The Plight of Rohingya Refugees One Year Later

It has been one year since the Burmese military began a violent campaign to force ethnic minorities to leave Myanmar's Rakhine state. Witnesses say the campaign included razing villages and separating families. More than 25,000 were killed and thousands of women and girls were sexually assaulted. Since then, more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, settling in refugee camps. In one such camp, VOA Bangla reporter Selim Hossain spoke to some of the women who survived the purge.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More The Plight of Rohingya Refugees One Year Later : https://ift.tt/2MHWjjB

Analysts: North Korea Prepares Smaller Military Parade

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — 

Satellite imagery shows North Korea is poised to stage another military parade amid new worries that diplomatic efforts on denuclearization are stalling, though analysts say it is unclear whether it will showcase any of the country’s largest ballistic missiles.

Pyongyang is preparing to host a number of major events Sept. 9 for the 70th anniversary of the country’s founding, including a military parade, possible visits by foreign delegations, and — for the first time in five years — a massive choreographed performance known as the “Mass Games.”

Parades have long been a way for North Korea to show off its military might, and September’s show comes amid sensitive negotiations over the future of the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met U.S. President Donald Trump in June and agreed to “work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” but negotiations since then appear to have stalled with both sides increasingly criticizing the other for a lack of progress.

Satellite images

Based on commercial satellite imagery gathered by Planet Labs Inc., analysts say September’s military parade is likely to be very similar to one staged Feb. 8, but so far there is no sign of the controversial intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that are believed to be capable of targeting the United States.

“At the moment, this parade look pretty similar if not smaller than the one in February,” said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at California’s Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Among the weapons the team at Middlebury spotted in Aug. 22 images of North Korea’s Mirim Parade Training Ground are tanks, self-propelled artillery, infantry carriers, anti-aircraft missiles, and rocket launchers.

Other possible weapons arrayed on the parade ground include coastal defense cruise missiles, as well as at least six solid-fuel, short-range ballistic missiles possibly of a type first seen in February.

Analysts said that short-range ballistic missile is based on the Russian Iskander missile but also shares many features of South Korea’s Hyunmoo-2 missile.

“The first 99 vehicles are identical,” Lewis said. “After that we only see another 20 or so short-range missiles. There were more on parade in February, including ICBMs.”

No ICBMs in sight

Another analysis of the Planet Labs images, conducted by Joseph Bermudez at the Stimson Centre’s 38 North website, also found no signs of ICBMs, but noted that an expanded number of heavy equipment storage shelters indicate September’s parade “will likely be considerably larger than the military parade earlier this year.”

If ICBMs or other large missiles are present, “they would likely remain hidden under the shelters in the heavy equipment storage area until the day of the parade,” Bermudez wrote.

Lewis acknowledged that there could be more weapons hidden in the sheds, but said at this point it is “just speculation.”

Analysts say that so far there is no indication the parade will match the April 2017 “Day of the Sun” parade, in which Kim rolled out multiple new missile systems, helping to exacerbate rising tensions with the United States and South Korea.

“It probably wont be anything close to what we saw in 2017,” said Dave Schmerler, a research associate at the Middlebury Institute.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Analysts: North Korea Prepares Smaller Military Parade : https://ift.tt/2PnoDF6

Activists: Proposed Myanmar Highway ‘Ecological, Social Disaster’

Can China's Big Loans to Africa Continue?

NAIROBI — 

Over the past decade, China has extended billions of dollars in loans to African countries, mostly for infrastructure. However, some experts say the global trade war may factor into how China uses its money.

Chinese and African leaders meet every three years to discuss ways China can fund Africa's development aspirations. The next session, to begin Monday, will address the Belt and Road initiative, which aims to better connect China with the African continent.

But with China engaged in a trade disagreement with the U.S., the Chinese government may be less willing to expand its financial commitment to Africa, according to Cobus van Staden, senior researcher on Africa-China relations at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

At the 2015 gathering in South Africa, China pledged to loan Africa $60 billion. Chinese companies are currently building railway lines in Kenya, Nigeria and Angola, as well as roads and housing projects in South Africa.

However, some Africans worry that their governments have over-borrowed, leaving their countries with huge debt.

The head of the Africa Policy Institute, Peter Kagwanja, says the loans need to be directed at projects that have high economic returns.

"But of course, the question is how do African countries deal with that particular debt, and China's answer, which Africa seems to be agreeing with, is that we need investments in activities that are going to produce maximally to get the investment to pay for themselves," Kagwanja said.

China is accused by Western powers of supporting and funding undemocratic states and countries that do not have respect for human rights.

As China's interests expand, Kagwanja says, it cannot ignore the security and political threats in Africa.

"That question is critical, and it was brought on the forefront the kind of uncertainty that surrounded Kenya's political elections last year at a time when China was celebrating one year of SGR [standard gauge railway] in the country, and that uncertainty raises questions: What can China do to secure the political stability of African countries? What kind of governance systems does Africa need to adopt in order to secure a long-term basis not only investment, but long-term planning for socio-economic transformation?" Kagwanja said.

The two-day forum in Beijing ends Tuesday.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Can China's Big Loans to Africa Continue? : https://ift.tt/2wxAush

Philippines Informs China of Grounded Frigate Amid Sea Feud

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — 

Two officials say the Philippines has notified China about a Philippine navy frigate that ran aground in the South China Sea to avoid any misunderstanding because the incident happened near a hotly disputed region.

The Philippine military said the BRP Gregorio del Pilar ran aground during a routine patrol Wednesday night in the vicinity of Half Moon Shoal, which is called Hasa Hasa in the Philippines, adding that its crew was unhurt. The barren shoal is on the eastern edge of the disputed Spratly archipelago.

The Philippine officials said Friday China was informed of the accident through its military attache in Manila. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

Two Philippine tugboats are en route to extricate the frigate.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Philippines Informs China of Grounded Frigate Amid Sea Feud : https://ift.tt/2wwCGRx

Australian Filmmaker Sentenced to 6 Years in Cambodia Prison

Health of Mothers, Infants Growing Concern in Rohingya Refugee Camps

Former Australian Prime Minister Quits Parliament

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — 

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull resigned from Parliament Friday, triggering a by-election that could bring down the unpopular conservative government.

Disgruntled lawmakers in Turnbull’s conservative Liberal Party replaced him as prime minister with his treasurer, Scott Morrison, in a party ballot last Friday. The government has trailed the center-left opposition Labor Party in most opinion polls since the last election in 2016.

Turnbull became the fourth prime minister ousted by his or her own party since 2010. He warned that he would quit Parliament and cause a by-election that could cost the government its single-seat majority.​

Election by October

The by-election in Turnbull’s wealthy Sydney electorate could be held as early as Oct. 6. House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Turnbull has been criticized by former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce for refusing to stay in Parliament until the next election in May next year.

Joyce, who fell out with Turnbull over an affair Joyce had with a former staffer, said “people are going to be really disappointed” by Turnbull’s decision not to serve his full three-year term.

Praise from successor

Morrison on Friday had nothing but praise for his predecessor.

“I’m disappointed Malcolm’s leaving Parliament and is leaving public life. Malcolm has been a dear and close friend of me for a very long period of time and has served his country well and grandly. As a prime minister, he’ll be well remembered I believe over time,” Morrison told reporters in Jakarta.

“Right now I just want to send to my friend Malcolm and to (his wife) Lucy and their entire family all my best wishes and all my love,” Morrison added.

Turnbull told his supporters Wednesday that he would resign this week.

“I don’t want to dwell on recent shocking and shameful events, a malevolent and pointless week of madness that disgraced our Parliament and appalled our nation,” Turnbull wrote of his ousting.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Former Australian Prime Minister Quits Parliament  : https://ift.tt/2NDfBDs

Maternal, Newborn Health Growing Concern in Rohingya Refugee Camps

Maternal and infant health is an ongoing concern in the Rohingya refugee camps, where poverty and a lack of education can create health risks for new moms and their babies. Steve Sandford has this update after traveling with mobile health workers in the camps.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Maternal, Newborn Health Growing Concern in Rohingya Refugee Camps : https://ift.tt/2wuejUC

China to Use Africa Forum to Defend Belt and Road Initiative

South Korea Proposes Reclassifying North Korean Abductees as Missing

S. Korea Sends Envoy North for Pre-Summit Talks

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — 

South Korean media say President Moon Jae-in will send an envoy to North Korea next week for talks on a nuclear standoff and to set up a summit planned for next month.

