source: Stand News #Mar23
#Sanction #Weapon
#Switzerland Refuses to Provide the Hong Kong Police Force with Ammunition

According to a report by the Swiss media Sonntagblick on March 21, 2021, the Swiss government banned the state-owned arms manufacturer #RUAG Ammotec from supplying the 0.338mm rifle ammo to the Hong Kong Police Force.

The Swiss government made this decision based on the potential risks imposed on the safety of the civilians in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Police Force did not directly respond to the media inquiry by Apple Daily.

Source: Apple Daily #Mar23
https://bit.ly/3vTl3Zm

#AsiasFinest #HongKongPolice #PoliceBrutality #LiveAmmo
#Court
Masked Plainclothes Officer Accuses Civilian of "Assaulting the Police"

A 28-year-old #CivilServant was charged for "elbowing" a plainclothes police officer and possessing a Swiss army knife. The case was trialed in West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on March 23.

The alleged assault took place during a commemorative gathering 2 months after the indiscriminate police attack at the Prince Edward Station on Aug 31, 2019. Station sergeant Leung Sai-cheong admitted to the court that most of the police officers that evening were masked, but he denied that the police were disguising themselves as protesters.

The station sergeant said, "I was disguised as a civilian to blend into the scene. The lawyer wants me to describe the disguise in detail, like whether it was a hawker or a construction worker. It is really hard for me to describe it to you."

The defence pointed out that Leong's testimony differs from records in his logbook, but Leong disagreed.

Source: Stand News #Mar23

#AsiasFinest #PrinceEdward831
#SocialMedia #Censorship
#LINE Reportedly Forbids the Mentioning of "Tiananmen Incident"

According to a Japanese netizen, the instant text messanger LINE bans the phrase "Tiananmen Incident" in its memo function "Keep".

The Tiananmen Incident generally refers to the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989 in Beijing.

The original post in Twitter was, however, removed.

Source: Internet #Mar23
https://twitter.com/SKYTAN_DAYO/status/1374645384908259331

https://www.facebook.com/100034668333390/posts/492584131907194/?d=n

#June4th #Tiananmen
Philippines protests 'threatening presence' of Chinese vessels in disputed waters

Philippine officials reported about 220 vessels, believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, were seen anchored at the Whitsun Reef on March 7.

ā€œThe continued deployment, lingering presence and activities of Chinese vessels infringe upon Philippine sovereignty,ā€ the Philippine foreign ministry said in a diplomatic protest, adding ā€œtheir swarming and threatening presence creates an atmosphere of instability.ā€

Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the presence of militia vessels a ā€œclear provocative action of militarising the areaā€ and urged China to recall them.

Source: Reuters #Mar23

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-china-southchinasea-prote/philippines-protests-threatening-presence-of-chinese-vessels-in-disputed-waters-idUSKBN2BF0IA

#Philippines #China
France summons Chinese envoy over 'unacceptable' insults

France summoned Chinaā€™s ambassador to underscore the unacceptable nature of insults and threats aimed at French lawmakers and a researcher, and Beijingā€™s decision to sanction some European officials, a French foreign ministry source said.

The Chinese embassy warned against French lawmakers meeting officials during an upcoming visit to self-ruled Taiwan, drawing a rebuff from France.

In retaliation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry sanctioned several European nationals, including French Member of the European Parliament Raphaƫl Glucksmann.

Source: Reuters #Mar23

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-china/france-summons-chinese-envoy-over-unacceptable-insults-idUSKBN2BF1MU

#ChinaRetaliate #ChinaFrance #France
Australia and New Zealand welcome sanctions on China over Uighur abuses but impose none of their own

Australia and New Zealand have raised ā€œgrave concernsā€ about human rights abuses against Muslim minorities in Chinaā€™s Xinjiang region, citing ā€œthe growing number of credible reportsā€ of severe violations.

But while both countries have welcomed new coordinated sanctions announced by the UK, US, the EU and Canada, they have not announced any such measures of their own.

The Guardian understands this is because Australia and New Zealand lack Magnitsky-style laws that would allow the swift rollout of targeted sanctions against individuals for human rights abuses ā€“ but the Morrison government is expected to table draft legislation later this year.

Source: Guardian #Mar23

#Australia #NewZealand #Sanctions #China

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/23/australia-and-new-zealand-welcome-china-sanctions-over-uighur-abuses-but-impose-none-of-their-own?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
How Do I Perceive the Position I am in?

Former Stand News journalist and now-detained pro-democracy activist Gwyneth Ho wrote about her thoughts and experience when going through the trial in Hong Kong.

Ho was accused of subverting the state and charged with the #NationalSecurityLaw.

"...When called by the name by Victor SO Wai-tak ... oops it should be 'called by the number' (defendants and prisoners are not named. Hi, this is D33 here~), I was reading a copy of Ming Pao [newspaper] left on the floor by another defendant. I was momentarily absorbed in an article about the '7.21 Mob in white' court case. It wrote that the courtroom was constantly showing the live broadcast, of that day, from 'The Stand News'ā€¦ (I feel embarrassed just to think about it.)"

