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August
More U.S. lawmakers set to visit Taiwan, defying angry Beijing
Written by Nur Yasmin
Another group of U.S. lawmakers will arrive in Taiwan on Thursday evening, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported, the third such visit this month and defying pressure from Beijing for these trips not to take place.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory against the strong objections of the democratically-elected government in Taipei, launched military drills near the island after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came in early August.
Another group of U.S. lawmakers will arrive in Taiwan on Thursday evening, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported, the third such visit this month and defying pressure from Beijing for these trips not to take place.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory against the strong objections of the democratically-elected government in Taipei, launched military drills near the island after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came in early August.
Another group of U.S. lawmakers will arrive in Taiwan on Thursday evening, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported, the third such visit this month and defying pressure from Beijing for these trips not to take place.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory against the strong objections of the democratically-elected government in Taipei, launched military drills near the island after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came in early August.
The United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
China has never ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Taiwan's government says the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island and so has no right to claim it, and that only its 23 million people can decide their future. (Reuters)
August
UN rights chief 'under tremendous pressure' over report on China's Uyghurs
Written by Nur Yasmin
The UN human rights chief said on Thursday that she is still aiming to release a long-anticipated report on China's treatment of its Uyghur minority in Xinjiang by the end of her four-year mandate next week amid "tremendous pressure" from all sides.
But the lack of a firm commitment by former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in her final press conference stoked further criticism from civil society groups who have accused her of being too soft on China since a May visit.
The report has been in the works for three years and promised for months but has not been published for unclear reasons.
"We are trying very hard to do what I promised," Bachelet said, referring to a pledge to release the report before the end of her term on Aug. 31.
Asked to elaborate on why it has not been released, Bachelet said she needed time to integrate new information from her visit and to review input on the report's contents from China.
Rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses against Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labour in internment camps. The United States has accused China of genocide.
China has vigorously denied the allegations.
Sophie Richardson, China director of Human Rights Watch, said Bachelet's response was "woefully inadequate" given the scale of abuses. Michele Taylor, U.S. ambassador on human rights in Geneva, called for the report's release, saying "the world deserves an independent and honest account" of the situation.
'UNDER TREMENDOUS PRESSURE'
Reuters reported last month that China had asked Bachelet to bury the report, according to a Chinese letter that was confirmed by diplomats.
Bachelet confirmed on Thursday having received that letter which she said was signed by about 40 other states, adding that her office would not respond to such pressure.
"I have been under tremendous pressure to publish or not to publish but I will not publish or withhold publication due to any such pressure," she said.
While it is normal practice for Bachelet's office to share an unpublished report with the concerned country, rights groups worry this gives China the scope to shape its contents.
"Our concern is that the longer the report is not released, the more likely it could be whitewashed," said Renee Xia, director of the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders.
In her closing speech, Bachelet also called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the attack against Ukraine.
Bachelet, 70, plans to return to Chile to retire. Many candidates have applied for the job but no successor has yet been named by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres whose choice must then be approved by the General Assembly in New York.
Bachelet, the 8th High Commissioner, said she felt proud of progress on abolishing the death penalty and the recognition of environmental rights, but said she felt hamstrung by COVID-19 restrictions that prevented more country visits.
"It's really sometimes very frustrating not to be able to advance much more. Sometimes you feel that the world is not getting better," she said.
(Reuters)
August
Taliban impose 'harsh' limits on Afghans' religious freedom -U.S. panel
Written by Nur Yasmin
Conditions for religious freedom in Afghanistan have "drastically deteriorated" since the Taliban seized power last year as the last U.S.-led foreign troops pulled out after 20 years of war, a bipartisan U.S. commission said on Tuesday.
The Sunni Muslim extremists' "harsh enforcement" of their hardline version of Islam "violates the freedom of religion or belief" of a wide range of Afghans, said the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The congressionally created panel issued its report nine days after the Taliban marked a year since they overran Kabul, returning to power almost two decades after their ouster by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
The report noted that the Taliban pledged to protect all ethnic and religious groups.
Yet, it said, "Religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan have drastically deteriorated," with the militants reintroducing "harsh restrictions on all Afghans" based on their hardline interpretation of Islam.
Those negatively affected include religious minorities, Afghans "with differing interpretations of Islam," women, the LGBTQ community and those who follow no faith, the report said.
The Taliban, the report said, are responsible for the deaths of dozens of Hazaras, an ethnic minority that follows Shiite Islam, and failed to protect them from attacks by the regional branch of Islamic State, a Taliban rival.