There has been growing worry over the slow pace of getting North Korea to end its nuclear program following President Donald Trump’s landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June.

Moon and Kim are set to meet next month in Pyongyang for their third summit.

Details, including when, are still unclear.

The report comes days after a planned trip by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang was shelved.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More S. Korea Sends Envoy North for Pre-Summit Talks : https://ift.tt/2C3j0tK

For African Countries, China Forum Provides Shot at Better Deals

China’s Floating Nuclear Power Plants Pose Risks in South China Sea

Catholic Church Rejects Australian Laws on Reporting Child Abuse

SYDNEY — 

The Catholic Church in Australia on Friday rejected laws forcing priests to report child abuse when they learn about it in the confessional, setting the stage for a showdown between the country’s biggest religion and the government.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC), the country’s top Catholic body, said it did not accept a recommendation from an official inquiry into church abuse, which would force priests by law to report abuse to the police when they hear about it in confession.

Two of the country’s eight states have since introduced laws making it a crime for priests to fail to report abuse heard in the confessional, while other states have said they are considering their response.

“The Council ... continues to support retention of the civil law protection for the seal of the confessional,” the ACBC said in a report published Friday.

Last year, Australia completed a five-year government-appointed inquiry into child sex abuse in churches and other institutions, amid allegations worldwide that churches had protected pedophile priests by moving them from parish to parish.

The inquiry heard that 7 percent of Catholic priests working in Australia between 1950 and 2010 had been accused of child sex crimes and that nearly 1,100 people had filed child sexual assault claims against the Anglican Church in 35 years.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Catholic Church Rejects Australian Laws on Reporting Child Abuse : https://ift.tt/2PUhRYy

New Zealand Allows Chelsea Manning Entry for Speaking Tour

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — 

New Zealand authorities said Friday that convicted secrets leaker Chelsea Manning can enter the country for a speaking tour, a day after tour organizers said she couldn’t enter Australia.

Manning was convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking U.S. government secrets and would not normally qualify for entry into New Zealand under its good-character provisions.

But Immigration New Zealand General Manager Steve Stuart said Manning had been granted a “special direction,” allowing her to apply for a working visa for planned speaking events in Auckland and Wellington next month.

Stuart said the agency noted that Manning’s sentence had been commuted by President Barack Obama in 2017, that she had not reoffended since being released, and that the chances of her offending while in New Zealand were low.

New Zealand’s conservative opposition National Party had urged the government to ban Manning, saying her appearance would not enhance New Zealand’s relationship with the U.S.

Australia has similar good-character rules to New Zealand. Manning’s tour was to start in Sydney on Sunday, but Thursday event organizer Think Inc. said it had received a notice of intention from the Australian government to deny Manning entry.

The group was calling on her supporters to lobby new Immigration Minister David Coleman to allow her into Australia. While Manning can appeal, past precedent suggests the decision has already been made.

Manning, 30, acknowledged leaking more than 700,000 military and State Department documents to anti-secrecy site WikiLeaks in 2010. Known as Bradley Manning at the time of her arrest, she came out as transgender after her 2013 court-martial. She recently lost a Democratic primary in a long-shot bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland.

Under its good-character rules, New Zealand typically denies entry to people who have been sentenced to five years or more in prison at any time in their lives, or who have been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison at some point during the last 10 years.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More New Zealand Allows Chelsea Manning Entry for Speaking Tour : https://ift.tt/2BZvoLa

Australian Filmmaker Convicted of Spying in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — 

A judge in Cambodia has convicted Australian filmmaker James Ricketson of spying and sentenced him to 6 years in prison,

Ricketson faced a charge of violating national security, which carries up to 10 years in prison, when he arrived at a Cambodian court to hear his verdict Friday.

Cambodia has released almost two dozen jailed critics or opponents of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government in recent weeks, raising hopes that Ricketson may also be freed.

He arrived alone to the Phnom Penh court in a prison van, later telling The Associated Press from a waiting room, “I hope I am free today and I could go home.”

Photographing opposition rally

Ricketson, 69, has been held since June last year when he was detained after flying a drone to photograph an opposition party political rally.

The charge against Ricketson is tantamount in legal terms to espionage, but prosecutors never specified which foreign power he allegedly spied for.

The leniency shown to opponents and critics following the July election followed a pattern of Hun Sen’s long rule, with a harsh crackdown on opponents and critics preceding the vote and royal pardons, clemency and conciliatory moves after he wins a resounding victory.

The evidence presented against Ricketson appeared thin. A handful of personal emails seized from Ricketson suggested he was sympathetic to the country’s political opposition and critical of Hun Sen’s government, but revealed no sensitive or secret information. Several of his photos and videos showed security forces on duty, but only in publicly viewable situations.

Making a documentary

Questions and statements from the prosecutors at his trial indicated Ricketson was suspected of working with the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, which for a time had enough popularity among Cambodians to be a viable challenger to Hun Sen’s rule. The party, however, was dissolved by a court ruling last November that assured Hun Sen’s party of its sweeping victory.

Ricketson testified in his defense that he made contacts with the opposition party strictly for journalistic purposes while making a documentary film. He recounted a filmmaking career dating to the 1970s, and presented acclaimed Australian movie director Peter Weir to attest to his professionalism in the field.

Ricketson’s other character witnesses were several Cambodians, including his informally adopted daughter, who described how he had provided financial assistance to them and other poor members of Cambodian society.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Australian Filmmaker Convicted of Spying in Cambodia : https://ift.tt/2wv5OsB

China August Factory PMI Rises to 51.3, Beats Expectations

BEIJING — 

Growth in China’s manufacturing sector unexpectedly picked up in August after sliding for two months, official data showed Friday, a sign that economic activity is still fairly resilient despite weak investment and an escalating trade battle with the United States.

The official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) Friday rose to 51.3 in August from 51.2 in July, and remained above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction for the 25th straight month.

Analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast the reading would dip to 51.0, which would have been the lowest reading in six months.

Weighed down by rising financing costs and slowing investment, China’s economy was starting to cool even before the trade dispute with Washington escalated.

Beijing is speeding up infrastructure spending and offering help to smaller companies to prevent a sharper slowdown, though policymakers are wary of adding to a mountain of debt that was fuelled by past stimulus binges.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More China August Factory PMI Rises to 51.3, Beats Expectations : https://ift.tt/2N5tVHD

Russia Holds Up Release of Report on N. Korea Sanctions

UNITED NATIONS — 

Russia said Thursday that it was holding up release of a report by U.N. experts who said North Korea is violating U.N. sanctions by not stopping its nuclear and missile programs and by engineering "a massive increase in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products.''

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters after a closed Security Council meeting on the report that he was blocking its release "because we disagree on certain elements of the report.''

He said Russia also asked for an investigation into regular leaks of reports on North Korea to the media. The Associated Press and other news organizations reported the panel's latest findings in early August.

Nebenzia didn't disclose Russia's concerns, but diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations were private, said a key objection was the panel's mention of Russian ships being involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce, the current Security Council president, said there would be informal consultations Friday to determine what Russia's objections are in hopes of finalizing and releasing the report.

"I need to stress that this panel of experts report is independent,'' she said. "It's an interesting question as to whether you should be objecting to an independent report. But, as I say, the council hopes we can resolve this.''

Pierce said the Security Council had been "very strong'' on enforcing sanctions against North Korea, "and getting this report out and implemented is the next stage in enforcing the sanctions.''

The experts' report said sanctions against North Korea were also being violated by transfers of coal at sea and by the flouting of an arms embargo and financial restrictions.

North Korea also attempted to sell small arms, light weapons and other military equipment via foreign intermediaries, including Syrian arms traffickers in the case of Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen as well as Libya and Sudan, the report said. And North Korea has continued military cooperation with Syria, in breach of U.N. sanctions.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Russia Holds Up Release of Report on N. Korea Sanctions : https://ift.tt/2PRcKIo

Report: Trump Ready With Tariffs on More China Goods

WASHINGTON — 

U.S. President Donald Trump is prepared to quickly ramp up a trade war with China and has told aides he is ready to impose tariffs on $200 billion more in
Chinese imports as soon as a public comment period on the plan ends next week, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

The White House declined to comment on the Bloomberg report, which cited six unidentified sources, nor would the administration comment on deflated markets. The Standard & Poor's 500 hit session lows, and the U.S. dollar, Chinese yuan and U.S. Treasury yields also fell.

