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Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday that a proposed piece of subsidiary legislation to clearly define the classification mechanism for “other offences endangering national security under the law of the HKSAR” will make the relevant laws clearer for the administration of justice. Under the proposal to be enacted under Section 110 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, if the chief executive issues a certificate under the law confirming that a criminal act involves national security, the case shall be treated as one. And where a person is charged with – or convicted of – an alternative offence arising from the same act in a case involving a national security offence, that alternative offence shall also be classified as an offence endangering national security. Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said the move “will have the benefit of reducing the risk of controversies or debates in court about what constitutes an offence endangering national security”. It does not expand the definition of offences or add new offences, powers or punishments, and has no impact on the scope of application of the law, he said. As head of the SAR government, Lee said he had the responsibility to ensure that national security is safeguarded. “The application of the power in issuing a certificate is a very serious action which will be exercised by me with prudence and seriousness,” he said. "We have to understand that a lot of endangering national security activities are committed by state players of another place. “They are professional, sophisticated, and the seriousness of information that may be available to indicate the seriousness of the matters are privy to the chief executive. "A lot of this information is sensitive and not suitable for public disclosure.” Lee went on to say that while he shoulders the responsibility for the issuance of such certificates, everyone should help safeguard national security.

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong film producer Raymond Wong sentenced to 5 months for insider trading

A Hong Kong court has sentenced veteran film producer and actor Raymond Wong Pak-ming to five months in prison for sharing insider information with his sister to trade shares in an entertainment company he chaired in 2017. However, the 80-year-old will not have to begin serving the sentence immediately, after Magistrate Ko Wai-hung granted him bail pending appeal on Tuesday. Ko said he would not consider a suspended sentence or any non-custodial punishment for Wong, who was convicted of insider...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Hoops coach 'arrested for assault in court slap video'

A basketball coach at a secondary school in Siu Sai Wan alleged to have resorted to corporal punishment on a student is understood to have been arrested on suspicion of common assault. Yung Kam-wah, who formerly played for the SAR basketball team, was released on bail in the early hours of Tuesday, according to sources. The 54-year-old must report back to a police station on July 22. This came as a video circulating online last week purportedly showed Yung using the hand of a student to slap the teenager in the face in front of other youngsters. The incorporated management committee of Hon Wah College said the incident happened during the 2023/24 academic year and that Yung was suspended from his duties. The coach apologised on social media after the incident came to light. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong leader defends tougher civil service appraisal system amid backlash

A more rigorous appraisal system for Hong Kong’s civil servants aims to bolster public trust and support, but adjustment to the changes will take time, the city’s leader has said. Facing backlash from unions, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the government would provide further explanation of the revamped appraisal system, which he described as a “fair reward and punishment mechanism” to enhance morale within the civil service. The government unveiled enhancement measures...

New York Post

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Victor Wembanyama, Spurs punish Knicks in paint as key Finals advantages dry up

The tone, ominous for the Knicks, was set immediately. The Spurs forced the ball inside to Victor Wembanyama. Dunk and dunk. Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) slams the ball over Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter. It would be 48 minutes of San Antonio feasting in the paint, led by Wembanyama and...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'New appraisal system makes reward, punishment clear'

An enhanced appraisal system for civil servants will motivate them to perform better, according to the chief executive. Starting October 1, about five to 10 percent of those deemed underperformers will not get a salary increment. At a weekly press briefing on Tuesday, John Lee said the new system is very sensible and practical, which creates a fair reward and punishment mechanism. “[The] appraisal system is part and parcel of this reward and punishment system. So for those who perform well, they should be credited. For those who are not up to the standard, then they should be told that they need to pull their socks up and work harder. And also, where they do not merit a pay adjustment, then they will not be given a pay adjustment,” he said. “So this point system is one that will be granted only if the merits deserve it.” As for those who work hard and are passionate about their jobs, the move will motivate them, Lee added. He said the Civil Service Bureau had introduced flexibility for the arrangement so that department heads "can within a reasonable room of manoeuvring, inform and report to the bureau" on how the new arrangements can be applied to their teams. The CE noted that government workers would take time to adjust to the new system, adding the bureau would carry out more explanation exercises. Meanwhile, Lee said the bureau had been meeting civil service representatives to exchange views on their pay adjustments. He said the Executive Council would consider the Hong Kong's economy, the changes in the cost of living, the government's fiscal position, the indicators from the pay trend survey, staff pay claims as well as the morale of the civil service before making a final pay decision for the more than 170,000 civil servants in the city. Edited by Tony Sabine

