The ET GenAI Hackathon 2026 has announced the results of its Idea Submission phase, with the shortlist finalised after evaluating entries from more than 54,000 builders across India. Shortlisted teams now advance to the Prototype Development Phase
The fast-expanding war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has captured global attention largely because it is disrupting oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf. Yet another resource is now emerging as far more critical to the survival of the region’s societies. Water
Indian technology stocks have seen an unprecedented rout over the past few weeks over fears of artificial intelligence upending the traditional outsourcing model that powers the country's $300bn (£223bn) back-office industry. The sell-off - part of a global correction in traditional software and
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday managed an easy victory in the biennial polls to five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with its candidates including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP national president Nitin Nabin
Star Brazilian forward Neymar didn’t receive a call-up to the national team squad for the upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia, although striker Endrick found a spot. With this snub, Neymar’s hopes of playing at the upcoming FIFA World Cup have received a massive blow
Hong Kong jailed my dad to stop me speaking out, says activist
When Anna Kwok found out that her father had been arrested in Hong Kong for a national security offence, it came as a shock - but, she says, "there's also this feeling of knowing it would come one day".
Kwok, a 29-year-old pro-democracy activist, left the city in 2020. But she is still wanted by authorities who have put a HK$1m ($127,000; £94,300) bounty on her.
On Thursday, a Hong Kong court sentenced her father, Kwok Yin-sang, to eight months in prison for a national security violation - the first involving the family member of a wanted activist abroad.
The 69-year-old was found guilty earlier this month of attempting to handle the financial assets of a fugitive, after he tried to withdraw around $11,000 from an insurance policy he had bought for his daughter when she was two years old.
Critics say the conviction and sentencing of Kwok's father marks an expansion of the Hong Kong government's pressure campaign on political activists abroad, which increasingly resembles mainland China-style repression.
The Hong Kong government denied this. In response to queries from the BBC, a spokesperson said actions taken by law enforcement and the court against individuals "have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation".
Kwok is one of 34 activists wanted by Hong Kong's national security police. She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and breaching Hong Kong's national security laws after participating in the huge pro-democracy protests that engulfed the city in 2019.
Kwok's father and brother were arrested last year on suspicion of dealing with her financial assets. Her brother was released but her father was charged under Article 23, a homegrown law that expands on the Beijing-imposed national security law. He pleaded not guilty.
Authorities say the laws, which target acts like treason and secession, are necessary for stability - but critics say they are tools to quash dissent.
According to Kwok, her father's prosecution was aimed at silencing her advocacy abroad. She is the executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, which has lobbied the US Congress to reconsider the operations of Hong Kong's trade offices in the US.
My father's case really shows how political freedom is reaching a new low in Hong Kong," Kwok said. "And how the Hong Kong government, learning from Beijing, is committed to repress any sort of freedoms or any sort of campaign Hong Kongers dare to wage.
The Hong Kong police told the BBC they have acted "in accordance with the law" and "condemn any malicious attempts to smear the Force and stir up public panic".
Kwok is not the only overseas activist whose families have been summoned by the police.
A tally based on media reports shows that since 2023, police have questioned at least 50 family members of 19 "absconders" - the term Hong Kong authorities use for people wanted for national security offences.
Those summoned range from immediate family to cousins and in-laws.
Even figures deemed friendly to Beijing are on the list. In 2023, Eunice Yung, then a pro-Beijing lawmaker, was questioned by police about her father-in-law Elmer Yuen, a US-based activist wanted for national security offences. Yung, who had publicly severed ties with her father-in-law, said at the time that she co-operated with the police and supported their actions.
In February last year, the aunts and uncle of Carmen Lau - another pro-democracy activist living in the UK - were reportedly taken by Hong Kong's national security police to assist with investigation. At the time, police told AFP news agency that it was normal to collect intelligence from people linked to fugitives.
But Lau said what happened to her relatives was likely an attempt to intimidate her for protesting against China's plan to build a mega-embassy in London.
Around that time, Lau's neighbours in the UK also received letters offering a bounty payment of £95,000 to anyone who would hand her over to the Chinese embassy - similar to what had been sent to at least one other Hong Kong activist in the UK.
The US and UK governments have condemned these bounties as a form of "transnational repression".
But the Hong Kong government told the BBC that it "has the responsibility to pursue those who are suspected to have committed offences endangering national security, even if they have absconded overseas".
In December, Lau said her neighbours received fake, sexualised images of her - the latest type of intimidation she has faced since leaving Hong Kong.
"It's for sure wanting us to self-censor, to shut up, and also emotionally blackmail us," Lau told the BBC.
The police often say that they want us to go back to Hong Kong to face justice. So I think that's what they wanted to do.
