DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ As Russia tests for weak spots, Ukraine is banking on enemy mistakes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Tim Lister | Victoria Butenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —It generated little attention: another Russian assault in eastern Ukraine, across barren, pock-marked fields, met by determined, nimble resistance. But these frequent mechanized ground attacks by the Russians are like sand-blasting – eroding Ukrainian defenses in multiple spots along the frontlines. Yusov told CNN that recruitment in Russia continues, for contract soldiers, prisoners and international mercenaries. The Ukrainians won’t acknowledge such attacks but Yusov told CNN cryptically that refineries are military targets and “damage there is quite natural. Matthew Schmidt told CNN: “Whatever NATO can get to Ukraine is enough to stabilize its position, not to change it meaningfully.

Persons: Kateryna Stepanenko, Russia’s, ”, Narciso Contreras, Andriy Yusov, Kurt Campbell, Yusov, Matthew Schmidt, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine “, –, Nazar Volosyn, “, Roman Pilipey, Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, Trump, what’s, Dmytro Kuleba, ” Kuleba, Andriі Kovalenko, Petr Pavel, Stepanenko, ” Stepanenko Organizations: CNN, Institute for, Russian, Anadolu, Getty, “, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, UK’s Defense Ministry, National Security Department, New Haven University, NATO, Ukrainian, Congress, National Security and Defense Council, European Union Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Tonenke, Donetsk, Washington, Karlivka, Russia, North Korea, Ukrainian, Chasiv Yar, Kyiv, AFP, Rostov, Czech, Europe

CNN —The US State Department said Friday it “strongly condemned” the Hong Kong authorities’ “ongoing harassment” of family members of pro-democracy activists living overseas. The US said it was “particularly concerned” about recent cases involving activists like Nathan Law, Joshua Wong and Elmer Yuen whose family members and acquaintances had been “detained and questioned by Hong Kong police.”“We call on the Hong Kong authorities to cease all harassment of the democracy activists’ family members,” said spokesperson Matthew Miller. In a statement provided to CNN, Hong Kong police said its national security department had taken away two men and a woman for investigation. The Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the national security law, imposed by Beijing in 2020, suppresses freedoms. Law and other activists have been accused of violating the national security law, with offenses ranging from collusion with foreign forces to subversion of state power.

Persons: “, ’, Nathan Law, Joshua Wong, Elmer Yuen, ”, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Law, Hong Kong – Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Hong, HK, RTHK, Basic, Sino Locations: Hong Kong, ” Hong Kong, Britain, Beijing, British

☆ Family of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law taken in for questioning by police
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Hong Kong police searched the family home of exiled pro-democracy activist Nathan Law on Tuesday morning, taking relatives away for questioning, the city’s public broadcaster RTHK reported, citing sources. The sweeping law was imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020, after huge pro-democracy protests roiled the semi-autonomous city. The Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms. Law arrived in Britain in July 2020, soon after the national security law was imposed in Hong Kong. He criticized the national security law as being used to “suppress dissenting voices,” and reiterated his hope for Hong Kong to one day gain full democracy.

Persons: Nathan Law, John Lee, Lee, Hong, Law, ”, “, Hong Kongers Organizations: CNN, Hong, RTHK, HK, Tung, Law, ”, . Law Locations: Hong Kong, Western, United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, Beijing

☆ Hong Kong police arrest 4 for allegedly aiding dissidents abroad
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong police have arrested four people on suspicion of financially aiding activists abroad, just days after they offered bounties for information leading to the arrest of eight pro-democracy figures living in self-imposed exile. They were also charged with conspiracy to sedition, a colonial-era offense, which activists say has been increasingly used in recent years by police to stifle the legitimate criticism of authorities. The arrests came after police put bounties of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,000) each on eight pro-democracy activists abroad, accusing them of violating national security offenses, in a move strongly condemned by rights groups and Western governments. Hong Kong and Beijing authorities say the law restored order in the city following the protests. The suspects were accused of posting content that provoked hatred towards Beijing and the Hong Kong government, while advocating “Hong Kong Independence.” The police did not provide examples of the posts.