Trump has credited his electoral success to his hard line on trade, which he has argued hurts U.S. workers and favors foreign competitors. Washington is demanding that Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. companies, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap.

The world's two largest economies have already applied tariffs to $50 billion of each other's goods. Talks aimed at easing tensions ended last week without major breakthroughs.

The new proposed 25 percent tariffs would affect consumer products including homebuilding supplies, technology products, bicycles and apparel.

A public comment period on the proposal is set to end on September 6, and Trump plans to impose the tariffs after that deadline, Bloomberg said.

Some sources said Trump had not made his final decision, the Bloomberg report said. Trump administration officials have been divided over how hard to push Beijing.

Trump, who has threatened to impose duties on virtually all of the more than $500 billion of Chinese goods exported to the United States each year, told Reuters in an interview earlier this month that resolving the trade war with China would "take time" and that he had "no time frame" for ending it.

The report on Trump's China stance coincided with U.S. negotiators' push to strike a deal with Canadian counterparts to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Report: Trump Ready With Tariffs on More China Goods : https://ift.tt/2C2V8qh

Vietnamese from All Walks of Life Pay Tribute to McCain

Immigrants Thrive at Minnesota Farming Co-Op

In Minnesota, Hmong farmers have banded together to make a better living. Originally from China, the Hmong are an Asian ethnic group that migrated to Vietnam and Laos in the 18th century. But they have never had a country of their own. After the Vietnam War ended, many resettled in the U.S. and now, decades later, Hmong farmers are at the center of a local foods economy in Minnesota. VOA’s June Soh has more in this report narrated by Carol Pearson.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Immigrants Thrive at Minnesota Farming Co-Op : https://ift.tt/2opAffm

Rights Group: Blocking Aid to Displaced Myanmar Civilians a War Crime

A human rights group says the Myanmar government may have committed a war crime by allegedly blocking deliveries of life-saving aid supplies to civilians in war-torn northern Myanmar.

"The government of Myanmar's willful deprivation of humanitarian aid to displaced civilians in Kachin State violates domestic and international law, and could amount to a war crime," said David Baulk of the advocacy group Fortify Rights.

The group released a report Thursday on aid restrictions, days after U.N. investigators said Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya in the country's western Rakhine State with "genocidal intent."

Fortify Rights said its research shows only five-percent of aid workers who submitted applications to travel in government-controlled areas in the north were granted in a one year period ending in June.

Balk said the U.N. Security Council should ask the International Criminal Court to investigate developments in Myanmar. The group also called on Myanmar authorities to allow aid groups to deliver essential aid.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay rejected the U.N.'s findings earlier this week. He did not immediately respond to Fortify Rights' report.

The aid crisis worsened as fighting re-ignited in April between government troops and a rebel group in the northern Kachin State, where thousands of civilians have been killed and over 100,000 displaced since 2011.

The new offensive has forced thousands more to flee their homes. It has also triggered new concerns that Myanmar's military is creating a humanitarian crisis similar to the one created by violence against Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine.

The group's report said civilians affected by the the escalation in violence have experienced "increased food insecurity, avoidable health-related deaths, poor living conditions, and protections concerns."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Rights Group: Blocking Aid to Displaced Myanmar Civilians a War Crime : https://ift.tt/2LGIwV3

US Extends Travel Ban to North Korea

The U.S. on Thursday extended the ban on Americans' travel to North Korea for another year, saying it was too dangerous to go there.

"The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities," a State Department official said. "The travel warning for North Korea remains in place — the Department of State strongly warns U.S. citizens not to travel to North Korea."

The travel ban extension, in force until August 31 next year, comes as Washington's efforts to negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula with Pyongyang have stalled.

When President Donald Trump left the June summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the U.S. leader declared that North Korea was "no longer a nuclear threat," believing that Kim had agreed to end the North's nuclear weapons program.

In recent days, however, Trump, irked by the slow pace of subsequent nuclear talks on how and when North Korea would dismantle its nuclear arsenal, ordered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to forego a planned trip to Pyongyang for more negotiations.

The State Department said that under U.S. law Pompeo can impose geographic travel restrictions on Americans under any of three conditions - if a country is at war with the U.S., there are armed hostilities in a country or region, or "there is imminent danger to the public health or physical safety of U.S. travelers in the country or area."

Pompeo, the State Department official said, used the third of the criteria in extending the travel ban.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More US Extends Travel Ban to North Korea : https://ift.tt/2onqwWI

Japan Protests to China Over Banning of Reporter

TOKYO — 

Japan has protested to China over its decision to ban a reporter for a conservative Japanese newspaper from covering talks between the countries' diplomats.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday that Japan lodged a protest over the exclusion of a Sankei Shimbun reporter from the opening of talks Wednesday between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba.

Sankei is known for its critical stance toward China.

Other Japanese reporters covering the event walked out in protest.

Suga called the incident regrettable and said respect for freedom of expression, basic human rights and rule of law is a universal value that must be ensured.

Akiba was in Beijing to discuss a possible visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China later this year.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Japan Protests to China Over Banning of Reporter : https://ift.tt/2MDQFz6

Islamic Edict Threatens to Derail Indonesian Immunization Efforts

Australia Denies Chelsea Manning Entry for Speaking Tour

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — 

Convicted classified document leaker Chelsea Manning will not be allowed to enter Australia for a speaking tour scheduled to start Sunday, her event organizer said Thursday.

Think Inc. said it received Wednesday a notice of intention from the government to deny Manning entry. The group is calling on her supporters to lobby new Immigration Minister David Coleman to allow her into Australia. While she can appeal, past precedent suggests the decision has already been made.

Think Inc. said it had given the government more than 10 letters of support from individuals and organizations who support Manning’s entry to Australia.

“Ms. Manning offers formidable ideas and an insightful perspective which we are hoping to bring to the forefront of Australian dialogue,” Think Inc. Director Suzi Jamil said in a statement.

Document leaker

Manning was an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army when she leaked military and diplomatic documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks. She served seven years of a 35-year sentence before then-President Barack Obama granted her clemency in 2017.

The transgender activist who recently lost a long-shot bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland is scheduled to speak at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday and has subsequent events in Australia and New Zealand.

The Department of Home Affairs said while it does not comment on individual cases, all noncitizens entering Australia must meet character requirements set out in the Migration Act. The reasons a person might fail the character test include a criminal record or a determination they might a risk to the community, according to the department.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision was for Coleman, who was sworn in as immigration minister Tuesday.

Protests

A foreign affairs spokeswoman for the opposition Labor party, Penny Wong, said the government should be transparent about the reason if Manning is denied entry.

Amnesty International accused the government of trying to silence Manning.

“By refusing her entry, the Australian government would send a chilling message that freedom of speech is not valued by our government,” Amnesty International national director Claire Mallinson said in a statement.

Lawyer Greg Barns, who has represented Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, said people with criminal records have been allowed into Australia in the past. He said no one would seriously suggest Manning was a risk to the Australian community.

New Zealand decision

Immigration in New Zealand expects to make a decision by Friday on whether to grant her a “special direction” visa. She doesn’t qualify for entry otherwise because she has a criminal conviction within the last 10 years for which she had a sentence exceeding 1 year, according to the country’s visa rules.

New Zealand’s center-right National Party opposition is urging the government to decline her visa request. If the decision goes against Manning, she can have it reviewed by the immigration minister.

She is scheduled to speak in the Australian city of Melbourne on Sept. 7, the New Zealand city of Auckland on Sept. 8, the New Zealand capital Wellington on Sept. 9 and the Australian city of Brisbane on Sept. 11.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Australia Denies Chelsea Manning Entry for Speaking Tour : https://ift.tt/2wpU62k

Firewood Needs Damaging Environment in Rohingya Refugee Camps

An estimated 700 tons of trees are cut each day around Cox's Bazar to provide refugees fuel for cooking. Now NGOs are working together to provide training and gas stoves to curb the environmental damage and dangers of collecting firewood. Steve Sandford has this update from the refugee camps.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Firewood Needs Damaging Environment in Rohingya Refugee Camps : https://ift.tt/2wt0AgF

Myanmar Dam Breach Floods 85 Villages

Vice Premier: Chinese Enforcers Should be "Realistic" in Pollution

BEIJING — 

Chinese authorities should not arbitrarily shut down firms that meet emission standards during environmental cleanup campaigns, Vice Premier Han Zheng said on Wednesday.