Activists say these tactics come right out of Beijing's playbook. Rights groups have long accused Chinese authorities of intimidating or detaining families of dissidents who have fled the country.
This has had a chilling effect on the community of Hong Kongers abroad, said Lau, a former Hong Kong district councillor. Some have chosen to stay away from events organised by exiled pro-democracy activists, out of worry for their families back home, she added.
In 2019, hundreds of thousands of HongKongers took to the streets to protest against a proposal which would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China.
It erupted into a pro-democracy movement, becoming the most serious challenge to the government since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Beijing responded by introducing a national security law (NSL) in 2020, arguing that it was essential to keep Hong Kong stable. Critics and rights groups said it criminalised activism and criticism of the government, creating a climate of fear and stifling the city's vibrant civil society.
Where many protesters had in the past been charged with illegal assembly or public nuisance, under the NSL they faced harsher punishments, including life in prison.
Hundreds have been arrested for national security offences, including former lawmakers and prominent pro-democracy figures, such as media mogul Jimmy Lai, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail earlier this month.
"In the past few years, the international community has recognised that the Hong Kong government has been weaponising the courts and the laws of Hong Kong for political suppressions," Eric Lai, senior fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, told the BBC.
The case of Anna Kwok's father is just the latest example, he said.
"The fundamental issue in this case is, this absconder should not be seen as a criminal at all," Lai said, adding that the bounty warrants issued on "non-violent advocates" exercising their right to free speech abroad "do not conform to international human rights standards".
The Hong Kong government said in its statement that "everyone charged with a criminal offence has the right to a fair hearing".
It added that "absconders" were wanted "not because they have 'exercised freedom of expression', but because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security there, including requesting foreign countries to impose 'sanctions'" against Hong Kong and mainland China.
Kwok, however, said Hong Kong authorities were trying to make an example out of her and her family with Thursday's sentencing.
There's definitely guilt to grapple with", she added, but also a bigger mission: "What I'm trying to show is simple. It's telling people that even if this happens to you, you have to continue.
Hong Kong's government definitely wants to silence me. They want me to stop speaking out," she said. "And of course they have failed. I'm speaking to you now.
Additional reporting from BBC Chinese
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai wins appeal against fraud conviction Father of Hong Kong activist sentenced to eight months in prison Mexico sends thousands of soldiers to stop violence after death of drug lord US customs agency to stop collecting tariffs deemed illegal by Supreme Court on Tuesday US to stop collecting tariffs struck down by Supreme Court US to stop collecting A Hong Kong court uphold the convictions of activists in national security case No way to stop 15 Stop playing big shots across the line initially South Korea's ex-president jailed for life over martial law attempt
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has said Sunrisers Leeds' signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed "indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians". Gavaskar's comments are the most high-profile criticism of Sunrisers' deal for Abrar at last week's Hundred auction
5 hours ago
The US artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic is looking to hire a chemical weapons and high-yield explosives expert to try to prevent "catastrophic misuse" of its software. In other words, it fears that its AI tools might tell someone how to make chemical or radioactive weapons
5 hours ago
If one wants to explore the many debates and controversies surrounding the Congress and its role in shaping India’s political trajectory, there may soon be a new address in the capital to turn to. At 3, Safdarjung Lane, the official residence of Nishikant Dubey — the Bharatiya Janata Party MP
5 hours ago
Chelsea have been handed a Premier League record fine of £10.75m and a suspended transfer ban. It was a result of the club making secret payments to unregistered agents and third-parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018. But it could have been a lot worse
5 hours ago
Kerala Congress (M), BDJS announce names of 12 candidates eachKerala Congress (M) and BDJS announced candidates for the upcoming assembly polls, including KC(M) chairman Jose K Mani from Pala and 12 others from BDJS. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:36 AM IST By Vishnu Varma
5 hours ago
Iran’s National Security Chief Ali Larijani on Monday penned a note to Muslim countries, questioning their lack of support for Tehran as the US-Israeli war is now entering its third week with no clear end in sight, disrupting global energy supplies and raising fears of a spike in global inflation
5 hours ago
Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi expressed strong displeasure over Dr. Asif Nazar being considered for the Lahorighat Assembly ticket, citing Nazar's alleged association with an individual charged in an attack on Bordoloi. Bordoloi wrote to AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh
5 hours ago