[Antara Haldar] The Pope and the AI profiteers

The Tower of Babel is the biblical story of how humanity, united by a single language and a single ambition, attempts to build a tower to heaven. The project ends in collapse, with God punishing the builders for their hubris by fragmenting humanity into different languages and cultures. The parable, which Pope Leo XIV explicitly invokes in his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, bears an uncanny resemblance to artificial intelligence. Will the technology be humankind’s salvation, as its evang

The Guardian World

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Todd Blanche: devoted Trump enforcer rewarded with top nomination

Attorney general pick joined Trump’s legal team in 2023 – there seems little doubt he would be prepared to carry out the president’s wishes Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Todd Blanche’s nomination to be permanently made the attorney general marks the apex of a gamble from a man who bet everything on representing Donald Trump and became one of his most steadfast and punishing enforcers. Trump announced the news at the White House on Monday. The nomination will require Senate confirmation to become permanent. Continue reading...

South China Morning Post

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US sanctions over 100 Nicaraguan officials and relatives with travel ban

The United States has placed travel bans on more than 100 Nicaraguan officials and their family members as part of a broader campaign to punish the current government for human rights abuses. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Monday that the new sanctions were imposed in part because of the death last month of an imprisoned activist, Brooklyn Rivera, who criticised the policies of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president Rosario Murillo. “The United...

Washington Examiner

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The constitutional slavery exception nobody talks about

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. What follows the abolition, separated by the word “except,” has been generating litigation and constitutional argument for 60 years. Most Americans can’t identify it. Section 1 is 39 words and worth reading before the argument about it proceeds any further. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for […]