Beijing has made reducing pollution one of its highest national priorities, but the drive has been criticized as poorly planned at the local level, with across-the-board closures of industrial plants in some regions ensnaring even compliant companies.

Xinhua news agency quoted Han as saying that measures in the battle against pollution should be realistic and sustainable, though environmental protection policies should be strictly enforced to deter companies that violate the rules.

He was speaking at a meeting on a plan to tackle pollution in and around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region during the winter, when smog often blankets northern China.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment said in May that China would end a "one size fits all" approach to fighting pollution as it tries to devise more nuanced policies that match local conditions and minimize economic disruption.

A plan to switch millions of households and thousands of businesses from coal to natural gas in north China last winter backfired as severe gas shortages hit the region. "Steadily promote clean winter heating in North China, and ensure people are safe and warm," Han said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Vice Premier: Chinese Enforcers Should be "Realistic" in Pollution : https://ift.tt/2wsTnNG

Trump OKs Tariff Relief for Three Countries

WASHINGTON — 

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed proclamations permitting targeted relief from steel and aluminum quotas from some countries, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

Trump, who put in place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in March, signed proclamations allowing relief from the quotas on steel from South Korea, Brazil and Argentina and on aluminum from Argentina, the department said in a statement.

“Companies can apply for product exclusions based on insufficient quantity or quality available from U.S. steel or aluminum producers,” the statement said. “In such cases, an exclusion from the quota may be granted and no tariff would be owed.”

Trump, citing national security concerns, placed tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports.

The tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico took effect June 1, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said May 31 that arrangements had been made with some countries to have non-tariff limits on their exports of the two metals to the United States.

Ross said the arrangement with South Korea was for a quota of 70 percent of average steel exports to the United States in the years 2015 to 2017.

The Brazilian government said at the time the U.S. quotas and tariffs on Brazil’s steel and aluminum exports were unjustified but that it remained open to negotiate a solution.

Brazilian semi-finished steel exports to the United States are subject to quotas based on the average for the three years from 2015-2017, while finished steel products will be limited to a quota of 70 percent of the average for those years.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Trump OKs Tariff Relief for Three Countries : https://ift.tt/2Nw7cBA

US Lawmakers Urge China Sanctions Over Xinjiang Abuses

WASHINGTON — 

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers called Wednesday for the United States to impose sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for human rights
abuses against minority Muslims in China's Xinjiang region, saying it was being turned into a "high-tech police state."

The group, led by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, Republican co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Executive Commission on China, made the call in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Muslims in Xinjiang, China's western autonomous region, were "being subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, egregious restrictions on religious practice and culture, and a digitized surveillance system so pervasive that every aspect of daily life is monitored," the lawmakers said in their letter, which in addition to Rubio and Smith was signed by 15 U.S. senators and
representatives.

The letter, signed by nine Republicans, seven Democrats and one independent, called for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against senior Chinese government and Communist Party officials overseeing the policies, including Xinjiang party chief Chen Quanguo, and for other measures to be considered.

The Magnitsky Act was originally designed to target Russian rights violators but has been expanded to allow sanctions for abuses anywhere in the world.

"The Chinese government is creating a high-tech police state in [Xinjiang] that is both a gross violation of privacy and international human rights," the letter said.

Militant threat

China has said that Xinjiang faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists who plot attacks and stir up tensions between the mostly Muslim Uighur minority who call the region home and the ethnic Han Chinese majority. Hundreds of people have been killed in violence in Xinjiang in recent years.

Critics have said the security and surveillance steps in Xinjiang have created near martial law conditions, with police checkpoints, re-education centers and mass DNA collection.

The U.S. lawmakers, in their letter, said as many as a million or more Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities were being detained in re-education centers or camps, saying this required "a tough, targeted and global response."

"No Chinese official or business complicit in what is happening ... should profit from access to the United States or the U.S. financial system," the letter said.

The U.S. State Department has said that it is deeply troubled by Beijing's crackdown in Xinjiang, but has declined to comment on the possibility of future sanctions on Chen and others.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More US Lawmakers Urge China Sanctions Over Xinjiang Abuses : https://ift.tt/2PjGbBP

UN Urges Facebook to ‘Proactively’ Fight Hate Speech

GENEVA — 

The UN human rights chief urged Facebook Wednesday to more proactively address hate speech but warned against excessive regulation, after US President Donald Trump accused tech giants’ platforms of bias against him.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein’s appeal follows a decision by Facebook this week to ban Myanmar’s army chief and other top military brass named in a UN probe linking them to a possible “genocide” against Rohingya Muslims.

The social media network is the prime source of news and information for many in the country, but has also been a platform for the army and Buddhist hardliners to spread hate speech against the Rohingya and other minorities.

The site aired support for the military’s bloody “clearance operations” last year that forced some 700,000 Rohingya over the border into Bangladesh.

“We felt early on very uncomfortable with what we were seeing in Myanmar, (but) in the early meetings that we had with Facebook, I didn’t think they were taking it seriously,” said Zeid, who is due to step down from his post as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the end of the week.

“Hopefully they’ve now awoken,” he told reporters in Geneva, warning that there could easily be other cases “where Facebook is the dominant medium in a country where you see a deterioration of human rights conditions and then their role would be brought into question.”

He cautioned that the company should be “careful,” since it risked being subpoenaed in possible future trials “of those accused of the worst crimes.”​

‘Accessory’

“We’ve seen from the jurisprudence of the past that if you’ve enabled, you’ve abetted, you’ve been an accessory,” Zeid said, stressing that while he was not accusing Facebook of that, “they have to be sure that they know where they are and what side of the law they are on.”

The Jordanian national, who is set to be succeeded by former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, urged Facebook to not wait until a full-blown crisis erupts to act against hate speech.

“They should be thinking proactively about what steps they will take to mitigate that,” he said.

Zeid meanwhile warned of going too far in the opposite direction, cautioning that “there is also another danger (of being) overregulated.”

He pointed to recent comments by the US president, who has accused big tech firms like Facebook, Google and Twitter of bias against him, slamming what he called “rigged” internet search results.

Trump offered no details on what if any actions he might take, but a top White House aide suggested the administration may look at some type of regulation in response to the president's complaints.

Zeid insisted that instead of more government regulations, the platforms’ actions must “be regulated by (international) human rights law.”

‘Dangerous’

The comments did not mark the first time the UN rights chief has criticized Trump.

He has repeatedly warned that the US president's relentless attacks on the media are “dangerous.”

On Wednesday, Zeid said Trump’s recent statements “have been very worrisome to me,” reiterating his warning that the president’s words could trigger violence against journalists.

“All of us would be horrified, but perhaps not shocked if we heard of a journalist that was attacked and severely beaten for example at one of the rallies,” he said, stressing that if that happens “the president would bear some responsibility.”

“As the campaigning seasons heat up, whether it be for the midterm elections or the presidential elections to come, the conduct of the president should be under very careful scrutiny by the international community and by this office,” Zeid said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More UN Urges Facebook to ‘Proactively’ Fight Hate Speech : https://ift.tt/2PPOIO7

Mattis: No Decision on Fate of Korean Peninsula Exercises

PENTAGON — 

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday clarified his previous statements on the fate of additional large-scale exercises on the Korean Peninsula, leaving open the possibility of future cancellations.

"Our military posture has not changed since the conclusion of the Singapore summit, and no decisions have been made about suspending any future exercises," Mattis said.

"Our forces maintain a high state of military readiness and vigilance in full support of a diplomatically led effort to bring peace, prosperity and stability to the Korean Peninsula," he added.

At a Tuesday briefing, the defense secretary told Pentagon reporters he had "no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises" on the Korean Peninsula.

Minutes later, however, when asked whether that meant next year's large-scale exercises on the peninsula known as Ulchi-Freedom Guardian and Foal Eagle were now back on, Mattis replied that the Pentagon had "not made decisions on that at this time" and would "do that in consultation" with the State Department.

