Hong Kong court grants bail to pro-democracy activist Owen Chow charged under security law

Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday approved bail for a pro-democracy activist who is among 47 charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under a sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on its freest city last year, the city’s public broadcaster RTHK reported. Owen Chow, 24, who has been in jail for nearly four months, was… Read More Hong Kong court grants bail to pro-democracy activist Owen Chow charged under security law

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Hong Kong court upholds no-jury decision at first national security trial

Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal upheld on Tuesday a court decision to deny a trial by jury to the first person charged under a new national security law, a landmark decision that marks a departure from the global financial hub’s common law tradition. Last month, the Court of First Instance in the High Court ruled… Read More Hong Kong court upholds no-jury decision at first national security trial

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Taiwan criticises Hong Kong following expulsion of officials in ‘one China’ row

Taiwan criticised Hong Kong on Monday in an escalating row over China’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan, prompting it to pull out officials from its representative office in the Chinese-run city. Taiwanese staff working at the island’s representative office in Hong Kong started leaving the former British colony on Sunday, after Hong Kong’s government demanded that… Read More Taiwan criticises Hong Kong following expulsion of officials in ‘one China’ row

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U.S. imposes sanctions on Belarus over human rights abuses

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on more than a dozen Belarusian individuals and entities, the U.S. Treasury Department said, joining Britain, Canada and the European Union in applying pressure for human rights abuses and the erosion of democracy. Belarus plunged into crisis last year when street protests erupted over what demonstrators said was… Read More U.S. imposes sanctions on Belarus over human rights abuses

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Former Jordanian royal court chief pleads quilty to charges of trying to destabilise monarchy

A former Jordanian royal court chief and a low-ranking member of the royal family pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of agitating to destabilise the monarchy, one of their lawyers said. Prosecutors had referred to a military court the case of Bassem Awadallah, an ex-royal court chief and finance minister who played a big… Read More Former Jordanian royal court chief pleads quilty to charges of trying to destabilise monarchy

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Spain set to pardon nine jailed Catalan separatists

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government will pardon the nine jailed leaders of Catalonia’s failed 2017 independence bid on Tuesday, saying that seeking reconciliation with the region was in the public interest. But as Sanchez spoke of hopes for “a spirit of dialogue and concord”, separatist protesters in Barcelona clamoured for a new… Read More Spain set to pardon nine jailed Catalan separatists

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Turkish top court accepts indictment seeking ban of pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party

Turkey’s Constitutional Court accepted an indictment on Monday seeking a ban on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for alleged ties to militants, CNN Turk said, opening the way for a case to close parliament’s third-largest party. The case is the culmination of a years-long crackdown on the HDP, in which thousands of its members… Read More Turkish top court accepts indictment seeking ban of pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party

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Swedish PM Stefan Lofven ousted following parliament no-confidence vote

Sweden’s parliament voted to oust Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a no-confidence motion on Monday, giving the Social Democrat leader a week to either resign and hand the speaker the job of finding a new government, or call a snap election. The nationalist Sweden Democrats had seized the chance to call the vote last week… Read More Swedish PM Stefan Lofven ousted following parliament no-confidence vote

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