Top related persons:
Top related locs:
Top related orgs:

Search resuls for: "Compulsory"


25 mentions found


DUBAI, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Iran on Friday released hunger-striking jailed dissident Farhad Meysami, the Iranian judiciary said, a week after supporters had warned that he risked dying for protesting against the compulsory wearing of the hijab. "Following the approval by the leader of the revolution (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) of the recent ...amnesty, Farhad_Meysami was included in this amnesty and was released from prison hours ago," the judiciary said on Twitter. Morality police arrested Amini for flouting the hijab policy, which requires women to dress modestly and wear headscarfs. "Shocking images of Dr. Farhad Meysami, a brave advocate for women's rights who has been on hunger strike in prison,” tweeted Robert Malley, Washington's special envoy for Iran. Amnesty International said: "These images (of Meysami) are a shocking reminder of the Iranian authorities’ contempt for human rights."
[1/2] Imprisoned Iranian activist Farhad Meysami, who is reported to have gone on a hunger strike, is seen at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, Iran, in this social media image released on February 2, 2023. Mohammad Moghimi/via REUTERS TFeb 3 (Reuters) - Social media images purported to be of an emaciated jailed Iranian physician who went on hunger strike in support of demonstrations against the compulsory wearing of the hijab have caused outrage and warnings that he risks death. But the Iranian judiciary denied the hunger strike claim and said the photos that have gone viral on social media were from four years ago when Meysami did go on hunger strike. "He went on hunger strike to protest the recent government killings in the streets." "Shocking images of Dr. Farhad Meysami, a brave advocate for women's rights who has been on hunger strike in prison,” tweeted Robert Malley, Washington's special envoy for Iran.
Images of emaciated Iranian prisoner prompt outrage
  + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
Mohammad Moghimi/via REUTERS TFeb 3 (Reuters) - Social media images purported to be of an emaciated jailed Iranian physician who went on hunger strike in support of demonstrations against the compulsory wearing of the hijab have caused outrage and warnings that he risks death. But the Iranian judiciary denied the hunger strike claim and said the photos that have gone viral on social media were from four years ago when Meysami did go on hunger strike. "He went on hunger strike to protest the recent government killings in the streets." Images of Meysami show him curled up on what looks like a hospital bed, and another standing, his ribs protruding. "Shocking images of Dr. Farhad Meysami, a brave advocate for women's rights who has been on hunger strike in prison,” tweeted Robert Malley, Washington's special envoy for Iran.
Russia is running a campaign of propaganda lessons to rally support for its invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin at a rally in Moscow held in March 2022, a few weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. An image from the lesson materials showing Russian armored personnel carriers marked with the Z symbol from the invasion of Ukraine. But, the union said, "huge internal resistance" from Russia's teachers forced officials to edit out most references to the "special military operation" and achieve its aims less directly. It's the effect on young children, whose whole world is their school and family, that scares me."
NEW DELHI, Jan 27 (Reuters) - India is working on a policy to classify economic activities and technologies into sustainable and non-sustainable categories to help investors looking for green projects, three government officials say. The renewable energy ministry and the finance ministry are working on the draft policy. The officials said the draft framework is the first step in a long process of identifying sustainable projects and phasing out others. The EU also places green investment disclosure obligations on financial companies, pension funds, companies and financial market participants. Last week, India sold its first sovereign green bonds worth a total of 80 billion rupees, at yields below comparable government bonds.
[1/2] German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius puts on ear protection during firing practice, at armoured infantry training area Altengrabow, Germany January 26, 2023. Kay Nietfeld/Pool via REUTERSBERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Germany's 100 billion euro ($108 billion) special defence fund is no longer enough to cover its needs, the new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung published on Friday. Asked whether Germany would sent fighter jets to Ukraine, the next request from Kyiv after Germany approved earlier this week the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks, Pistorius said this was "ruled out". "Fighter aircrafts are much more complex systems than main battle tanks and have a completely different range and firepower. ($1 = 0.9223 euros)Writing by Matthias Williams, Victoria Waldersee, editing by Rachel More, William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
The DOJ told Jim Jordan it wouldn't be able to share all information about ongoing criminal probes. In a letter to Republicans, the DOJ said it needed to preserve the "integrity" of its investigations. "We are committed to cooperating with the Committee's legitimate efforts to seek information," the DOJ said. "The Department will be better able to meet your needs at hearings if your request is specific concerning the information the Committee seeks," the letter read. On Friday, House Judiciary Republicans expressed their disapproval at the response from the Department of Justice.