Mattis stressed Tuesday that while "several of the largest exercises" on the peninsula had been suspended to allow room for negotiations with Pyongyang, all other exercises were continued in order to maintain military readiness.

"So there are ongoing exercises all the time on the peninsula," Mattis said. "They've never been turned off."

Mattis insisted both at the briefing and in his new statement on Wednesday that the Pentagon would do whatever was needed to support diplomats working to denuclearize North Korea.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Mattis: No Decision on Fate of Korean Peninsula Exercises : https://ift.tt/2MYozxU

NATO Sees Russian Buildup Ahead of Wargames With China

BRUSSELS — 

NATO says major military exercises between Russia and China next month demonstrate that Moscow continues to focus on large-scale conflict.

Acting Deputy Spokesman Dylan White said Wednesday that Vostok-2018, billed as the biggest war games since the Cold War, “demonstrates Russia's focus on exercising large-scale conflict.”

The exercises in central and eastern Russia will involve about 300,000 Russian troops. China's state Xinhua news agency has reported China plans to send 3,200 troops and about 900 weapons units.

White said they fit a pattern revealing “a more assertive Russia, significantly increasing its defense budget and its military presence.”

NATO is weighing Moscow's invitation to send observers to the September 11-15 war games.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More NATO Sees Russian Buildup Ahead of Wargames With China : https://ift.tt/2wn8M1U

Pacific Islands Unscathed after Tsunami Scare

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — 

Small tsunami waves lapped New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu Wednesday after a strong earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, but the threat passed without any damage reported.

After the 7.1 magnitude quake struck off the eastern coast of New Caledonia, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said "waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meter above the tide level" were possible.

But only minor sea level fluctuations were recorded and the warning was soon called off.

Despite this coastal populations were urged to "stay alert" and follow instructions from local authorities.

The tremor hit at a depth of 27 kilometers (17 miles) in the southern Pacific Ocean, some 231 kilometers from the nearest town, Tadine, in the lightly-populated Loyalty Islands, the US Geological Survey said.

Geoscience Australia said shaking would have been felt throughout New Caledonia, but it put the damage radius at 103 kilometers -- well away from land.

Jonathan Hanson, duty seismologist at New Zealand's GNS Science, said the epicenter was some distance from inhabited islands and the tsunami wave warnings were modest.

"The tsunami wave sizes we've seen reported are 16-17 centimeters (6.3-6.7 inches) at two New Caledonia stations. At those sizes we wouldn't expect any damage," he told AFP.

New Caledonia's Civil Security department said there was no risk of major flooding.

"Given its location, depth and magnitude, abnormal changes in sea levels could be seen in the Loyalty Islands," it said.

"Since there is no risk of major flooding along the coast, no action by the public is required," it added, calling nonetheless for coastal residents to exercise "caution".

Fiji's disaster management minister tweeted that the quake "does NOT pose any immediate threat to the Fiji region".

New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, Fiji and Vanuatu are located within the "Ring of Fire", a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Pacific Islands Unscathed after Tsunami Scare : https://ift.tt/2NvPvlu

China Denies Trump's Claim it Hacked Clinton's Emails

BEIJING — 

China has denied an accusation by U.S. President Donald Trump that it hacked the emails of Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the 2016 election.

“We are firmly opposed to all forms of cyberattacks and espionage,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing Wednesday. She said China is a staunch defender of cybersecurity.

Trump tweeted shortly after midnight that China had hacked Clinton’s emails, without offering any evidence or further information, and suggested that the FBI and Department of Justice should investigate.

“Hillary Clinton’s Emails, many of which are Classified Information, got hacked by China. Next move better be by the FBI & DOJ,” he tweeted.

U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of involvement in the hacking of Democratic emails during the 2016 election campaign. The Justice Department has indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers accused of hacking into Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Russia’s role in the election and whether there was any collusion between it and Trump’s campaign.

Hua also denied on Wednesday that China was building a military base in far-eastern Afghanistan after a report published by the South China Morning Post alleged that Beijing was constructing a counterterrorism-focused facility near its border but inside the war-torn Islamic republic.

The report said China’s People Liberation Army could send hundreds of military personnel into Afghanistan after the base is completed.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More China Denies Trump's Claim it Hacked Clinton's Emails : https://ift.tt/2wol5Lw

US Pivots Again, Renews Pressure on North Korea

Myanmar Rejects UN Report on Rohingya Crisis

Despair for Australian Farmers as Drought Kills Livestock

TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA — 

In better times, the dam on farmer Kevin Tongue's property is three meters (yards) deep with water. It's now been empty for three months.

The worst drought in living memory is sweeping through Australia's east, the country's main food bowl, decimating wheat and barley crops and leaving grazing land parched.

Tongue, his wife and two sons hand-feed their 300 breeding cows and 1,300 sheep with grain and fodder bought and transported from other parts of the country as drought-hit local supplies run out.

"It's been a huge financial effect on everyone. Not just buying hay and things like that, but you know, we've got no winter crop and that's probably a third of our income that we won't have," Tongue told Reuters on his farm near the town of Tamworth about 300 kilometers (188 miles) inland from Sydney in the eastern state of New South Wales (NSW).

Forecasters have dramatically cut anticipated wheat yields for the country's most important crop three months before the harvest.

Glencore Agriculture has forecast a wheat crop in NSW of just 2.4 million tons, less than a third of the average annual yield of 7.4 million tons.

Tongue said the despair in the farming community was palpable.

"When you have some strange woman come up crying on your shoulder, saying, 'I can't find hay, I can't find grain, what am I going to do?' I'm just not in a position to say I can help you but, yeah, it is very hard."

The east coast has received some recent sporadic rain, though it has not been enough to save crops. A sustained break of the "big dry" is required to enable grazing to resume.

NSW is the country's most-populous state and produces a quarter of Australia's agriculture by value. The state government has officially declared a drought.

On 'Te-Angie', north-east of Tamworth, Richard Ogilvie said he had lost in excess of A$40,000 ($29,264) in income on his Hereford cattle station as grazing pastures turned to dust and feed costs soared.

This will lead to a loss of about A$200,000 ($146,320) longer term due to the reduction in breeding cattle, he said.

Many farmers, including Ogilvie, have been forced to shoot starving cattle, which he said was putting a big strain on the family.

"The ongoing thing is not to dwell and get down too much with the ongoing days of dragging cattle out of dams and shooting the ones that can't get up," he said.

Australia's federal government and the NSW state government have pledged several billions dollars in aid for drought-afflicted farmers.

Australia recorded its fifth-driest July on record last month. For NSW, the January-to-July period was the driest since 1965 and marked seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall for the state.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Despair for Australian Farmers as Drought Kills Livestock : https://ift.tt/2Pdp052

Pompeo's Nixed N. Korea Trip Exposes Denuclearization Rift

China Struggles to Curb Its Reliance on US Buyers, Suppliers

US Ready for Talks When It's Clear North Korea Will Denuclearize

US: Myanmar Military Responsible for Atrocities Against Rohingya

State Department: US Has Not Determined 'Genocidal Intent' for Attacks on Rohingya

WASHINGTON — 

The U.S. State Department has not made a determination of "genocidal intent" for attacks on Rohingya in Myanmar for legal reasons, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

"It is a very specific legal designation. It is not one that is easily made. To the average person, of course these things are incredibly horrific and it seems we should just slap a label on something. Well, they're complex legal designations that have legal meaning and weight in courts around the world," said spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More State Department: US Has Not Determined 'Genocidal Intent' for Attacks on Rohingya : https://ift.tt/2PJ3aam

US Military Hints It Could Resume Major Exercises With South Korea

The U.S. military has no plans yet to suspend any more major military exercises with South Korea, the defense secretary said on Tuesday, in the middle of a breakdown in diplomacy with North Korea over its nuclear weapons.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said at a Pentagon news conference no decisions had been made about major exercises for next year, but noted that the suspension of drills last summer as a good-faith gesture to North Korea was not open-ended.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally suspend the drills caught many American military planners off-guard and was roundly criticized as a premature concession to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who Trump wants to give up his nuclear weapons.

"We took the step to suspend several of the largest exercises as a good-faith measure coming out of the Singapore summit," Mattis told reporters, referring to the June 12 meeting between Trump and Kim.