They re-established a ministry that includes morality police who have targeted women by enforcing a strict code of dress and behavior, including covering their faces, and limited their movement, education, participation in sports and right to work, it said.
The Taliban and Islamic State have both targeted sufis, practitioners of mystical Islam, it said.
"The Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan has led to a rapid decline and near extinction of the already small Afghan Hindu and Sikh communities" and the militants deny "the existence of a Christian community," which must worship in hiding, the report added. (Reuters)
August
Singapore to drop most indoor mask requirements next week
Written by Nur Yasmin
Singapore will do away with requirements to wear masks indoors starting Aug. 29, as the country sees its COVID-19 situation stabilise further, the health minister said on Wednesday.
For the first time in more than two years, people in the Southeast Asian city-state will no longer be required to wear masks indoors except on public transport and in high-risk settings like healthcare facilities.
The health ministry also updated rules for non-vaccinated travellers, dropping a 7-day quarantine requirement starting next week.
Singapore, which is a major Asian financial and travel hub, lifted most pandemic curbs, including travel restrictions, earlier this year.
About 70% of the city-state's 5.5 million population has already contracted COVID-19, Ong Ye Kung, the health minister said in a news conference, adding that the re-infection rate is so far "very low".
Singapore has vaccinated more than 90% of its population and has among the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world. (Reuters)
August
Malaysia ex-PM Najib moves from luxurious lifestyle to lockup
Written by Nur Yasmin
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's new prison lodgings may be less than an hour's drive from his mansion in Kuala Lumpur's affluent Bukit Tunku neighbourhood, but it is a world away from the luxury he is used to.
Najib lost his final appeal on a 12-year jail sentence for corruption on Tuesday, and was taken under heavy security to the country's largest jailhouse in Kajang - a sprawling complex southeast of the capital that holds up to 5,000 prisoners and includes a women's facility .
First convicted in July 2020, Najib had been out on bail pending appeals. The country's top court upheld his guilty verdict over criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering charges for illegally receiving about $10 million from a former unit of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The son of Malaysia's second prime minister, Najib held the premiership from 2009 to 2018, when public anger over the multi-billion dollar graft scandal at 1MDB brought election defeat.
Having been golf buddies with U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump and other world leaders, the British-educated son of Malay nobility will now count murderers and drug traffickers among his fellow inmates in Kajang.
One of them, Azilah Hadri, was a member of Najib's security detail before he was convicted of murder for the 2006 killing of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Azilah is currently on death row, while a fellow policeman who was convicted along with him sought sanctuary in Australia, where he remains.
In a 2019 court filing seeking to set aside his conviction, Azilah accused Najib of ordering the murder, a claim the ex-premier denied. The Federal Court rejected Azilah's application in 2020.
The Prisons Department did not respond to an emailed request for comment on what conditions Najib will face in jail. On Facebook, it denied as fake news a post by another user saying that the prisons provided special privileges for "VIP inmates" such as televisions and air-conditioning.
Otherwise, rights groups say Malaysian prisons suffer from overcrowding, poor hygiene, and lack of medical facilities, with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and scabies common.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who spent a total of eight years incarcerated at another Malaysian prison, has said he experienced inhumane and degrading conditions, including being served rotten fish "all the time", according to media reports.
However, Najib's former deputy prime minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, told parliament in 2016 that Anwar obtained privileges based on medical advice, including a customised hospital bed, a desk, hot showers, and a special diet.
Anwar was also given access to the prison library, received regular visitors, and was allowed to leave for hospital treatments and to attend trial, according to Ahmad Zahid.
Anwar was jailed twice on corruption and sodomy charges, which he maintains were politically motivated. He was pardoned by the king and released days after Najib's election defeat in 2018.
MORE CASES
The only times that Najib is likely to leave Kajang, are when he is escorted to court to attend hearings in four other cases related to corruption at 1MDB and other government agencies.
U.S. and Malaysian authorities say over $4.5 billion was stolen.
Malaysian investigators say they traced more than $1 billion to Najib's bank accounts, but he has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The opulent lifestyle of Najib and his family came to light with the discovery of about $275 million worth of cash, jewellery, and other luxury goods in residences used by Najib and his family.
Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, has pleaded not guilty in a corruption case unrelated to 1MDB. The court is set to deliver its verdict in her trial on Sept. 1. (Reuters)
August
South Korean general commands joint drills with U.S. troops
Written by Nur Yasmin
For the first time a South Korean general is commanding annual joint drills with American forces, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, a step toward Seoul's long-delayed goal of gaining command of allied forces in the event of a war.
