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Hong Kong Tiananmen memorials muted for third consecutive year 

Hong Kong memorials for the anniversary of Tiananmen Square massacre were absent for the third year in a row on Saturday, as COVID-19 curbs and a crackdown on freedoms suppress public recognition of the event.

No group applied to hold the once-annual vigil in Victoria Park, which previously attracted as many as 180,000 people holding candles and listening to speeches calling for greater democracy. The group that organized the June 4 event disbanded in September under the pressure of a national security probe.

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Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that any events would be subject to the national security law and pandemic curbs that limit public gatherings to four people. She declined to say whether lighting a candle at home would cross the government’s “red lines” on marking the event.

On Friday, the government said much of Victoria Park, where the vigil had been held for three decades, would be closed from 11:30 p.m. local time until early Sunday “to prevent any unauthorized assemblies that could affect public safety and public order or result in the spread of COVID-19.

Hong Kong was for decades the only place on Chinese soil where the deadly 1989 crackdown on students by the Communist Party in Tiananmen Square could be openly discussed. That has changed since Beijing imposed a security law on Hong Kong in June 2020 that outlawed acts aimed at “overthrowing or undermining” the basic system of China’s one-party rule.

Authorities in September seized assets from a museum in Hong Kong memorializing the event, prompting organizers to shut it down. They also charged key organizers of the vigil with inciting subversion under the security law.

Shortly after, the University of Hong Kong removed a two-ton “Pillar of Shame” sculpture, saying it now posed “legal risks” after 24 years on campus. An artwork depicting Tiananmen Square was taken away from Lingnan University, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong relocated a Goddess of Democracy statue.

Libraries have removed books documenting the crackdown and when Disney+ launched in the financial hub in November it omitted an episode of “The Simpsons from its local streaming section that referenced China’s censorship of the event.”

In the missing episode, the cartoon family visits the Beijing square where a sign reads: “Tien An Men Square: on this site, in 1989, nothing happened.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement on Friday commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, saying the efforts of those “brave individuals will not be forgotten.” The US and many around the world continue to stand up on their behalf to support peaceful efforts to promote democracy and the rights of individuals, he said.

“To the people of China and to those who continue to stand against injustice and seek freedom, we will not forget June 4,” Blinken said in the statement.

China has long prohibited public discussion of the crackdown, which saw Communist Party leaders send troops into Tiananmen Square and the surrounding streets to violently clear protesters, killing anywhere from hundreds to as many as 2,600 people. That event has been explained in official accounts in China as a necessary effort to stop “counter-revolutionary riots.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday at a regular press briefing in Beijing dismissed ongoing calls from victims and their families for compensation and an apology from the government.

“About the political turbulence that happened in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has made a clear conclusion on that a long time ago,” he said. “Next question, please.”

Read more:

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China’s Tiananmen victims won’t be forgotten, US says

Hong Kong Tiananmen vigil organizers labelled ‘foreign agents’

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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