Breathing problems, body aches and lethargy had prompted her to visit a hospital in her home village in Tonglu county in eastern China's Zhejiang province' for treatment. It was a common reaction among patients in Tonglu, illustrating how COVID-19 is spreading across China without recognition, especially in its vast rural regions. Several residents around Tonglu county told Reuters they had COVID symptoms or believed they had been infected previously, but that testing was not that common, especially for those living in the villages. Medical facilities visited this week by Reuters in Tonglu county, in one of China's most prosperous regions and known for farming, were relatively calm. In Tonglu county, residents described how crowded the local crematorium was, echoing what funeral home staff in other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have told Reuters.
Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening
  + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com   time to read: +8 min
After years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening Sunday of border crossing points. Those crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China, however, are still required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 48 hours — a measure China has protested when imposed by other countries. Hong Kong media reports said around 300,000 travel bookings from the city to mainland China have already been made, with a daily quota of 60,000. "I've been under isolated quarantine for six times in different cities (in mainland China)," said Ivan Tang, a Hong Kong business traveler. Meanwhile, more foreign governments are imposing testing requirements on travelers from China — most recently Germany, Sweden and Portugal.
China suspends social media accounts of Covid policy critics
  + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com   time to read: +6 min
China has suspended or closed the social media accounts of more than 1,000 critics of the government's policies on the COVID-19 outbreak, as the country moves to further open up. The popular Sina Weibo social media platform said it had addressed 12,854 violations including attacks on experts, scholars and medical workers and issued temporary or permanent bans on 1,120 accounts. Nonetheless, China is forging ahead with a plan to end mandatory quarantines for people arriving from abroad beginning on Sunday. On Sunday, the National Health Commission reported 10,681 new domestic cases, bringing the country's total number of confirmed cases to 482,057. China has said the testing requirements being imposed by foreign governments — most recently Germany and Sweden — aren't science-based and has threatened unspecified countermeasures.
European nations are looking at new travel requirements from China after Beijing lifted Covid restrictions. European nations on Wednesday recommended imposing new restrictions on travelers from China amid fears of an increase in Covid cases. Passengers departing from China will likely have to present a negative Covid test before leaving the country if heading toward one of the 27 EU countries. Several EU nations have already stepped up their protection measures against potential new cases from China. Correction: This story was updated to reflect that European officials on Wednesday recommended pre-flight testing of travelers from China.
While his comments were vague and did not promise to change the existing laws, they were a recognition of how potent the issue of the hijab remains, according to Abbas Milani, the director of Iranian studies at Stanford University. “I think he knows how pervasive women’s rejection of compulsory hijab has been,” he said. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency, or HRANA, estimates that more than 18,000 people have been arrested. In his speech, Khamenei also criticized the West for its treatment of women. Women in the West are “alienated,” he said, adding that the “Western capitalist system is a patriarchal system,” according to Mehr News Agency.
Britain's new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks outside Number 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, October 25, 2022. Henry Nicholls | Reuterswatch nowSunak's education proposals would only affect pupils in England. Education is a devolved issue, with Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish authorities managing their own systems. The prime minister is expected to say in his Wednesday speech that the issue of mandatory math is "personal" for him. This would leave the future of the policy uncertain, if Sunak's Conservative Party loses the next general election slated for 2024.
DUBAI, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Iran has released top Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti on bail, state media reported on Wednesday, weeks after she was detained for criticizing a crackdown on anti-government protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic for months. The semi-official ILNA news agency, citing her lawyer, said "Alidoosti, who was arrested on December 17, was released today on bail", without giving further details. Her picture, taken in front of Tehran's notorious Evin prison, was widely shared on social media. The Islamic Republic has so far executed two people involved in mass protests. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group has said that at least 100 detained protesters face possible death sentences.
Hong Kong retail sales fall in November, outlook challenging
  + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
November retail sales fell 4.2% from a year earlier in value terms to stand at HK$29.5 billion ($3.77 billion). Hong Kong is also working to resume quarantine-free travel with mainland China by as early as Jan. 8. For the first eleven months, the total retail sales value eased 1.1% compared with the same period a year earlier. Online retail sales in November rose 9.4% year-on-year in value terms, compared with a revised 35.1% growth in October. ($1 = 7.8180 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Jan 2 (Reuters) - Passengers from China who arrive in the United Kingdom next week will not face compulsory COVID-19 tests on arrival, The Independent reported on Monday. Testing at Heathrow Airport will be voluntary and those who test positive will neither be quarantined nor ordered to self-isolate, the report added. Britain last week had said that passengers arriving in Britain from China would require a negative COVID test taken no more than two days prior to departure after a surge in infections in China. Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
China slams Taiwan's 'cannon fodder' conscription decision
  + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +1 min
BEIJING, Dec 28 (Reuters) - China's government criticised Taiwan on Wednesday for seeking to use the Taiwanese people as "cannon fodder" by extending compulsory military service from four months to one year starting in 2024. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen announced the extension to compulsory military service on Tuesday, citing the rising threat that the island faces from its giant neighbour China. China considers democratically-governed Taiwan its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Responding to a question on Taiwan's decision to lengthen the period of miltary service, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that "struggling for the great task of achieving national reunification is immeasurably significant, dying for Taiwan independence separatist activities is completely worthless". "We believe Taiwan compatriots are highly principled, they will not be put up as cannon fodder by Taiwan independence separatist forces," Wang told a regular news conference.