The allies began on Monday their largest joint military drills in years, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, with a resumption of field training, aiming to strengthen readiness for potential weapons tests by North Korea.
The exercises include an 11-day "computer simulated, defensc-oriented training event" to improve allied readiness, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said in a statement.
In the exercise, U.S. Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, who commands USFK troops, the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command (CFC), and the United Nations Command (UNC), switched positions with his deputy, South Korean Gen. Ahn Byung-seok, USFK said.
The move was based on future command plans outlined by U.S and South Korean defence secretaries last year, LaCamera said in the statement.
"This is significant because, for the first time ever, the CFC deputy commander will take the lead as the future CFC commander," he added.
Since the 1950-1953 Korean War, the American military has retained authority to control hundreds of thousands of South Korean forces alongside the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the country if another war breaks out.
President Yoon Suk-yeol has said South Korea is not ready to take operational control of those joint forces, after a push by his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, faced delays over the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.
Yoon has cited a need for greater surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, among other factors.
South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup participated in Wednesday's drills, which the ministry said aimed at better deterring and responding to North Korea's nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats.
North Korea has criticised the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion, calling them a "hostile policy" that proves Washington and Seoul are truly not interested in diplomacy. (Reuters)
August
Japan signals return to nuclear power to stabilise energy supply
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan will restart more idled nuclear plants and look at developing next-generation reactors, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a major policy shift on nuclear energy a decade after the Fukushima disaster.
The comments from Kishida - who also said the government would look at extending the lifespan of existing reactors - highlight how the Ukraine crisis and soaring energy costs have forced both a change in public opinion and a policy rethink toward nuclear power.
Japan has kept most of its nuclear plants idled in the decade since a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Quake-prone Japan also said it would build no new reactors, so a change in that policy would be a stark turnaround.
Kishida told reporters he had instructed officials to come up with concrete measures by the year end, including on "gaining the understanding of the public" on sustainable energy and nuclear power.
Government officials met on Wednesday to hammer out a plan for so-called "green transformation" aimed at retooling the world's third-largest economy to meet environmental goals. Nuclear energy, which was deeply opposed by the public after the Fukushima crisis, is now seen by some in government as a component for such green transformation.
Public opinion has also shifted, as fuel prices have risen and an early and hot summer spurred calls for energy-saving.
"It is the first step towards the normalisation of Japan's energy policy," said Jun Arima, a project professor at the University of Tokyo's graduate school of public policy.
Japan needs nuclear power because its grid is not connected to neighbouring countries, nor is it able to boost output of domestic fossil fuels, he said.
Last month the government said it hoped to restart more nuclear reactors in time to avert any power crunch over the winter.
As of late July, Japan had seven operating reactors, with three others offline due to maintenance. Many others are still going through a relicensing process under stricter safety standards imposed after Fukushima.
Kishida also said the government would look at extending the lifespan of existing reactors. Local media earlier reported this could be done by not including the time reactors remained offline - years in some cases - when calculating their operating time.
Under current regulations, Japan decommissions plants after a predetermined period, which in many cases is 60 years. (Reuters)
August
Japan to waive pre-departure COVID tests for vaccinated travellers
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan will waive pre-departure COVID-19 tests for vaccinated travellers to the country, but daily caps on entrants will remain in place, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday.
Japan has maintained some of the strictest pandemic border measures among major economies, requiring travellers to present a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of departure.
"From Sept. 7, we will no longer require people who have been vaccinated three times to present proof that they are not infected," said Kishida, who addressed reporters online as he is recuperating from COVID at his official residence.
Domestic and foreign business groups have urged a greater relaxation of Japan's border controls, saying the measures risk inflicting further economic pain.
Kishida said in May that he wanted to bring Japan's border measures more in line with those of other Group of Seven nations.
Japan in June opened up to tourists for the first time in two years, but requirements that they apply for visas and stick to guided, package tours have kept actual numbers of inbound visitors small.
Local media reported on Tuesday that Japan may raise a daily cap on inbound travellers from 20,000 to 50,000, but no decision has been made, Kishida said.
"We will continue relaxing these measures gradually," he said. "We hope to announce something soon based on the quarantine setup and the situation with infections."
The border easing comes as Japan deals with a seventh wave of infections, driven by the infectious BA.4 and BA.5 variants, that have forced companies to idle production lines and driven COVID deaths to a record 343 on Tuesday.
