Niger general Tchiani named head of transitional government after coup ( www.aljazeera.com )
Chinese foreign minister’s mysterious fall from grace: Qin Gang, China’s ousted top diplomat, has not been seen in public for over a month ( novayagazeta.eu )
On 25 July, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from his position and replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. No official reason is provided by Chinese authorities for the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress’s decision to replace Qin following his vague, “health-related” absence from his official...
Darkening Tibet: Satellite Imagery Reveals Increased Detentions by Chinese Authorities ( bnn.network )
A recent study conducted by the Rand Europe research institute utilizes satellite imagery and night-time lighting data to suggest an increase in activity within high-security detention facilities in Tibet. The increased activity could potentially indicate an escalation in the severity of imprisonments imposed by Chinese...
Niger soldiers announce coup on national TV ( www.bbc.co.uk )
Cambodia's Hun Sen to resign and appoint son as PM ( www.bbc.com )
China: son and daughter of wanted self-exiled pro-democracy activist questioned by Hong Kong police ( hongkongfp.com )
Elmer Yuen is listed as one of the eight pro-democracy activists wanted by the national security police. He is accused of subversion and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security.
Amid a record heat wave, Texas construction workers lose their right to rest breaks ( www.npr.org )
On June 13, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 2127 — the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act — which bars cities and counties from passing regulations that are stricter than state ones. It also overturns local rules such as ordinances in Austin and Dallas that mandate rest breaks for construction workers. The law takes effect...
