Human rights

United States senators have set in motion a process of sanctioning Philippine officials linked to the detention of opposition Senator Leila de Lima and alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) under the Duterte administration. For one, the US Senate Foreign Relations committee passed a resolution condemning De Lima's imprisonment and calling out the Philippine government for its "role in state-sanctioned extrajudicial killing by police and other armed individuals as part of the 'war on drugs.'" The same resolution declared its opposition to the arrest and detention of human rights defenders and political leaders in the Philippines who have "exercised their right to freedom of expression." It also denounced the "harassment, arrest, and unjustified judicial proceedings" against media, particularly Rappler and its CEO Maria Ressa. Beyond putting a spotlight on human rights and press freedom issues in the Philippines, the US Senate resolution 142 included terms of ... » Learn More about Why the Global Magnitsky Act matters to the Philippines

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden said in an interview with the New York Times (NYT) that he will not act to roll back tariffs imposed against China immediately after taking office. Will not be cutting back tariffs immediately In addition, Biden will not cancel the Phase 1 agreement U.S. President Donald Trump had signed with China that requires the latter to buy more U.S. goods and services. The deal had led to a ceasefire in the trade dispute between the two countries. Trump had imposed 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports, which amount to US$550 billion (S$735 billion). China, on the other hand, has placed tariffs on US$185 billion worth of American goods. Fixing relations with U.S. allies to deal with China Ruling out any premature actions, Biden said: "I'm not going to prejudice my options." His approach to China will be to first build up -- or mend -- relations with traditional allies in Asia and Europe. This is so that they can "develop ... » Learn More about Biden says tariffs slapped by Trump on China imports won’t be lifted right away

The first person convicted under Hong Kong's national security law was sentenced to nine years for terrorist activities and inciting secession, judges said on Friday, July 30, in a watershed ruling with long-term implications for the city's judicial landscape. Former waiter Tong Ying-kit , 24, was accused of driving his motorcycle into three riot police last year while carrying a flag with the protest slogan "Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution of our times." Judges Esther Toh, Anthea Pang and Wilson Chan – picked by city leader Carrie Lam to hear national security cases – ruled on Tuesday, July 27, that the slogan was "capable of inciting others to commit secession." On Friday, the judges sentenced Tong to 6.5 years for inciting secession and 8 years for terrorist activities. Of these, 2.5 years will run consecutively, resulting in a total term of 9 years. "We consider that this overall term should sufficiently reflect the Defendant's culpability in the ... » Learn More about Hong Kong man sentenced to 9 years in prison in first national security case

**Editor's note on January 26, 2021 at 11:15pm: The police have issued a statement regarding this case. A protest by five people was held outside the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s headquarters at Buona Vista on Tuesday (Jan. 26) afternoon. Protest against transphobia The purpose of the protest, which started at around 5pm, was to speak up against transphobia in Singapore's education system. According to a tweet by Singaporean activist Kirsten Han, five protesters were seen holding up signs and flags outside MOE. Today: A protest by Singaporeans against transphobia in the education system. pic.twitter.com/ZRy14e9nHZ — Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) January 26, 2021 Han added that "within minutes", security officers showed up at the area to ask the protesters to leave. Two of them left, but the remaining three did not. Photos from earlier. #FixSchoolsNotStudents pic.twitter.com/4fdpnVgZQi — Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) January 26, 2021 Han also ... » Learn More about S’pore police arrest 3 people for protest against transphobia outside MOE building

This story is published in partnership with SoJannelleTV, a magazine show about Filipinos in North America “I’m sorry that you had to be put through this.” Those were the words of Miguel delos Santos after he woke up from a week-long medically-included coma. The 27-year-old Filipino-American had been shot six times by police officers on April 23, 2021, and had undergone several surgeries to ensure his survival, though he remains wheelchair-bound after one of the bullets was lodged in his spinal column. While admitting that the ordeal has been traumatizing, Delos Santos told Fil-Am media pioneer Jannelle So-Perkins, that he prefers to see the bright side of it. “You hear all the time about people getting shot once and they die. But I got shot six times and I'm pretty happy to be alive,” he said in an interview for So-Perkins' So Jannelle , a weekly magazine/talk show that airs across three channels all over the US highlighting Filipino-American ... » Learn More about Fil-Am lawyer Claire Espina takes on case of police brutality

ALL construction work in the country ground to a halt when the movement control order (MCO) was first implemented in March last year. As a result, in the following months, the construction sector recorded estimated losses of RM11bil per month from unpaid wages, unused materials, idling plants and equipment, head office overhead and profit loss due to the suspension of 7,500 ongoing projects. It was a setback throughout the different phases of the MCO right up to MCO3.0 – affecting the progress of non-essential works including at project and construction sites as most construction jobs are not permitted during this period. Public Works Department projects are also affected and further aggravated by the shortage of materials and limited number of workers allowed on site. However, the projects that are stopped will be considered for an extension of time (EOT). The Works Ministry ensures that the well-being of construction industry players and workers is not neglected, says ... » Learn More about BUILDING UP TOWARDS ECONOMIC RECOVERY

SINGAPORE: There are many rewards that can come with being a top athlete. The adoration of cheering fans. The ecstasy of bringing glory to club or country. The satisfaction when all the training and preparation pay off. Until recently, much of the focus on gaining those rewards has been on the physical effort needed. Increasingly, though, a spotlight is being shone on how climbing the peaks of elite sport can bring with it mental health issues. American gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics team competition on Tuesday (Jul 27), citing mental health concerns. She said on Instagram: "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times." In June, tennis player Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, also citing mental health issues. Sports coaches and psychologists who CNA spoke to about the mental pressure that athletes face said the expectation to win can be huge, with one describing it as a "big gorilla" on their back. ... » Learn More about Mental health in sport: Self-worth and the weight of expectation

The smart cookies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have done it again. A team of engineers from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering, led by Assoc. Professor Praveen Linga, have invented a way to make transporting natural gas an easier process. Their new method (which should be given a cool name, like the Solidifier), converts natural gas into a non-explosive solid by adding a low-toxicity additive mixture they invented. This process takes place in just 15 minutes, according to a Dec. 3 press release from NUS. So how did they do it? The NUS team duplicated a naturally-occurring process that turns natural gas into solid gas hydrates. Water molecules form "cages" that trap natural gas molecules, forming a solid substance known as combustible ice. However, this process usually takes millions of years to occur naturally, according to research fellow Gaurav Bhattacharjee, who also worked on the project. ... » Learn More about NUS engineers invent a way to store natural gas in solid form in just 15 minutes