Acid attack more heinous than homicide, tool of patriarchal violence: SC

ISLAMABAD: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that “vitriolage” (acid attack) is an offence more heinous than homicide. The ruling came after Abdul Manan, convicted for throwing acid on a young woman in Faisalabad, appealed against a 2022 Lahore High Court (LHC) order. The LHC had upheld an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) verdict sentencing him to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs1 million. Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, heading a three-judge bench consisting of Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, upheld the LHC order. The ruling comes only days after an acid attack on a female doctor in Quetta’s Civil Hospital. Following the attack on 29-year-old Mahnoor Nasir, doctors in Quetta went on strike, demanding a thorough investigation. “Unlike death, which consumes its victim only once, the victim of an acid assault is relegated to a living death, where they are compelled to endure the agony of their trauma and the degradation of their physical self on a daily basis,” observed Justice Kakar in a 14-page strongly worded judgment he authored. In the court ruling, federal and provincial governments were also recommended to consider accommodating acid attack victims under disability quotas along with enactment and enforcement of specialised legislation for establishment of a National Acid Survivors’ Rehabilitation Fund. The ruling added that such a statutory fund should provide comprehensive medical coverage for extensive reconstructive surgeries and specialised physical therapy. The fund should also provide mandatory access to professional trauma counselling, psychotherapy and psychiatric care for psychological and social rehabilitation. “The perpetrator’s objective is not merely to kill, but to extinguish the victim’s soul, leaving the living corpse as a permanent reminder of their depravity,” Justice Kakar said. The apex court also recommended a mandatory monthly stipend for survivors who, due to the nature of their injuries or ongoing medical conditions, are rendered incapable of financial self-support. Justice Kakar also suggested the formulation of national rehabilitation guidelines as a standardised framework ensuring gratuitous, lifelong medical and mental health treatment across all state-mandated and private medical facilities through the fund. He further observed that acid violence is a tool of patriarchal dominance. “In the past, such incidents have occurred following rejection of marriage proposals or sexual advances, as well as dowry disputes.” The ruling added that acid violence is used to inflict a social death upon women by destroying their physical identity. The primary deterrent against such depravity lies in a dual strategy of rigorous criminalisation followed by stringent regulation of corrosive substances, Justice Kakar observed, citing a number of examples from foreign jurisdictions such as Bangladesh and Cambodia. The first essential step towards eradication is the categorical criminalisation of the act itself, he added. The judgment also highlighted that the eradication of acid violence was inextricably linked to restrictions on access to corrosive substances. While the legislative amendments of 2011 served to criminalise acid violence with the severity it warrants, the persistence of such atrocities reveals that penal sanctions alone are insufficient to address the root of the problem, Justice Kakar observed. “As long as corrosive substances remain easily available, the deterrent effect of penal consequences will be perpetually undermined.” In this context, the Punjab Acid Control Act 2025 represents a watershed moment in provincial jurisprudence. Justice Kakar cited it as an example of a shift from post-occurrence punishment to pre-emptive regulation, noting that the Act mandates a rigorous licensing regime and categorically prohibits the sale of acid to individuals under the age of 18. “It is our sanguine expectation that the rigorous enforcement of such specialised regulatory regimes will effectively dismantle the accessibility of these lethal instruments, thereby serving as a robust bulwark to curb and eventually eradicate this heinous offence from our social fabric,” Justice Kakar emphasised. He added that the ordeal of an acid attack survivor does not end with the conclusion of the criminal trial. Instead, it marks the beginning of a gruelling, lifelong journey of medical intervention. Survivors are frequently subjected to an exhaustive series of reconstructive surgeries and specialised procedures that are not only physically agonising but also financially prohibitive, rendering essential healthcare inaccessible to the majority of victims, the judgment noted. Citing the Asian Human Rights Commission, the judgment said the devastating impact of acid violence in Pakistan was exemplified by survivors such as Irum Saeed and Memuna Khan, who underwent 25 and 21 reconstructive surgeries respectively following attacks triggered by marital rejection and inter-family disputes. Justice Kakar added that despite existing laws, their purpose was defeated if implementation and enforcement remained weak, as evidenced by recurring incidents across the country. The SC also strongly recommended that the high courts actively monitor and ensure that, in cases of vitriolage, statutory timelines provided under relevant laws for the completion of trials are strictly adhered to. The prime intent of the legislature is to ensure swift adjudication and prevent secondary victimisation, the judgment added. Vitriolage is an offence deeply rooted in gender-based violence, deep-seated misogyny and patriarchal aggression, the judgment said. The Supreme Court also recommended that the federal and all provincial governments impose a complete ban on the sale of acid to private individuals. For legal acid sales, the court suggested a centralised digital system governed and monitored by the relevant authorities in real time. Under this system, entities intending to purchase acid must apply through prescribed electronic forms, disclosing the purpose of purchase and the name and details of the purchaser, along with a photograph and biometric thumb impression. Such a real-time system will completely eradicate manual record-keeping and enable the trade to be managed with absolute transparency, the ruling added. The apex court judgment was forwarded to all High Courts and relevant departments of the federal and provincial governments. Case history On September 4, 2019, the accused threw sulfuric acid on the victim’s face while she was cooking in the kitchen of her home. The victim sustained extensive burns on her face, chest, back, left leg and foot, as well as “complete destruction of the left ear”, court documents state. The victim was examined on January 16, 2020, during trial proceedings. At the time, “she was unable to recline, move or walk”, according to court documents. The victim has been bedridden since the incident. Abdul Manan denied the allegations but failed to provide evidence in his defence. At the time of the incident, he was a minor, with court documents stating his age as 17–18. The petitioner’s lawyer requested leniency owing to his young age, while the prosecutor argued that “age cannot be a shield for such barbaric acts”. On February 1, 2020, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Faisalabad sentenced the accused to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs1 million to be paid to the victim. Following an appeal, the Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld the ATC’s ruling on November 21, 2022.

