rights | Common News Update

Mar222021 by adminNo Comments

UK sanctions four Chinese officials over Uighur human rights abuses

World

Four Chinese officials will be sanctioned by the UK over "appalling violations" of human rights against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province, the foreign secretary has announced.Sanctions have also been placed on an official body - Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Public Security Bureau. The US, Canada and the European Union have also introduced sanctions, with the UK imposing travel bans and asset freezes. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Chinese official defends Uighur 'training' camps Dominic Raab sai...

Mar192021 by adminNo Comments

Lawyer: Canada border questions violated Huawei CFO’s rights

World

Lawyers for a senior executive for Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies argue that her detention and questioning at the Vancouver airport in late 2018 violated her rightsBy JIM MORRIS Associated PressMarch 19, 2021, 9:55 PM• 3 min readVANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Lawyers for a senior executive for Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies argued at an extradition hearing Friday that her detention and questioning at the Vancouver airport violated her rights, saying agents had no reason to question her about the company’s activity in Iran except to assist U.S. investigators.Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer who is also the daughter of the company's founder, was arrested at the airport in late 2018 at the request of U.S., which wants her extradited to face fr...

Mar82021 by adminNo Comments

Sen. Joe Manchin open to party-line vote on future bills with voting rights legislation now in focus

Finance

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WVA) removes his mask to speak as bipartisan members of the Senate and House gather to announce a framework for fresh coronavirus disease (COVID-19) relief legislation at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, December 1, 2020.Kevin Lamarque | ReutersSen. Joe Manchin, the moderate Democrat from West Virginia, said he would consider passing legislation through a party-line vote again but only in a situation where Democrats have tried to engage Republicans.Manchin's comments come as the Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers look toward other top priorities, including voting rights legislation, after they passed a $ 1.9 trillion Covid relief bill without any Republican support in the evenly divided Senate this weekend.The massive stimulus package was ...

Feb282021 by adminNo Comments

UN Human Rights Office says 18 killed in Myanmar crackdown

World

YANGON, Myanmar -- Security forces in Myanmar opened fire and made mass arrests Sunday as they sought to break up protests against the military’s seizure of power, and a U.N. human rights official said it had “credible information” that at least 18 people were killed and 30 were wounded.That would be the highest single-day death toll among protesters who are demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power after being ousted by a Feb. 1 coup. About 1,000 people are believed to have been detained Sunday.“Deaths reportedly occurred as a result of live ammunition fired into crowds in Yangon, Dawei, Mandalay, Myeik, Bago and Pokokku,” the U.N. Human Rights Office said in a statement referring to several cities, adding that the forces also used tear gas, flash-bang...

Feb192021 by adminNo Comments

Uber loses Supreme Court battle on drivers’ rights in gig economy test

Technology

Uber has lost its battle in the Supreme Court over drivers' rights - a decision that could have far-reaching implications for millions of people in the gig economy.Following a lengthy legal fight, the UK's highest court ruled against the taxi app firm and concluded drivers should be classed as workers, not independent third-party contractors, which means they are entitled to basic employment protections, including minimum wage and holiday pay. The victory paves the way for drivers to claim compensation running into thousands of pounds.Yaseen Aslam, co-lead claimant and App Drivers & Couriers Union president said: "I am overjoyed and greatly relieved by this decision which will bring relief to so many workers in the gig economy who so desperately need it."Co-lead claimant James Farrar, ...