'Whistleblowers' challenge Australia's law on reporting refugee conditions
Updated 0417 GMT (1117 HKT) July 2, 2015
More than 40 doctors, nurses, teachers and other humanitarian workers have signed an open letter to the Australian government, challenging a new bill that could put whistleblowers in jail for disclosing the conditions of Australian detention centers.
The Australian Border Force Bill, which came into effect Wednesday, allows for a jail sentence of up to two years for those that speak publicly about detention centers without the permission of the government.
John Paul Sanggaran, a doctor who used to work at an immigration center on Christmas Island -- an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean -- is circulating an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, "challenging the department to prosecute" him and others for exposing the "deplorable state of human rights" for asylum seekers in the centers.
US asks Switzerland to extradite seven Fifa officials
Swiss authorities say formal requests were submitted on Thursday for extradition of officials arrested in May, but legal process could be lengthy
The US has asked Switzerland to extradite seven Fifa officials arrested on corruption charges in dawn raids in May, according to Swiss authorities.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said formal extradition requests were submitted on Wednesday.
Zurich police, acting on behalf of the FOJ, would give the seven Fifa officials a hearing over the extradition requests, the FOJ confirmed.
The seven top Fifa executives arrested in Zurich and accused by the FBI of creating a “World Cup of shame” are among 14 Fifa officials indicted on charges of “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted” corruption.
01/07/2015 / CHINA
China clamps down on Xinjiang’s Muslims over Ramadan
The Chinese authorities have been doing all they can to discourage Muslim Uighurs from fasting since Ramadan began. Free slices of watermelon were handed out in the middle of the day at Urumqi’s University of Medicine in Xinjiang, a region with a huge Muslim Uighur population.
Though Islam is legal in China, our Observers say that the authorities in the Xinjiang region are increasingly clamping down on the religion and its followers. This food handout is just one of many examples in which China has tried to pressure the country’s Uighurs. Civil servants have come under the most pressure, according to several official Chinese websites and official minutes taken during Communist Party meetings in Xinjiang. Measures taken include banning them from taking part in traditional religious practices that have anything to do with Ramadan, such as fasting or prayer gatherings. They’ve also been given the "responsibility" of discouraging friends, family, and colleagues from observing religious rituals and so-called "superstitions". At the same time, official media outlets have been keen to stress that fasting during Ramadan could lead to health problems.
Pushing back on socialism, Ecuador vents its presidential ire on the streets
July 2, 2015 - 1:51PMJim Wyss
Ecuador President Rafael Correa is scrambling to roll out the red carpet for the first papal visit in 30 years, but many in the Andean nation seem intent on sending their leader a less welcoming message.
On Thursday, for the fourth straight week, protesters planned take the streets of major cities, including the capital, to decry Mr Correa's policies. The tumult comes just days before Pope Francis is scheduled to kick off a South American tour here on Sunday.
The rumblings began in early June over Correa's proposal to boost the inheritance and capital-gains taxes, but have evolved to include a wide range of gripes. They're the most sustained protests that Correa - a charismatic socialist and US-educated economist -has faced during his eight years in power.
Chad forces arrest Boko Haram leader, hold 74 suspects in custody
Chad security forces have arrested Bahna Fanaye, a leader from jihadist group Boko Haram, and have detained 74 suspects. Fanaye coordinated the trafficking of weapons between Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad for the radical Islamic network, Chad's chief prosecutor said.
Prosecutor Alhassim Khamis said in a statement Monday that Bahna Fanaye, whose alias is Mahamat Moustapha, was apprehended Sunday, along with two others. He said Fanaye coordinated the trafficking of weapons between Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad for the radical Islamic network.
Khamis said forces seized various weapons, communication materials, documents and more than 50 SIM cards from Fanaye's home. He said a man described as the financier of the group was also arrested in another operation.
Secret tunnel used to send intel from China to the Soviet Union reportedly discovered
By Elena Holodny20 hours ago
A secret tunnel that was used by China and the former Soviet Union was reportedly discovered in China's Heilongjiang province, according to the Siberian Times.
Back in the 1930s when both China and the USSR were at odds with the Empire of Japan, the two used the tunnel to exchange intel.
Rumors that such a passage existed started bubbling up a few years ago. A staff member at China's Dongning Fortress — which is close to the tunnel — visited North Korea a few years ago, and a "local expert" told him Koreans were involved in the construction of such a path.
The local expert added that the 34.2-mile tunnel was constructed back in 1933, following Japan's invasion of Manchuria.
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