A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on Monday convicted five persons and acquitted 35 others in connection with a 2016 case in which seven Dalits were assaulted in the town of Una, The Indian Express reported. Additional Sessions Judge Jignesh Pandya of the court in Veraval
5 hours ago
It's Hollywood's biggest night. The 98th Academy Awards featured emotional speeches, comical relief and a bevy of backstage fun. But it was perhaps a night to forget for Timothée Chalamet. As well as losing out to Michael B Jordan for best actor and One Battle After Another for best picture
5 hours ago
US President Donald Trump on Monday said more than 30 mine laying ships of Iran have been destroyed which has affected Tehran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. “We are hammering their capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with more
5 hours ago
Love Horoscope Today for March 17, 2026: A spontaneous moment could lead to a meaningful connectionLove Horoscope Today, March 17, 2026: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:28 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link Aries: Mars is pushing you to
5 hours ago
Dubai arrests Iranian drone strike survivors after they sent explosion photos to loved ones3 foreigner nationals who survived drone strike in Dubai have been arrested after sending photos of the explosions to family members. Updated on: Mar 16
5 hours ago
‘Firms need to move to adaptive, energy-efficient AI models’Sarah Hooker is convinced that the future lies in AI systems that use less computing power, cost less to run and can adapt to the needs of users. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 6:58 AM IST By Shweta Taneja Share via Copy link In the last
5 hours ago
Baghdad witnessed a significant drone and rocket attack on the U.S. embassy early Tuesday. This incident marks the most intense assault since the commencement of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Iraqi security forces have heightened their presence across the capital. The Green Zone
5 hours ago
Russell Wilson trade update: Chiefs hand a shock to Giants QB with Justin Fields move Published on: Mar 17, 2026 5:03 AM IST By Khushi Arora Share via Copy link New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
5 hours ago
![London [UK], March 17 (ANI): The Premier League has completed a disciplinary process with Chelsea FC in respect of historical breaches relating to Financial](http://newsorbit360.com/files/news/en/imgs/chelsea-fined-and-faces-supended-transfer-ban-by-premier-league.webp?height=520)
London [UK], March 17 (ANI): The Premier League has completed a disciplinary process with Chelsea FC in respect of historical breaches relating to Financial Reporting and Third Party Investment.In 2022, Chelsea FC’s current owners voluntarily reported to the League that they had evidence of
5 hours ago
A Bengaluru-based cafe has drawn attention on social media after adding a 5 per cent “Gas Crisis Charge" to a customer’s lemonade order, sparking debate on social media platform X. The unusual fee, applied on a bill for two mint lemonades, has left many users amused and some questioning its
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Still using an older laptop? These Intel 13th Gen laptops show what modern performance feels likeIntel 13th Gen laptops bring improved performance
5 hours ago
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war. "We've requested that we delay it a month or so," he told reporters at the White House
5 hours ago
LDF ally ISJD, UDF ally RSP name candidates for four seats eachThe ISJD and RSP announced their candidates for Kerala Assembly polls, with ISJD's K Krishnankutty retiring from politics and RSP seeking assembly representation. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Vishnu Varma
5 hours ago
Horoscope Today, March 17, 2026: Operational strategies at work need refinementHoroscope Today: Read the astrological predictions for each zodiac sign based on an expert's guidance on March 17, 2026. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:19 AM IST By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
5 hours ago
The report from Elara Capital said retail gasoline and diesel prices “could be fully protected through excise cuts until roughly $110/bbl, beyond which price hikes on diesel and gasoline would become inevitable”. Also Read :Fino Payments Bank Shares Fall To 52-Week Low Amid Probe Reports;
5 hours ago
Punjab Assembly session: House passes motion against LoP Bajwa over ‘band player’ remarkThe Punjab assembly condemned opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa for alleged derogatory remarks about a minister, leading to chaos and a walkout by Congress. Published on: Mar 17
5 hours ago
More than a thousand citizens in Ladakh's Leh and Kargil regions rallied on Monday, echoing calls for statehood and adherence to the Sixth Schedule. Leaders from the Apex Body Leh alongside the Kargil Democratic Alliance expressed their discontent regarding the central government's stance
5 hours ago
Menstrual pain is often dismissed as an inevitable part of being a woman. But when cramps become debilitating, interfere with daily life or are accompanied by chronic pelvic discomfort, they may signal something more serious. One such condition is endometriosis – a long-term disorder affecting
5 hours ago
Khushbu Sundar comes out in support of Trisha amid her viral pics with Vijay: ‘She is one of the most dignified women’Khushbu Sundar has addressed the online chatter surrounding the public appearance of Vijay and Trisha Krishnan, after the divorce petition filed by Sangeeta. Mar 17, 2026
5 hours ago
Rex Culpepper's fiancee pays sweet tribute after tragic bike accident death: ‘I don’t regret' Published on: Mar 17, 2026 4:55 AM IST By Yash Nitish Bajaj Share via Copy link Former Syracuse quarterback Rex Culpepper died after an accident on Saturday (Instagram/Rex Culpepper) Rex Culpepper
5 hours ago