"We have no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises," he said, adding that no decisions had yet been made on major exercises for next year.

Mattis also said smaller exercises deemed to be exempt from the suspension were ongoing.

Mattis' comments on the drills come at a delicate time for negotiations between the United States and North Korea after Trump scrapped plans for a meeting between top officials from both countries.

At the June summit, the first meeting between a serving U.S. president and a North Korean leader, Kim agreed in broad terms to work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons unilaterally as the Trump administration has demanded.

Since then, diplomats have failed to advance the process. North Korean officials even warned in a letter to U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week that denuclearization talks risked falling apart, U.S. officials told Reuters.

In particular, the North wants steps toward a peace treaty. The 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving U.S.-led U.N. forces technically still at war with North Korea.

U.S. officials fear North Korea might turn its attention to cutting a separate deal with South Korea and driving a wedge between the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

A South Korea presidential spokesman said he was not in a position to comment on the authenticity of the letter but acknowledged that talks between Washington and Pyongyang were at a stalemate.

"With North Korea and the U.S. remaining stalemated, there is an even bigger need for an inter-Korea summit," Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman for the presidential Blue House, told a briefing.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said this month his planned third summit with North Korea's Kim next month would be another step toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and an end to the Korean War.

Trip canceled

Trump abruptly canceled his top diplomat's planned trip to North Korea on Friday, publicly acknowledging for the first time that his effort to get Pyongyang to denuclearize had stalled since his summit with the North's leader.

Trump partly blamed China for the lack of progress with North Korea and suggested that talks with Pyongyang.

On Sunday, North Korea's state media accused the United States of "double-dealing" and "hatching a criminal plot" but did not mention Pompeo's canceled visit.

U.S. intelligence and defense officials have repeatedly expressed doubts about North Korea's willingness to give up its nuclear weapons and they had not expected Pompeo's trip to yield positive results.

Mattis declined to comment on the broader diplomatic efforts, deferring to Pompeo's State Department.

"We will work very closely, as I said, with the secretary of state and what he needs done we will certainly do to reinforce his effort. But at this time, there is no discussion about further suspensions," Mattis said.

The traditional U.S. calendar for other major drills does not pick up again until next spring, officials say, which could give diplomats and military planners time.

The U.S.-South Korean exercise calendar hits a high point every spring with the Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, which take months to plan. It was unclear if any planning for the drills was already taking place.

Max Thunder's air combat exercises so unnerved North Korea this year that it issued threatening statements that nearly scuttled the June summit between Trump and Kim.

Foal Eagle is designed to simulate war scenarios and involves ground, air, naval and special operations forces.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More US Military Hints It Could Resume Major Exercises With South Korea : https://ift.tt/2wo4s2t

Duterte Faces New 'Crimes Against Humanity' Complaint

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — 

Relatives of several people slain in the Philippine president's anti-drug campaign asked the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to prosecute him for alleged crimes against humanity, in the second such request for a ruling on thousands of deaths that have occurred during the crackdown.

Lawyer Edre Olalia said a 50-page complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte was sent to an ICC prosecutor by email. Olalia said it accuses Duterte of ordering, inciting or tolerating the drug killings from the start of his presidency in mid-2016 to this month. The Duterte administration said it expects the effort to fail.

A similar complaint against Duterte was filed by a Filipino lawyer before the ICC last year and is currently being examined by a prosecutor. It focuses on killings during an earlier crackdown by Duterte when he was mayor of southern Davao city.

In their complaint Tuesday, the parents, sisters and wife of eight slain drug suspects seek an indictment of Duterte and reparations for the deaths that occurred during police anti-drug raids. The complainants also include a nongovernment group that helps families of victims, and are represented by a legal group, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, led by Olalia.

"It is our hope that with the court taking jurisdiction of herein complaint, it may force President Duterte to re-examine, if not abandon, his distorted notion of mass murder to solve the country's drug and crime problem," the complainants said.

"The intervention of the ICC will save thousands more from slaughter," they said in the complaint, adding that instead of showing remorse Duterte had vowed to "continue his killing rampage" during a state of the nation speech last month in which he stressed the crackdown will press on "as relentless and chilling as on the first day it began."

The international court, which is based in The Hague, receives many such communications about alleged crimes from around the world and prosecutors are not obliged to open preliminary investigations based on them.

The first complaint against Duterte, which was filed by Filipino lawyer Jude Sabio, is currently being examined by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. Prior to the filing of Sabio's information, Bensouda said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of killings in the Philippines, adding that statements by "high officials" in the country "seem to condone such killings."

Duterte, a 73-year-old former government prosecutor, denies condoning extrajudicial killings but has openly threatened drug dealers with death. "Remorselessly and incorrigibly, President Duterte's statements are a command to kill," the complainants said, citing his offer of bounties for drug suspects and law enforcers who profit from drug crimes.

Duterte has moved to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC, but the court has said the move would not affect Bensouda's preliminary examination.

The Philippine Supreme Court opened a hearing Tuesday on a petition contesting Duterte's decision to withdraw from the ICC. Newly appointed Chief Justice Teresita de Castro, who took over the judiciary's leadership after helping to oust her predecessor, presided over the hearing.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the new effort to bring a case against Duterte to the ICC "doesn't mean anything" because the international tribunal could not acquire jurisdiction over the president unless it is proven that Philippine courts are unable or unwilling to hear such complaints.

The Philippines joined the court in 2011, giving prosecutors jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed since then. The ICC is a court of last resort, intended to take on cases from nations unable or unwilling to prosecute alleged atrocities.

Official police pronouncements place the number of suspects killed in police-led anti-drug raids at more than 4,500 since Duterte took office in June 2016. International human rights watchdogs have cited far higher death tolls.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Duterte Faces New 'Crimes Against Humanity' Complaint : https://ift.tt/2PelEhT

Thai Junta to Soon Ease Restrictions on Political Parties

BANGKOK — 

Thailand's military junta announced Tuesday it will ease some restrictions on political parties to let them conduct basic functions and prepare for elections set for early next year, but campaigning will still be forbidden.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said after a junta meeting that the new rules would allow political parties to hold meetings, make adjustments to regulations, appoint managers and accept new members ahead of polls loosely scheduled for February. He said the restrictions would be eased "soon" via a special executive order.

Political gatherings of five or more people were banned by the military junta after it seized power from an elected government in a May 2014 coup. The ban effectively forced all political parties into dormancy while the junta actively quashed dissent against its rule.

Prayuth was given special legislative powers after the coup under what is known as Article 44, an overarching law that allows the junta leader to impose any law or regulation in the name of peace and stability.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, another member of the junta, said Tuesday the order to partially allow political parties to conduct basic functions would be issued either "today or tomorrow," but added that it does not cover political campaigning — which would still be forbidden — and will not lift the ban on political gatherings of five or more people.

Prayuth repeated previous assertion by the military government that the next general election is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 24 at the earliest, adding that an election committee had advised that it should be held on a Sunday.

Prayuth has pushed back several promised election deadlines.

In June, he said the election could only take place after a coronation ceremony is held for Thailand's new king, who assumed the throne after the death of his father in 2016. No date has been fixed for the coronation.

Prayuth is expected to run in the polls, or at least make himself available for the next parliament to reappoint him to the prime minister's post. He told reporters Tuesday that he would be following the movements of other political parties "to determine what my appropriate role can be."

"I haven't decided anything yet today because there are still many months ahead," said Prayuth, whose frequent official trips around the country have taken on the appearance of political campaigning.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Thai Junta to Soon Ease Restrictions on Political Parties : https://ift.tt/2MVMiyS

China: Sanctions, Criticism Won't Help Settle Rohingya Issue

BEIJING — 

China said Tuesday it isn't blocking action by the United Nations on the issue of Muslim Rohingya refugees, but that it doesn't believe sanctions or criticism of Myanmar's government will help resolve the crisis.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying's comments came a day after investigators working for the U.N.'s top human rights body said Myanmar military leaders should be prosecuted for genocide against the Rohingya.

China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with veto power over whether the issue will be brought before the International Criminal Court. It has been reticent about condemning Myanmar's government during the crisis.

Hua said China believes the Rohingya issue has a complex historical, religious and ethnic background and China wishes to play a "constructive role" in finding a proper solution.