The Korea Herald

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Man indicted for secretly filming women, spraying capsaicin on restroom tissue

A 21-year-old man has been indicted in custody on charges of secretly filming women in a restroom and injuring a woman by spraying capsaicin on toilet paper in a building in southern Seoul, prosecutors said Monday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted the man, identified only by his surname Kim, on June 2 on charges of causing bodily injury and violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. Kim, a social service worker, is accused of spraying ca

Walz administration used outside investigators to punish whistleblowers, oversight committee finds

Minnesota officials under Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) retaliated against state employees who raised concerns about fraud and the state’s management of taxpayer-funded social service programs, including by hiring investigators outside of the agency to scrutinize whistleblowers and monitor workers who reported suspected abuse, a new House oversight committee majority staff report alleged. The 205-page report released on Monday alleged Minnesota Department of […]

Hanwha Aerospace CEO Booked on Charges of Violating Serious Accidents Punishment Act

[Domestic] : Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il has been booked over an explosion at a Daejeon facility that killed five workers and injured two others last Monday. The Daejeon Regional Employment and Labor Office under the labor ministry said Monday that it booked Son on charges of violating the Serious Accidents ... [more...]

News18 (India)

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'Lord Ram Will Punish Them': Ayodhya Temple Trust Hits Back As Akhilesh Questions Finances

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust swiftly rejected the allegations, saying an ongoing audit had not revealed any irregularity so far.

Police officials refusing duty in AJK, GB face action

ISLAMABAD: The capital police have started taking action against its officials who refused to perform duties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The officials are being subjected to major punishment, including dismissal from service, and a constable has been sacked. According to a document, available with Dawn, Constable Ahmad Ali presently posted to Capital Patrols was charged with inefficiency and misconduct. It said all nominated officials were directed by the competent authority to report to the Police Lines Headquarters for deployment on the AJK election duty. “However, despite having been duly informed and directed, the said Constable willfully and deliberately refused to comply with the lawful orders and declined to proceed for the assigned election duty. Furthermore, he failed to report as directed on multiple occasions, deliberately absented himself from duty, and persistently disobeyed the lawful orders issued by competent authority. His conduct demonstrated a clear disregard for discipline, obedience, and the chain of command, which are fundamental obligations of a member of the police force. By intentionally refusing to perform the assigned duty, absenting himself without lawful justification, and disobeying the orders of the competent authority and senior officers, the said Constable violated the prescribed Government Servants (Conduct) Rules and departmental discipline,” the document stated. “Such behaviour constitutes a serious breach of official responsibility and falls within the meaning of gross misconduct, rendering him liable to disciplinary action under the relevant rules and regulations. Keeping in view his above act, the competent authority decided to take disciplinary action against him under the legal provisions of Punjab Police (E&D) Rules, 1975 duly adopted by ICT Police. The charges of such unprofessional act and default of service rules/regulations were fully established from the office record,” it stated. “After perusing the above situation, and having considered the facts and circumstances, I am satisfied that there is ample proof to proceed against him. Therefore finding him guilty of gross professional misconduct I, Awais Ali Khan, PSP, The Superintendent of Police, Capital Patrols, Islamabad award him a ‘major’ punishment of ‘Dismissal from service’ as provided under Punjab Police (E & D) Rules, 1975 duly adopted by ICT Police,” the document signed by the Superintendent of Police stated. According to reports, a number of officials of the capital police skipped orders to reach the Police Lines, knowing that they would be sent to AJK and GB. An official of the police, wishing not to be quoted, said there was no room for refusal to perform an assigned duty in law enforcement agencies. Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026

Ramaphosa vows crackdown on illegal migration amid xenophobic protests

Speaking in a live national address today, Ramaphosa said the government was rolling out new measures to secure borders, deport undocumented migrants and punish employers who hire them. The post Ramaphosa vows crackdown on illegal migration amid xenophobic protests appeared first on Vanguard News.

Deutsche Welle (English)

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Reports: Iran uses war as cover for increased executions

Iran already had one of the highest rates of capital punishment in the world. Now, rights groups say, the country is using the current conflict to carry out even more executions, in an attempt to repress dissent.

The women raped by the Taliban: Victims describe horrific sexual abuse at the hands of multiple men as punishment for getting a job or posting on social media

The Taliban has stripped women of their fundamental rights to education, employment, and free movement, wielding rape as a weapon against those who dare to continue working.

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Dawn (Pakistan)

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