BOSTON, Massachusetts: Myanmar has been ordered by the International Court of Justice to take “provisional measures” to protect the Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim minority in the Buddhist-majority country that has suffered “mass killing, mass displacement, mass fear [and] overwhelming … brutality” at the hands of the military. Over 700,000 Rohingya fled or were forced out of the country since 2016, most to neighbouring Bangladesh. The order comes after the African state of Gambia in November 2019 filed a complaint of genocide of the Rohingya against Myanmar with the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. Under the 1948 Genocide Convention, genocide requires a specific intent to destroy a group in whole or in part. READ: Myanmar already protecting Rohingya, ruling party says after world court's order The United Nations (UN) General Assembly and numerous human rights organisations have for years condemned Myanmar’s attacks on the Rohingya. … [Read more...] about Commentary: International law has its limits in protecting the Rohingya in Myanmar
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England’s Lawes to miss rest of Six Nations
LONDON: Versatile England forward Courtney Lawes has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations championship after a scan revealed the extent of the damage to a pectoral muscle he injured in training on Wednesday. Lawes had already been replaced by Mark Wilson at blindside flanker in the team to play Wales on Saturday but the tough-tackling Northampton man will now also miss out on England's remaining games against France and Ireland next month. "Unfortunately, Courtney picked up a knock and that means he won’t be available for us for the rest of the Six Nations,” attack coach Simon Amor told journalists on Friday. "Courtney Lawes is an experienced player. He brings a lineout threat and a great defensive energy. But we’ve got some really fantastic players, particularly Mark Wilson who is one of our work-rate players. He can really get around the field and has that energy, particularly around the breakdown.” It was something of a freak injury for Lawes, sustained when … [Read more...] about England’s Lawes to miss rest of Six Nations
Hong Kong holds scaled-down Chinese New Year fairs amid COVID-19, national security law
HONG KONG: Hong Kong's Chinese New Year fairs, usually an opportunity to sell creative merchandise critical of the government alongside festive foods and decorations, are subdued this year amid COVID-19 restrictions and a sweeping national security law. In January last year, fairs sold a variety of items carrying slogans popularised by mass demonstrations in 2019, from tote bags and T-shirts to coasters and temporary tattoos. But protests evaporated as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented large gatherings. Then China imposed a sweeping national security law in June, and Hong Kong authorities began arresting activists and opposition politicians. Early in the afternoon on Thursday (Feb 11), just a few dozen people shopped for flowers in Victoria Park in the city's dense Causeway Bay neighbourhood and across the harbour in Mong Kok, two of the most common areas for mass demonstrations in the past. Crowd controls were in place and temperature checks were mandatory. READ: In … [Read more...] about Hong Kong holds scaled-down Chinese New Year fairs amid COVID-19, national security law
Hong Kong radio host denied bail after new security law ruling
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong Internet radio host was denied bail on Wednesday (Feb 10) under Beijing's new national security law - even though he has not been charged with an offence under the sweeping legislation. The court's decision illustrates how the presumption of bail for non-violent crimes - once a hallmark of Hong Kong's common law legal system - is being swept away by the new national security law and expanded to include other offences. Wan Yiu-sing, 52, was charged earlier this week with sedition, a colonial-era law, for the content of four online talk shows he hosted last year. On Wednesday, he was remanded into custody ahead of his eventual trial after a judge decided his alleged sedition offences were a national security risk. It comes a day after Hong Kong's top court delivered a landmark judgment concerning bail for national security crimes. On Tuesday, the Court of Final Appeal said the security law "creates such a specific exception to the general rule in favour … [Read more...] about Hong Kong radio host denied bail after new security law ruling
Facebook says we’ve been forced to block media in Australia because of the law
LONDON: Facebook Inc said on Thursday that it blocked media content in Australia because the draft law did not provide clear guidance on the definition of news content and said its commitment to combat misinformation had not changed. "The actions we're taking are focused on restricting publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content," a company spokesman said. "As the law does not provide clear guidance on the definition of news content, we have taken a broad definition in order to respect the law as drafted. However, we will reverse any Pages that are inadvertently impacted," the spokesman said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton) … [Read more...] about Facebook says we’ve been forced to block media in Australia because of the law