"You said China blocked the relevant U.N. discussions or actions; I cannot agree with you," Hua said in response to a question at a daily ministry briefing. "We don't think unilateral sanctions or criticisms would help with settling the issue."

More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled into neighboring Bangladesh over the past year to escape a Myanmar government crackdown that followed rebel attacks on security and police posts.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More China: Sanctions, Criticism Won't Help Settle Rohingya Issue : https://ift.tt/2BTDzsD

Will Seaweed Solve Indonesia's Plastic Trash Problem?

Indonesia produces an estimated 1.3 million tons of plastic every day, much of which ends up in the oceans, clogging the ecosystem and killing wildlife. Last year the country pledged to cut the amount it throws into the sea by 70 percent by 2025. As Jack Hewson reports, the sea itself could help to solve the problem.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Will Seaweed Solve Indonesia's Plastic Trash Problem? : https://ift.tt/2PHGdV0

Fourteen Jailed Cambodian Opposition Activists Freed

Cambodia has released 14 members of the country's dissolved opposition party in the wake of a controversial election that extended Prime Minister Hun Sen's three-decade grip on power.

The group was released early Tuesday from Phnom Penh's Prey Sar prison after receiving pardons from Cambodia's king. They were convicted for insurrection after taking part in a 2014 street protest that turned violent. They were sentenced to jail terms between seven and 20 years.

The pardons were granted after they issued statements apologizing for their actions.

The 14 were members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved last year by the Supreme Court, clearing the way for Hun Sen's ruling Cambodia People's Party to win a clean sweep of all 125 parliamentary seats in last month's general elections. Nineteen smaller parties participated in the election, but put up only token opposition.

The landslide victory ensures that Hun Sen will extend his 33-year grip on power once the new parliament convenes next month.

The dissolution of the CNRP capped an apparent crackdown on dissenting voices launched by Hun Sen to avoid a repeat of the last national election in 2013, when he and his ruling government were nearly defeated.

The repressive moves include the arrest of CNRP co-leader Kem Sokha on charges of treason, which led half of the party's lawmakers to flee, and the closure of The Cambodia Daily, one of the country's last independent newspapers, after the publishers received an exorbitant overdue tax bill they said was bogus.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Fourteen Jailed Cambodian Opposition Activists Freed : https://ift.tt/2PGwApT

UN Panel: Myanmar Generals Should Face Genocide Charges

A U.N. fact-finding mission has recommended that Myanmar’s top military official and several of his commanders be investigated and prosecuted for the crime of genocide for their alleged role in carrying out atrocities against minority Rohingya Muslims. VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer has more on this development.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More UN Panel: Myanmar Generals Should Face Genocide Charges : https://ift.tt/2MDjHio

Japan Says North Korea Still Poses Dire Threat to its Security

'Extreme' Vespa Enthusiasts Rev Up at Indonesian Festival

China Defends 'New Silk Road' Against Debt Complaints

UN: In Battles Over Land Rights, Activists Branded as Criminals

RIO DE JANEIRO — 

Governments and corporations are increasingly using legal persecution to portray indigenous activists as criminals and terrorists, putting them at heightened risk of violence, the United Nations said Monday.

Indigenous leaders and campaigners fighting to protect land from development are being stymied and silenced by rising militarization, national security acts and anti-terrorism laws, according to a report submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Globally, up to 2.5 billion people live on indigenous and community lands, which make up more than half of all land worldwide, but they legally own just 10 percent, according to rights groups.

The U.N. report cited a "drastic increase" in violence against indigenous people actively opposing large-scale projects such as mining, infrastructure, hydroelectric dams and logging.

"It's a new war," said Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, who authored the report.

"It's getting worse because many of the remaining resources in the world are found in indigenous territories," Tauli-Corpuz told Reuters.

This month, an indigenous leader was murdered in Brazil, part of a battle over logging in the Amazon.

In Guatemala, seven indigenous members of farmers' organizations advocating for land rights and political participation were killed, it said.

Last year, more than 200 activists were killed, the highest since 2002, according British campaign group Global Witness.

"In the worst instances, escalating militarization, compounded by historical marginalization, results in indigenous peoples being targeted under national security acts and antiterrorism legislation, putting them in the line of fire, at times literally, by the army and the police," it said.

No global numbers

Governments and corporations are using legal means to designate indigenous people as trespassers subject to eviction, while arrests are made on vague charges or uncorroborated witness testimony, followed by long periods of pretrial detention.

Criminal charges have been filed against activists, showing prosecutors and judges colluding with companies and landowners in some cases, it said.

In Ethiopia, indigenous land rights defenders have been prosecuted and imprisoned under antiterrorist legislation, it said.

There are no tallies of criminal charges filed against indigenous peoples worldwide, but Tauli-Corpuz cited recent upticks in the Philippines, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Mexico and Peru.

"What disarticulates a community? Arresting its leaders, criminalizing the leaders," said Dinaman Tuxa, executive coordinator of Brazil's Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples known as Apib, an umbrella group of advocacy groups.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More UN: In Battles Over Land Rights, Activists Branded as Criminals : https://ift.tt/2oek8Ry

Cambodia Pardons More Jailed Opposition Members

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — 

Fourteen anti-government activists were given pardons Monday that will free them from long prison terms, the latest in a series of releases engineered by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen after his party's election sweep last month.

The 14, including at least 11 former members of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, were convicted of insurrection in connection with a street protest four years ago that turned violent.

A court spokesman said King Norodom Sihamoni signed the pardons at the request of Hun Sen, and the group would be released Tuesday.

The group includes three former opposition members who were sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly leading the protest.

At least eight other former party members received seven-year sentences for taking part in the July 15, 2014, protest in Phnom Penh that came as opposition lawmakers were boycotting parliament to demand political reforms, saying the previous year's election had been rigged by Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party.

Their arrests were widely criticized as politically motivated.

Hun Sen's party swept this year's July 29 general election after pro-government courts dissolved the Cambodian National Rescue Party, the only credible opposition grouping.

The release appeared to be carefully orchestrated, as Hun Sen last week suggested it would come very soon. He said the releases were acts of mercy and not a response to foreign criticism of his authoritarian rule and the election, which was generally seen as unfair.

The 11 opposition members had sent a letter on Friday to Hun Sen, posted on social media, asking for pardons in order to help their families.

"After having been jailed for more than three years, we regret very much that we had joined the protest at Democracy Square without full consideration, causing serious effects on national security and public order," the letter sid.

"We are promising that from today on, we will not join any protest or any activity without consideration and we will fully respect the law," they wrote.

At least eight other people held on political charges have been freed with pardons or on bail since the beginning of last week.

Hun Sen, who has been in office since 1985 and has held a tight grip on power since ousting a co-prime minister in a bloody 1997 coup, has a record of cracking down harshly when facing a serious challenge, then effecting reconciliation when he no longer feels threatened.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Cambodia Pardons More Jailed Opposition Members : https://ift.tt/2NoQtjF

Calls Arise to Name Hanoi Street for John McCain

U.S. Senator John McCain's career-long impact on U.S. foreign affairs was recognized Monday in tributes from across Asia and the Middle East, including tributes from national leaders and calls for a street to be named after him in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi.

"We offer our condolences to the family and friends of Senator John McCain who was a great friend of AFG (Afghanistan). Senator McCain served his country honorably in uniform and his service in the Senate is truly exemplary," wrote Afghan President Asharf Ghani on Twitter. McCain advocated for more troops and resources for Afghanistan in its fight against militants.

Afghanistan's Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah also expressed condolences on McCain's death on his Twitter page.

Condolence messages poured in from neighboring Pakistan, a country McCain visited several times.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the thoughts and prayers of the people of Pakistan are with the family and friends of Senator McCain. "As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain always stood for strong Pakistan-US relations and a cooperative approach for promoting peace and building stability in the region."

He will be greatly missed in Pakistan, Qureshi added. Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa also conveyed his condolences to McCain's family.

Most surprising, perhaps, were calls for McCain to be honored in Vietnam, the country where he was held as a prisoner of war for more than five years after being shot down on a bombing raid in 1967. Years later, he played a key role in the reconciliation process that helped end decades of enmity after the Vietnam War.

