Transnational Bodies

McLaughlin: The End of Free Speech in Hong Kong

August 04, 2021

Timothy McLaughlin writing in the Atlantic reports that a panel of judges in Hong Kong found Tong Ying-kit, the first person to face trial under the national security law, imposed by Beijing last year, guilty of terrorism and inciting secession for carrying a banner with a pro-democracy slogan, setting a precedent that saying a phrase or singing a song that bothers the government can now be considered a crime in Hong Kong.
The Federalist: U.S. Civics Education Increasingly a Political Tool

August 04, 2021

Peter Wood and David Randall writing for the Federalist highlight that civics education in America is increasingly becoming a tool for the political left to promote a specific agenda, using the Thomas B. Fordham Institute latest published piece “The State of State Standards for Civics and U.S. History in 2021” that attempts to convince people that “action civics” which often calls for protest activism, is an a wholesome part of school curricula.
Kremlin Critic Alexei Navalny's Website Blocked before Election

July 28, 2021

Just before the parlimentary elections in Russia, authorities blocked access to jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny's website in an attempt to sideline his allies cast who are seen by the Kremlin as U.S.-backed trouble-makers.
First person Charged Under Hong Kong National Security Law Found Guilty

July 28, 2021

Tong Ying-kit, 24, the first person to be tried under Hong Kong's national security law, was found guilty of inciting secession and terrorism and now faces life in prison after crashing his motorcycle into a group of police officers and carrying a banner with the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times."
U.S. Government Issues Hong Kong Business Advisory

July 27, 2021

The U.S. Government has issued a new advisory highlighting the growing risks associated with doing business in Hong Kong including potential regulatory, financial, and legal exposure following the changes to Hong Kong’s laws imposed by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in June 2020, eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Biden Administration Urges Ukraine to Stay Quiet on Russian Pipeline

July 21, 2021

As U.S. officials have signaled that they will no longer stop the Nord Stream 2, a controversial Russia-to-Germany pipeline, the Biden administration is asking Ukraine to stay quiet about its staunch opposition during negotiations with Berlin.
CNET: What to know about Pegasus Spyware

July 21, 2021

CNET explains how security researchers found evidence of installation of Pegasus Spyware, a software made by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO group, on 37 phones of activists, journalists and businesspeople, showing how vulnerable personal information is to digital prying.
G20 Finance Ministers Sign Off on Global Tax Deal

July 14, 2021

Finance ministers from the G20 have signed off on a plan for global tax reform that seeks to introduce an international tax on multinational companies and set a global minimum tax rate at 15 percent, but will not reach final approval, after some adjustments, until the G20 meeting in Rome in October.
Academic Freedom Decreasing in Hong Kong

July 13, 2021

Since the implementation of the national security law in July 2020, Hong Kong has seen a rapid dwindling of academic freedom including attacking teachers at all levels of education on the grounds that the teacher's behavior in some way endangers national security, as public comments that are critical of the Hong Kong and Chinese governments are illegal.
Russian Opposition Politician Leaves Moscow District Role over ‘Pressure'

July 13, 2021

Ilya Yashin, a prominent Russian opposition politician and close ally of Alexei Navalny, has resigned, claiming his team has been increasingly pressured by Moscow, including endless inspections and detainment.