US drops plan to deport Chinese national who exposed Xinjiang abuses

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security has dropped its plan to deport a Chinese national who entered the country illegally, two rights activists said Monday, after his plight raised public concerns that the man, if deported, would be punished by Beijing for helping expose human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region. Rayhan Asat,…

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    Israel intercepts some Gaza-bound flotilla boats but others nearing coast, activists say

    Israel intercepts some Gaza-bound flotilla boats but others nearing coast, activists say

    JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli navy soldiers boarded vessels and detained dozens of activists aboard a flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, but 12 hours after the military began intercepting the vessels, several boats continued sailing and were nearing the besieged territory on Thursday, activists said. Supporters of the flotilla took to the streets…

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    Hong Kong tightens prison rules, allowing visit restrictions on national security grounds

    Hong Kong tightens prison rules, allowing visit restrictions on national security grounds

    HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong tightened prison rules, allowing authorities to restrict visits, including those by certain lawyers and religious personnel, on national security grounds, in the latest expansion of its stringent control. Under the new rules, effective Friday, magistrates can issue warrants on application by correctional service officers to bar exchanges between specific…

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    Hong Kong's security net extends beyond arrests as small businesses pressured

    Hong Kong’s security net extends beyond arrests as small businesses pressured

    HONG KONG (AP) — It’s been years since mass arrests all but silenced pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong. But a crackdown on dissent in the semiautonomous Chinese city is still expanding, hitting restaurants, bookstores and other small businesses. Leticia Wong, former pro-democracy district councillor, arranges books at her bookstore in Hong Kong, Friday, June 20,…

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