"From an enemy to a friend, and frankly a benefactor," wrote Bui Hoang Tam on the Facebook page of VOA's Vietnamese Service. "Rising above hatred, forgetting rancor, doing favors, he deserves to have a street named after him in Hanoi. I — citizen Bui Hoang Tam — would like to request Hanoi to have a street that bears Mr. McCain's name."

At least two other readers posted similar demands that a Vietnamese street be named for the senator.

In Bangaldesh, from where McCain adopted his daughter Bridget in 1993, the country's foreign minister said he was deeply saddened by McCain's passing and called the senator a great friend of Bangladesh.

"Late Senator McCain, who was a real American hero and a tall leader in the public service of the nation, was always a strong voice for global humanity, which was reflected in his many commendable works in the Senate including in recent times his firm stand against the atrocities on the Rohingyas in Myanmar, and for holding the perpetrators accountable," said Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mohmood Ali.

In Iraq, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government called McCain's passing a "a tremendous loss for the people of Kurdistan."

"He was a true friend and a staunch advocate of the rights of the Kurdistan people. He did his best, at every opportunity, to defend and protect the basic rights of the people of Kurdistan," said Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.

VOA South and Central Asia Division and Thuc Pham, Vietnamese Service, contributed to this report.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Calls Arise to Name Hanoi Street for John McCain : https://ift.tt/2MZP1Y8

UN Report Accuses Myanmar’s Top Generals of Genocide

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — 

A U.N. fact-finding mission is calling for Myanmar’s senior leaders to be referred to the International Criminal Court to be investigated and prosecuted for genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority in northern Rakhine state and, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Kachin and Shan states.

This 400-page groundbreaking report goes into detail about the scope and viciousness of the atrocities it says were committed by Myanmar’s high command against the country’s ethnic minorities. The report accuses the generals of perpetrating what it calls the gravest crimes under international law.

The three-member Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar says the genocidal crimes, which forced the mass exodus of more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh one year ago, were planned years in advance.

In an unprecedented move, the U.N. mission has named the six top generals it says bear the main responsibility for planning and executing these crimes. Investigator Christopher Sidoti said the mission has gathered sufficient evidence of the elements of the crime of genocide to recommend they be investigated and prosecuted before an international tribunal.

“In Myanmar, there is a very clear chain of command and there is no doubt in our minds whatsoever that what we saw happen in Rakhine as a whole would not have happened without it firstly being within the knowledge of the senior military leadership and secondly under their effective control. And, it is because of the clarity of the chain of command in Myanmar that we have recommended the investigation and prosecution of these six.”

The report finds the civilian authorities have little power to control the actions of the military; however, it blames them for enabling these crimes by ignoring the atrocities being committed. It also criticizes Aung San Suu Kyi - the human rights activist-turned-politician - as head of the government, for not using her moral authority to prevent the events unfolding in Rakhine state.

The government refused to grant the mission access to majority Buddhist Myanmar. So, the mission gathered evidence from the testimony of 875 victims and eyewitnesses, satellite imagery, documents, photographs and videos.

The mission sent an advance copy of its report to the Myanmar government. So far, there has been no response.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More UN Report Accuses Myanmar’s Top Generals of Genocide : https://ift.tt/2BMq5ih

Bargaining Chip or not, Taiwan Keeps Improving Prized Relations with US

First Asylum Seekers Reach Australia Since 2014

A boat carrying asylum seekers from Vietnam has arrived in Australia, the first such landing in four years.

Authorities say the vessel landed on Queensland Sunday near the Daintree Rainforest, north of the popular tourist city Cairns. Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan says about 15 of the asylum seekers have been discovered and detained since the landing.

In 2014, Australia implemented a tough immigration policy that bars any asylum seeker who tries to arrive by boat from reaching its shores. The asylum seekers are either turned back or sent to remote camps on the tiny Pacific nations of Papua New Guinea or Nauru, and are not allowed to resettle in Australia.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More First Asylum Seekers Reach Australia Since 2014 : https://ift.tt/2MQcAT2

Myanmar Military Chief Among Those Banned by Facebook

YANGON, MYANMAR — 

Myanmar's powerful military chief is among 20 individuals and organizations that Facebook says it is banning from its site in order to "prevent the spread of hate and misinformation."

The action Monday comes after the social media giant was criticized for being used to inflame ethnic and religious conflict in the country, particularly against Rohingya Muslims.

Some 700,000 Rohingya fled their homes in western Myanmar over the past year in response to a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by the military, which has been accused of massive human rights violations.

Facebook said it had also targeted pages and accounts that pretended to provide independent news and opinion, while covertly promoting the messages of Myanmar's military.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Myanmar Military Chief Among Those Banned by Facebook : https://ift.tt/2Lu4NW0

Trade, Technology Rift may Have Economic and Political Impact on China

BEIJING — 

The trade rift between the U.S. and China is taking on new dimensions with Washington scrutinizing the flow of technology to Chinese industries. Analysts said China might be in for both economic and political problems if the U.S. cuts off the supply of technologies that are essential for the survival of major Chinese companies.

Such a move would affect the performance and industrial competitiveness of Chinese industry, said Scott Kennedy, Deputy Director of the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Beijing may be forced to overhaul its industrial policy to meet with the emerging situation.

“It will put a lot of pressure on China to increase domestic consumption and domestic investments to replace the loss of opportunities with the United States and that could put pressure on Xi Jinping,” Kennedy said, referring to the Chinese President.

Washington’s measures, like imposing heavy duties on a wide range of Chinese exports, is already having a serious impact on China’s fixed asset investments (FAI) in areas like infrastructure projects and manufacturing plants. The FAI grew six percent in the first half of the year, down from previous periods.

Blocking tech flows

The Trump administration has suggested it is trying to block the rampant theft of American technology in China as part of efforts to level the playing field in which China enjoys a big surplus over the U.S. But others see it as an attempt to hurt the Made in China 2025 technology development plan.

Past U.S. administrations focused on dual-use technologies, which are those that have both civilian and military value. But the Trump administration has indicated a willingness to curb the outflow of all kinds of American technology to China because of its ability to quickly adapt them and compete with U.S. companies.

The year 2017 ended with a trade deficit of $375 billion for the U.S.

There are signs Washington is considering a dual track approach regarding China. One of them involves restraining China’s industrial policy including its technology development plan. “And, another goal where they see China as a strategic rival and limit technology flows to China, and isolate it, and move supply chains out of China,” Kennedy said.

“It is unclear, which of these two goals is the dominant position within the Trump administration now,” the CSIS scholar said.

Beijing’s fear

Beijing’s main fear is over its supply of crucial semi-conductor technology from U.S.-based Intel and Qualcomm. China’s massive electronic industry relies heavily on U.S. made semiconductors.

“China still buys a lot of semi-conductors from U.S.,” said Lourdes Casanova, director of the Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell University's SC Johnson School of Management. However, she explained, “China is investing a lot of money to make its own semi-conductors and be less dependent on Intel.”

China’s traditional strength in manufacturing has been its low labor costs. But new technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing and the “internet of things,” are replacing the need for labor-intensive manufacturing. That has made technology a key part of China’s long-term economic strategy.

“The issues of technology transfers, intellectual property theft, and China’s industrial upgrading strategy, Made in China 2025, are not going to go away. On the contrary, the U.S. is likely to pump up the pressure even further and may step up efforts to work with European countries to try to isolate China in these areas,” said an editorial in Caixing, China’s prominent business magazine.

Bad timing

Chinese technology companies have been suffering in recent weeks for unrelated causes, like a major stock market slide. The problem is about timing; bad news coming at a time when Chinese technology companies are exposed to Washington’s pressures. Tencent, world’s eight biggest company by stock valuation, recently lost $45 billion in stock value after it failed to obtain Beijing’s approval for some of its gaming products.

Earlier, the U.S. administration hit out at Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE imposing a hefty fine and restricting its access to the lucrative American market. The decision came after U.S. regulators found the Chinese firm was violating UN sanctions to sell products to North Korea. Though the move is not related to the U.S.-China trade rift, it served as a wake-up call for Chinese companies seeking to expand into the western market.

“China has always pushed for as much independence from the rest of the world as possible, and ZTE was a wake-up call that they are still dependent for basic technological goods,” said John Artman, editor-in-chief of a web-based technology magazine, Technode.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Trade, Technology Rift may Have Economic and Political Impact on China : https://ift.tt/2oe6Cxn