All the same, Kishida is pushing a living "with corona" strategy of weathering the surge without imposing restrictions on businesses or mobility, and focusing medical resources on elderly and high-risk patients. (Reuters)
August
Putin says forest fires could worsen in European Russia, Far East
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday there was a risk that forest fires could worsen in both the European part of Russia and in its far east.
Speaking during a televised meeting with officials to discuss forest fires, Putin said: "Risks of deterioration of the situation remain not only in the European part of the country, but also in certain regions of the far east, where the fire situation is traditionally difficult".
Russia's forest fire season, which has been becoming more damaging due to climate change, traditionally lasts throughout the summer. Ryazan region on Monday declared a state of emergency with fires covering a 9,000 hectare area, causing smog in nearby Moscow. (Reuters)
August
Fatal stabbings highlight violence against women in Egypt
Written by Nur Yasmin
A series of violent crimes against women in Egypt has drawn attention to gaps in legal and social protections that leave female citizens vulnerable to attacks and harassment, victims and activists say.
The highest profile case was the murder in late June of 21-year-old student Nayera Ashraf, who was stabbed 19 times outside the gates of a university in Mansoura, north of Cairo. It emerged that the man convicted for her killing, Mohamed Adel, had been harassing her for almost a year after she rejected his marriage proposal.
Her death gained coverage across the Middle East, and drew attention to other violent crimes against women in Egypt. The reaction also built on a campaign against sexual abuse among Egypt's elite in 2020, partly inspired by the international "#MeToo" movement.
Activists say it is hard to measure the extent of gender-based violence in Egypt, where cultural practices have often prevented abused women from coming forward. Most cases are believed to go unreported.
A study by Egypt's Edraak Foundation for Development and Equality (EFDE), a non-governmental organisation, recorded 813 crimes of violence against women and girls mentioned in media reports and statements from the public prosecutor in 2021, up from 415 in 2020.
Victims and lawyers say that those who did seek help from authorities had not always received it.
Khaled Abdel Rahman, a lawyer for Ashraf's family, told Reuters that Adel stalked her, intimidated her publicly, created fake social media accounts using photographs of her face edited onto pornographic images and texted her death threats.
But he said that when Ashraf filed two restraining orders and reported the threats to the cybercrime police unit, the case was neglected.
"If these police reports had undergone proper legal procedures and action was taken against the accused person, Nayera would not have been killed," he said.
A judicial source familiar with the investigation who asked to remain anonymous said that in Ashraf's case it was "very difficult" to prove that the fake accounts belonged to the accused and that investigations take time.
Asked for comment on what critics described as neglect in utilising laws that could protect women, the prosecutor's office referred to its public statements.
In a statement issued ahead of Adel's trial, the prosecution said it confirmed its "firm response towards all forms of crimes of violence and aggression, especially those against women and youth". The interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
SECOND STABBING
Less than two months after Nayera Ashraf's murder, another university student, 20-year-old Salma Bahgat, was fatally stabbed at least 15 times in Zagazig, between Cairo and Mansoura. A fellow student has been charged with killing her after she rejected his marriage proposal.
The criminal trial of the suspect is due to start early September.
Amid the public outcry, a court in Mansoura found Ashraf's killer Adel guilty of premeditated murder within days of the crime. His death sentence was confirmed in another court in July.
Lobna Darwish, gender specialist at the NGO Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the state was trying to set an example by handing out tough penalties on cases that have stirred public opinion.
"But we ignore the root causes of violence against women and the extent of violence happening in homes and outside," she said.
The court that convicted Adel requested parliament change the law to allow for his execution to be broadcast on television.
One problem is the lack of a law criminalising violence against women that could prevent crimes before they happen, said Entessar El Saeed, a lawyer and director of the Cairo Foundation for Development and Law, an independent civil society group.
Social pressure against women reporting crimes also remains an obstacle, said El Saeed.
Such pressure was clear in the case of Mary Magdy, a 35-year-old woman who reported her husband to the police for four incidents of violent assault.
While he was summoned for questioning, no legal action was taken at first over her allegations, and police and prosecutors only offered spousal reconciliation, Magdy told Reuters.
Relatives pushed her to withdraw her complaints, but earlier this year she leaked surveillance footage of one of the beatings, and the public prosecutor reacted.
Her husband was arrested within a week and sentenced to a year in prison.
However, Magdy said she remained fearful for her life and the lives of her daughters once he is released. "I need safety," Magdy told Reuters. "The thought of him being released terrorizes me."
As a member of Egypt Coptic Christian minority, she is unable to obtain a divorce.
"There is no legal path that protects her," said Saeed Fayez, her lawyer. (Reuters)