By Dianne de Guzman, SFGATE Updated 9:52 pm PST, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Fire chief Joanne Hayes-White as firefighters battle a fire following an explosion at Geary boulevard and Parker Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Fire chief Joanne Hayes-White as firefighters battle a fire following an explosion at Geary boulevard and Parker Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 47 Caption Close Image 1 of 47 Fire chief Joanne Hayes-White as firefighters battle a fire following an explosion at Geary boulevard and Parker Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Fire chief Joanne Hayes-White as firefighters battle a fire … [Read more...] about Tower of flames explodes from street, torches SF’s Hong Kong Lounge II and nearby residences
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WATCH LIVE: Gas explosion, fire on Geary near Hong Kong Lounge II prompt evacuations in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Firefighters are battling a 3-alarm fire sparked by a gas explosion near the University of San Francisco after an underground crew severed a line while installing fiber optic lines. No injuries have been reported and all workers in the area have been accounted for.WATCH LIVE: SKY7 over gas explosion, fire in San Francisco The fire was first reported at 1:08 p.m.Flames could be seen shooting from a commercial building near the intersection of Parker Avenue and Geary Boulevard. A witness told ABC7 News that the fire was at the Hong Kong Lounge II, which was under construction.A reunification site has been established at Mel's Drive In at 3355 Geary Boulevard.RELATED: Judge says PG&E violated probation from 2010 San Bruno pipeline blast"I was going through an intersection and I heard a small explosion like something behind me, and I looked up and saw people in front of me just screaming and yelling, and I turned around at that point and I saw flames coming … [Read more...] about WATCH LIVE: Gas explosion, fire on Geary near Hong Kong Lounge II prompt evacuations in San Francisco
Hong Kong Considers Criminalizing Disrespect of Chinese National Anthem
The government of Hong Kong is considering a bill that would criminalize disrespect for the Chinese national anthem, reports revealed Wednesday. Opposition leaders denounced the measure as another sacrifice of Hong Kong’s unique freedoms, an act of Chinese dominance that makes the “one country, two systems” idea more difficult to sustain.“The bill, which will be introduced in the city’s pro-Beijing legislature Jan. 23 for passage by the summer, is modeled on a similar law in mainland China. Aside from providing guidance on etiquette when the national anthem is played, it also stipulates that primary and high school children—including in international schools—should be taught to sing the anthem and to learn its history,” the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The Journal explained the drive to criminalize disrespect for the Chinese anthem began with soccer fans booing the song at the height of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy … [Read more...] about Hong Kong Considers Criminalizing Disrespect of Chinese National Anthem
Thousands March in Hong Kong Against Chinese Political Repression
New Year’s Day brought thousands of demonstrators to the streets of Hong Kong to denounce China’s oppressive policies and to demand respect for human rights and the rule of law. “Looking back at the year that passed, it was a very bad year,” said protest organizer Jimmy Sham. “The rule of law in Hong Kong is falling backward.”Estimates for the size of the demonstration ranged from 3,200 to 5,500 people. Even the higher estimate would be only half the size of last year’s annual demonstration. Reuters noted that number included about a hundred independence activists who called for Hong Kong to declare independence from China, which regards such talk as sedition and demands increasingly harsh punishment for “separatists.” Some of them waved Tibetan and Taiwanese flags to show their solidarity for other targets of Chinese repression. “There will be continuous suppression on the Hong Kong independence movement, but the movement … [Read more...] about Thousands March in Hong Kong Against Chinese Political Repression
Fears over freedom in Hong Kong are rising as an Australian researcher reveals he was followed and profiled by a Communist Party tabloid
Christian Edwards, provided by Published 8:26 pm PST, Tuesday, December 18, 2018 PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images) One of Hong Kong's fiercely pro-Beijing mastheads, Wen Wei Po, has revealed itself as the stalker of an Australian academic, nearly four days after he began tweeting evidence that he was being tailed around Hong Kong. Dr. Kevin Carrico, a Chinese studies lecturer at Australia's Macquarie University, has been doing research in Hong Kong for 15 years and told Business insider he has never seen Hong Kong's position as a center of academic, social, and economic freedoms face a greater threat. One of Hong Kong's fiercely pro-Beijing mastheads Wen Wei Po has revealed itself as the stalker of an Australian academic, nearly four days after he began tweeting evidence that he was being tailed around Hong Kong. After tweeting a series of photos last week of his unexpected surveillance tail that shadowed him around the streets of Tung Chung , Kevin Carrico, a Chinese … [Read more...] about Fears over freedom in Hong Kong are rising as an Australian researcher reveals he was followed and profiled by a Communist Party tabloid