Hong Kong leader John Lee is due to hold a media briefing at 3.30pm (0730 GMT) to give further details. The expected announcement comes after Lee said on Saturday that Hong Kong would reopen its borders with mainland China by mid-January. Hong Kong has for nearly three years largely followed China's lead in tackling the novel coronavirus. Hong Kong and China have lagged the rest of the world in easing stringent COVID rules. International passengers arriving in Hong Kong since mid-month are no longer subject to COVID-related movement controls or barred from certain venues.
Dec 28 (Reuters) - Russian troops who have been part of a mobilisation drive for military operations in Ukraine will have the right to get their sperm frozen for free in cryobanks, the state TASS agency reported on Wednesday. Citing Igor Trunov, president of the Russian Union of Lawyers, TASS reported that the Health Ministry responded to his appeal for budgetary assistance with the plan. Families can also use the stored biomaterial free of charge if their compulsory medical insurance indicates they can do so. Russia called up more than 300,000 reservists to support what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine in a mobilisation drive launched in September. Reporting in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan will extend compulsory military service to one year from four months starting in 2024 due to the rising threat the democratically governed island faces from its giant neighbor China, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday. Tsai, speaking after a national security council meeting of senior security officials, said Taiwan wanted peace but needed to be able to defend itself. “Taiwan wants to tell the world that between democracy and dictatorship, we firmly believe in democracy. China also staged war games near Taiwan in August following a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Reuters has reported that military training in Taiwan, particularly for conscripts and reservists, had deteriorated.
Soldiers regroup after an amphibious landing drill during the Han Kuang military exercise — which simulates China's People's Liberation Army invading the island — on July 28, 2022 in Pingtung, Taiwan. A plan to extend compulsory military service in Taiwan to one year from the current four months will be announced on Tuesday, a senior government official said, as the island deals with rising Chinese military pressure. Tsai's security team, including high-level officials from the defense ministry and the National Security Council, has been reviewing Taiwan's military system since 2020 amid increasing threats from China, according to the official. China also staged war games near Taiwan in August following a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "China's various unilateral behaviors have become a major concern for regional security," said the official, who took part in the high-level security discussion and declined to be named.
TAIPEI, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Taiwan will announce on Tuesday a plan to extend compulsory military service to one year from the current four months, according to a senior government official, as the island deals with rising Chinese military pressure. "China's various unilateral behaviours have become a major concern for regional security," said the person, who took part in the high-level security discussion. The official Central News Agency, citing government and ruling party sources familiar with the matter, first reported late on Monday that her government would on Tuesday announce the plan to extend compulsory military service. read moreChina also staged war games near Taiwan in August following a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China has stepped up its diplomatic, military and economic pressure in recent years on the self-governed island to accept Beijing's rule.
TAIPEI, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Taiwan will announce on Tuesday a plan to extend compulsory military service to one year from the current four months, according to a senior government official, as the island deals with rising Chinese military pressure. "China's various unilateral behaviours have become a major concern for regional security," said the person, who took part in the high-level security discussion. The official Central News Agency, citing government and ruling party sources familiar with the matter, first reported late on Monday that her government would on Tuesday announce the plan to extend compulsory military service. read moreChina also staged war games near Taiwan in August following a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China has stepped up its diplomatic, military and economic pressure in recent years on the self-governed island to accept Beijing's rule.
An Amazon worker told Insider they got depressed after working six days a week before Christmas. My role at an Amazon warehouse is in inventory control. Last year's peak season was really hardI volunteered to increase my overtime from five to six days because I wanted to earn more. In response to this warehouse worker's comments, an Amazon spokesperson told Insider: "Working in a warehouse is not for everyone. They added: "The fact is, if you want to work in a warehouse, you'll want to work at Amazon.
Amini's family said she was beaten after being arrested by the morality police on Sept. 13 for violating the Islamic Republic's imposed dress code. Facing their worst legitimacy crisis since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran's religious leaders have tried to portray the unrest as breakaway uprisings by ethnic minorities threatening national unity rather than its clerical rule. Protesters from all walks of life have taken to the streets, calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic. However, the persistent unrest does not mean the four-decade-old Islamic Republic will disappear any time soon given the power wielded by its security apparatus. The Islamic Republic will be engulfed by what analysts call a "revolutionary process" that will likely fuel more protests into 2023, with neither side backing down.
Total: 25