CHINA – Human rights lawyer admits to Western ‘brainwashing’
Chinese human rights attorney Xie Yang reportedly confessed during his trial by a Chinese court that he was ‘brainwashed’ to bring Western ideals to China. He was apprehended nearly two years ago on charges of inciting subversion. Yang’s trial lacked advanced warning to the public and occurred with very low transparency. The court transcripts containing Yang’s confession were unavailable to foreign journalists. Yang’s wife alleges that he was tortured while he was detained and other lawyers handling political cases in China have faced arrest and similar treatment.
With files from BBC News.
UNITED STATES – Fears Trump will withdraw from Paris climate agreement
Participants at the recent UN climate talks rejected the idea of changing the carbon targets of the Paris climate agreement to keep the Americans in the treaty. It has been speculated that President Donald Trump will withdraw from the agreement. The speculation increased after Trump’s advisors noted that the oil and gas reforms could be met with stronger legal battles from environmentalists if the US remained a part of the treaty. It was proposed that lessening the carbon target commitments might keep the US in the agreement.
With files from BBC News.
NIGERIA – 82 Chibok girls freed from Boko Haram
Eighty-two kidnapped Chibok girls in Nigeria were released by the militant group Boko Haram on May 6. Many parents were uncertain if their child was one of those freed. The girls’ liberation was the result of a trade deal between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram which saw the release of five suspects from the extremist group. The girls were brought to the capital Abuja for temporary refuge before being reunited with their parents. Their names were published by the government on Twitter, which posed difficulties for parents, since access to social media is not abundant in Chibok.
With files from BBC News.
COLOMBIA – Eight people abducted by rebel army
The National Liberation Army (ELN), a rebel group in Colombia, abducted eight people last week, according to the Colombian government. The ELN captured one woman and seven men in the jungle in the Chocó area. The government organized a military response, with an aggregate of over 6,000 troops already stationed in the area where the hostages were taken. The abduction disrupts peace talks started between the government and the ELN earlier this year.
With files from BBC News.