Persons: Ivan Lam, John Lee, they’d, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, Hong Kong, Monday, Hong Kong Independence Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Western, United States, Britain, Australia

HONG KONG, July 5 (Reuters) - Hong Kong national security police on Wednesday arrested four men it accused of supporting overseas dissidents and of advocating for independence from China, two days after issuing warrants and bounties against several foreign-based activists. Local media, citing unnamed sources, connected the arrested men to an online platform known as "Punish Mee" that was allegedly used to provide financial aid to the eight wanted overseas activists. Two sources with knowledge of the situation told Reuters Lam was among the four arrested men mentioned in the police statement. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday it was "unacceptable" that Hong Kong has put bounties on two Australian residents. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday that the eight would be "pursued for life".

Persons: Mee, Ivan Lam, Reuters Lam, Demosisto, Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Anthony Albanese, John Lee, Jessie Pang, Tyrone Siu, James Pomfret, Frank Jack Daniel, Toby Chopra Organizations: police, National Security Department, Hong Kong Police, Local, National Security Law, Central Authorities, Government, Hong, Administrative, Reuters, Kwai, Police, HK, Australian, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Hong, Kwai Chung District, United States, Britain, Australia

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong police on Monday placed bounties on eight prominent democracy activists in self-imposed exile overseas, offering HK$1 million ($127,603) rewards each for information leading to their arrests. After leaving Hong Kong in recent years, many of the activists have continued to speak out against what they say is Beijing’s crackdown on their home city’s freedoms and autonomy. The sweeping law was imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020, after huge pro-democracy protests roiled the semi-autonomous city in the previous year. The Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms. “I feel no joy over this, but feel sad for Hong Kong that people now see things this way, because it is an indication of how low Hong Kong has gone in the eyes of many,” he told CNN from Australia.

Persons: Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Hong, Steve Li, “, ”, Kevin Yam Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, HK, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, Beijing

REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File PhotoHONG KONG, July 3 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police on Monday accused eight overseas-based activists of serious national security offences including foreign collusion and incitement to secession and offered rewards for information leading to any arrest. "They have encouraged sanctions ... to destroy Hong Kong and to intimidate officials," Steve Li, an officer with the police's national security department, told reporters. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities say the law has restored the stability necessary for preserving Hong Kong's economic success. "I miss Hong Kong but as things stand, no rational person would be going back." British-based rights group Hong Kong Watch said in a statement Britain, the U.S. and Australia should issue statements "guaranteeing the safety of those activists named and the wider Hong Kong community living overseas".

Persons: Nathan Law, Bobby Yip, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Mung Siu, Yuan Gong, Steve Li, Hong Kong, Yam, Li, James Pomfret, Jessie Pang, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, HK, Hong, Reuters, Georgetown University's Center, Asian Law, Police, Kong's Security, Hong Kong Watch, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, HONG KONG, United States, Britain, Australia, Beijing, British, Hong, Asia, U.S

Vadym Boychenko, mayor of Mariupol, at his office in the city hall of Mariupol, Ukraine, on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. Russian service members work on demining the territory of Azovstal steel plant during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine May 22, 2022. A view shows the building of a theatre destroyed in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 10, 2022. Before Russia's invasion last February, Mariupol was affectionately known as the mighty Ukrainian city with a fierce, steel heart. A local resident reacts while speaking outside a block of flats heavily damaged during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 18, 2022.

☆ Hong Kong police seize statue in "incitement to subversion" probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, May 5 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police seized an exhibit on Friday in connection with what they said was an attempt to incite subversion, with media reporting it was a statue commemorating Beijing's Tiananmen Square crackdown on democracy protesters in 1989. Hong Kong had traditionally held the largest annual vigils in the world to commemorate the crackdown. The two-tonne copper Pillar of Shame was first exhibited at a Tiananmen Square commemoration in Hong Kong in 1997, the same year Britain handed the city back to China. In 2021, the University of Hong Kong dismantled and removed the statue "based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the university". It is not clear if the Tiananmen Square vigil will take place this year.

[1/2] Former acting chief editor of Stand News Patrick Lam leaves the court after release on bail over his charge of conspiring to publish "Seditious Publications" in Hong Kong, China November 7, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Dec 22 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong Court on Thursday rejected an application to terminate a sedition trial against now-defunct online media outlet Stand News, a case that could see two former top editors jailed if convicted. Former editors Chung Pui-kuen, 53, and Patrick Lam, 35, and the outlet's parent company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited, have been charged with conspiracy to publish seditious material related to news articles and commentaries between July 2020 and December last year. Hong Kong's government has said press freedom is enshrined in the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law. Reporting by Jessie Pang and Darerca Siu; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "National Security Department"

10 mentions found