HK student leader acquitted over protest
HONG KONG • Student leader Joshua Wong was acquitted yesterday over an anti-China protest, in the first of a raft of cases against him to reach a verdict.
The teenage face of the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement and two others pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing police at a small protest in June 2014 that opposed a "White Paper" from China that asserted its control over Hong Kong.
Wong, 19, said the result of the trial proves it was a political prosecution.
Magistrate Lee Siu-ho said Wong could not be held accountable for the fact that police were unable to control the crowd. A verdict is due later this month from another trial involving Sept 26, 2014 demonstrations that triggered wider rallies two days later.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Jailed for insulting Johor royalty
JOHOR BARU • A 19-year-old from Kelantan was sentenced to one year's jail yesterday after he pleaded guilty to 14 charges of insulting the Johor royal family on Facebook.
Muhammad Amirul Azwan Mohd Shakri was accused of posting the insulting comments and replies with the intention of hurting the feelings of others on a Facebook page called TRW Troll Story, using the name "Miyo Castello," between March and April this year.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Johor welcomes water aid from Singapore
ISKANDAR PUTERI • Johor's chief minister has welcomed Singapore's decision to supply additional potable water to the state.
Mentri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin said yesterday the gesture showed Singapore's goodwill in helping its neighbour during the dry spell.
He added that the state government is focusing on rectifying its water woes and is in discussions with several agencies.
Singapore's national water agency PUB is supplying an extra six million gallons of water per day for a month to Johor following a request by the water regulator Badan Kawalselia Air Johor, because dry weather has affected the water level at the Sungai Layang dam.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Sri Lanka to recognise war missing as dead
COLOMBO • Sri Lanka yesterday announced a law to recognise as dead an estimated 65,000 people still missing seven years after the end of a bitter civil war.
The draft Bill says "certificates of absence" will allow access to property, bank accounts and inheritances for families of those who went missing during a 37-year war with Tamil separatists and a Marxist uprising.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