Read our fully translated article here:
https://telegra.ph/How-Do-I-Perceive-the-Position-I-am-in-06-11

Sourceļ¼šStand News #Mar23

#Interview #Standnews #Journalist #GwynethHo #Position
#Inspirational
It takes only 1 second to surrender but forever to persevere: When ā€œbackend supportersā€ become ā€œfrontline fightersā€

As this article was written, the former president of Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (#HKCTU), Carol NG, was charged with ā€œconspiracy to subvert state powerā€ along with other 46 persons due to their participation in the 2020 HK pro-democracy primaries (ā€œ2020 Primariesā€) and all were put in custody and remanded. 

When the 47 defendants reported to the Police in February 2021, they initially thought they could be put on bail and be ā€œfreeā€ at least until April.

Shockingly the regime pushed and pushed the prosecution a lot earlier to 1 March 2021.

Continue reading our fully translated article here:

https://telegra.ph/It-takes-only-1-second-to-surrender-but-forever-to-persevere-When-backend-supporters-become-frontline-fighters-06-20

Source: Stand News #Mar23

#CarolNg #Surrender #Persevere #Backend #Frontline #PoliticalProsecution #LegCo #Primaries
#OpinionArticle
Can China be trusted? As the Russia-Ukraine war shows, #Beijing often says one thing and does another

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Mar23

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#OpinionArticle
Can China be trusted? As the Russia-Ukraine war shows, #Beijing often says one thing and does another

//The war in Ukraine helps to explain this paradox. Less than two months before Russiaā€™s invasion, Chinese President #XiJinping told Ukraine President #VolodymyrZelensky that he attached ā€œhigh importance to developing the Chinese-Ukrainian strategic partnership.ā€ But only weeks later, Xi and his Russian counterpart, #VladimirPutin, declared that their countriesā€™ budding alliance had ā€œno limits.ā€ 

...There is debate regarding the extent to which Xi and other Chinese officials had advance knowledge of the invasion. If they did, that makes them complicit in aggressive war and ongoing Russian war crimes in Ukraine. It would also mean that claims of ignorance by Chinese officials are not to be trusted.

And if they didnā€™t have knowledge of the invasion, the Russians didnā€™t trust them enough to give forewarning. Either way, thereā€™s distrust of China.

...According to reports, Russia has requested that China provide it with weapons to bolster the assault on Ukraine. It is unclear whether China will fulfil that request. Chinese writing on bomb fragments in destroyed Ukrainian hospitals and schools ā€“ favourite targetsof the Russians ā€“ would not be good for Chinaā€™s reputation.//

Read the full article
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/03/23/can-china-be-trusted-as-the-russia-ukraine-war-shows-beijing-often-says-one-thing-and-does-another/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Mar23

#RussianInvasion #WarCrime #HumanitarianCrisis
American lawyer released from prison, says ā€˜bannedā€™ from Hong Kong after multi-year legal saga

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Mar23

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American lawyer released from prison, says ā€˜bannedā€™ from Hong Kong after multi-year legal saga

//An American lawyer imprisoned for assaulting a policeman in Hong Kong said Wednesday he was banned from the city after being released, capping a multi-year legal saga.

The confrontation between #SamuelPhillipBickett and the plainclothes officer occurred on December 7, 2019, towards the end of huge and at times violent democracy protests that rocked the financial hub. 

The officer, Senior Constable Yu Shu-sang, had forcibly stopped a fare dodger, with Bickett saying that Yu had been ā€œbeating and chokingā€ the young man with a baton before he intervened...

In a statement on Twitter Wednesday, Bickett said he was released from prison Tuesday and immediately taken to Immigration Detention before being deported. 

He expressed love for the city, where he had worked as a compliance director at Bank of America.

ā€œI have faith that one day I will be able to once again walk the streets of a Hong Kong ruled by law and governed with the consent of its people,ā€ he said.

Read more:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/03/23/american-lawyer-released-from-prison-says-banned-from-hong-kong-after-multi-year-legal-saga/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Mar23

#Deportation #PoliceBrutality
Hong Kong Authorities Accuses UK National Benedict Rogers of Threatening China's National Security

Source: International Bar Associationā€™s Human Rights Institute #Mar23

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Hong Kong Authorities Accuses UK National Benedict Rogers of Threatening China's National Security

On March 23, 2022, the International Bar Associationā€™s Human Rights Institute (#IBAHRI) calls on the international community to suspend extradition treaties with #HongKong.

#BenedictRogers, a British citizen and co-founder of #HongKongWatch received a letter from the Hong Kong #NationalSecurityBureau. In addition, the #HongKongPolice issued a notice to Rogers on 10 March 2022, orderinv him to take down the website of Hong Kong Watch within 72 hours of receipt of the notice.

Hong Kong authorities claimed that the website of the NGO posed a threat to Chinaā€™s national security.

In a statement, the International Bar Associationā€™s Human Rights Institute warned that "more than 160 people have been arrested and over 50 civil society organisations have been forced to close in Hong Kong since the National Security Law was enacted in June 2020."

While Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, have suspended their extradition agreements with Hong Kong, countries including the Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and Sri Lanka still have an agreement with the Hong Kong government.

The International Bar Associationā€™s Human Rights Institute pointed out that "travelling to these countries poses a threat for human rights defenders who may be targeted with the National Security Laws and extradited to Hong Kong to face charges."

Read the full article:
https://www.ibanet.org/IBAHRI-calls-for-suspension-of-extradition-treaties-with-Hong-Kong

Source: International Bar Associationā€™s Human Rights Institute #Mar23

#NationalSecurityLaw #Regime