Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says extradition bill 'dead' - Al Jazeera English

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said her administration's bill to allow people to be sent to the Chinese mainland for trial was "dead" following a series of mass protests, but she stopped short of completely withdrawing the so-called extradition bill as demonstrators have demanded.

"There are still lingering doubts about the government's sincerity or worries (about) whether the government will restart the process with the legislative council," she told journalists on Tuesday, referring to Hong Kong's parliament.

"So I reiterate here, there is no such plan. The bill is dead."

Hong Kong protesters storm legislature, smash doors and walls

Beijing-backed Lam admitted that the government's work on the issue had been a "total failure".

The bill, which would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be extradited to China for trial, has sparked huge and at times violent street protests and plunged the former British colony into its biggest political crisis in decades.

The protesters appeared unimpressed with Lam's latest attempt to reduce the political temperature in the semi-autonomous territory.

Local activist Ventus Lau Wing-Hong said he could see no reason for the demonstrations to stop.

Lau was disqualified from running in elections last year after showing support for Hong Kong's independence on Facebook.

"The response just shows that she is still very stubborn," Lau said. "To avoid using the word 'withdraw' shows that she still wants to play the word game instead of directly answering yes to our demand. I can't see any reasons why people will stop their protests." 

Protesters have called for Carrie Lam's resignation over the extradition bill [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

Concessions dismissed

Joshua Wong, who led the Umbrella Protests that brought the city to a standstill in 2014, dismissed Lam's comments on the bill's status as a "ridiculous lie", noting that unless the bill was withdrawn it would remain in the government's legislative programme until July next year. 

Over the past few weeks, opposition to the bill has brought millions of people onto the streets in largely peaceful protests marred by sporadic outbreaks of violence and police use of tear-gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray. 

Scores have been arrested and protesters have demanded an independent investigation into police tactics.  

Lam promised on Tuesday that allegations of brutality would be investigated, but not by an independent body. 

"Carrie Lam has demonstrated a more modest and more humble attitude as she intends to win over the less committed and the 'middle-of-the-roaders," Joseph Cheng, a professor at City University of Hong Kong told Al Jazeera.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong released from jail

"But I do believe the vast majority of Hong Kong people now want better guarantees that the government is going to be accountable to them, will stand up for their interests and avoid and prevent too much interference from Beijing. This is a tall order but she has to restore that confidence in her government."   

Lam first said she would suspend the bill in mid-June after confrontations on the streets between police and protesters, but the move failed to mollify critics who took to the streets the very next day calling for her resignation.

On July 1, which marks the day when Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, a group of protesters forced their way into the legislative council, ransacking the building and covering the walls with graffiti.

Al Jazeera's Rob McBride said for many of those at the demonstrations, opposition to the extradition bill had been a catalyst to air long-held frustrations on the governance of the territory.

Hong Kong is ruled under a "one country, two systems" formula that is supposed to ensure an independent judiciary, as well as civil rights and freedoms for its people.

"The genie is out of the bottle," McBride said from Hong Kong. "People aren't just talking about the extradition bill. They are talking about Hong Kong's wider relationship with China; the old subject of universal suffrage; why can't we vote for a government of our choice and a leader of our choice; why the leader is effectively chosen by Beijing."

Demonstrators are now focusing their attention on mainland visitors to the territory, marching on Sunday to a high-speed railway station, which is the entry and exit point to Hong Kong for many mainland Chinese.

Further protests are planned in coming weeks.

With additional reporting by Casey Quackenbush in Hong Kong

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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2019-07-09 04:55:00Z
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Trump diplomat row: Police urged to open investigation - BBC News

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Police have been urged to open a criminal investigation into the leak of diplomatic emails which described the Trump administration as "inept".

Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, told MPs he made the request in a letter to the Met Police.

The government has already launched an internal inquiry, saying it "utterly deplores" the publication of the memos.

US President Donald Trump renewed his attack on the UK ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, whose comments were leaked.

In a string of tweets about the UK, he said the US "will no longer deal with him", as well as making critical comments about Prime Minister Theresa May and her approach to Brexit.

Mr Trump's comments come after No 10 said the prime minister had "full faith" in the UK ambassador in Washington following the leak.

• Inquiry launched into 'inept Trump' leaked emails
• May has 'full faith' in UK's Washington ambassador

Emails from the UK's ambassador, leaked to the Mail on Sunday, said Mr Trump's White House was "uniquely dysfunctional" and "divided".

The prime minister's spokesman said it was "the job of ambassadors to provide honest and unvarnished opinions" but Mrs May "does not agree with the assessment".

He added: "The leak is absolutely unacceptable and, as you would expect, contact has been made with the Trump administration setting out our view that we believe that it is unacceptable."

Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan told the House of Commons police could be involved if evidence of wrongdoing over the breach of confidentiality was found.

"The most important focus is to establish who is responsible for this despicable leak," he said.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC the leak was "unprofessional, unethical and unpatriotic", adding that whoever released the emails had "maliciously" undermined the defence and security relationship with the US.

"I hope if we can identify the individual, either the full force of internal discipline - or if necessary the law - will be brought to bear because this sort of behaviour has no place in public life," he said.

But Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said Sir Kim had been "betrayed" and "hung out to dry even though his only crime was to tell the truth".

She added: "He told the truth about Donald Trump and that was because it was his job."

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Analysis: Damage is 'considerable'

By James Robbins, BBC diplomatic correspondent

Just imagine if every heavily encrypted report to Whitehall from all UK ambassadors overseas was instantly available on your mobile.

The candour would cease immediately and they'd become ultra-bland and useless as a tool in policy-making.

So, damage in this case is considerable. There will be a large number of potential suspects.

Diplomatic telegrams are seen by scores, often hundreds of people - ministers and officials - across several departments. That is to ensure grown-up and private conversations can be had based on large amounts of source material.

Of course, there is damage to relations between the UK and the Trump White House too.

Mr Trump likes to dish out insults and criticism (remember his frequent belittling of Theresa May over Brexit, and his all out verbal attacks on the mayor of London) but he is pretty thin-skinned when the verbal arrows are aimed at him.

The one person who is not under suspicion in London is Sir Kim himself. After all, as his current political master, Mr Hunt, has made clear, he was just doing his job.

As the Foreign Office launched an investigation into the source of the leak to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Trump told reporters in New Jersey: "We're not big fans of that man and he has not served the UK well.

"So I can understand it and I can say things about him but I won't bother."

In the emails, the UK ambassador to Washington said: "We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction-riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept."

Sir Kim questioned whether this White House "will ever look competent" but also warned the US president should not be written off.

Frank opinions

Dating from 2017 to the present day, the leaked emails said rumours of "infighting and chaos" in the White House were mostly true and policy on sensitive issues such as Iran was "incoherent, chaotic".

Although the Mueller investigation later found allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia were not proven, Sir Kim's emails said "the worst cannot be ruled out".

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Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said if Boris Johnson becomes prime minister and the UK leaves the EU by 31 October, "people like" Sir Kim would "not be around".

Asked about speculation that he might take on the diplomatic role, Mr Farage said: "I don't think I'm the right man for the job", adding that he was "not a diplomat".

However, he said he "could be very useful" when dealing with the US administration.

Who is Sir Kim Darroch?

Sir Kim is the British ambassador to the US, which means he represents the Queen and UK government interests in the US.

Born in South Stanley, County Durham in 1954, he attended Durham University where he read zoology.

During a 42-year diplomatic career, he has specialised in national security issues and European Union policy.

In 2007, Sir Kim served in Brussels as UK permanent representative to the EU.

He was the prime minister's national security adviser between 2012 and 2015, dealing with issues such as the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, Russian annexation of Crimea, the nuclear threat from Iran and the collapse of government authority in Libya.

He became ambassador to the US in January 2016, several months before Donald Trump became president.

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2019-07-08 18:57:43Z
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Iran passes new nuclear deal limit as China blames US for crisis - Aljazeera.com

Iran has passed the uranium enrichment cap set in its 2015 nuclear deal, marking the second time in a week that it made good on a promise to reduce compliance with the international pact following the United States' unilateral exit last year.

The announcement on Monday from Iran's Atomic Energy Organization came amid growing frustration in Tehran over a failure by the landmark accord's remaining signatories to deliver on its promised economic benefits.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the nuclear agency, confirmed Tehran had enriched uranium beyond the 3.67 percent purity that the deal allows, passing 4.5 percent, according to the Iranian students' news agency ISNA. 

On July 1, Iran passed the uranium stockpile limit permitted by the deal, and officials on Sunday pledged to keep scaling back their commitments every 60 days unless Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia protected it from the punishing sanctions imposed by the US following its withdrawal.

A day after US officials threatened Iran with further "sanctions and isolation", some of the pact's other parties hit out at Washington for escalating the crisis that has thrown into question the future of the accord, which offered Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for drastic limits on its nuclear programme.

"The facts show that unilateral bullying has already become a worsening tumour," Geng Shuang, spokesman for China's foreign ministry, told a press briefing in Beijing on Monday. 

Iran set to exceed uranium enrichment limit in 2015 nuclear deal (3:23)

"The maximum pressure exerted by the US on Iran is the root cause of the Iranian nuclear crisis," he said.

Moscow also blamed Washington and pledged to pursue diplomatic efforts to salvage the deal, with Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, saying on Monday: "Russia aims to continue dialogue and efforts on the diplomatic front.

"Russia and President [Vladimir] Putin warned of the consequences that would be imminent after one of the countries decided to end its obligations and exit the deal."

'Door of diplomacy is open'

In Tehran, Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, said that while Iran appreciated the efforts of some nations to save the deal, it has "no hope nor trust in anyone nor any country".

"But the door of diplomacy is open," Mousavi told reporters on Monday, adding that Emmanuel Bonne, a senior aide to French President Emmanuel Macron, was scheduled to visit the Iranian capital in the coming days. 

He also issued a stark warning to the pact's European signatories about the second 60-day deadline Iran set on Sunday.

"If the remaining countries in the deal, especially the Europeans, do not fulfil their commitments seriously, and not do anything more than talk, Iran's third step will be harder, more steadfast and somehow stunning," he said, referring to the September 5 deadline.  

European countries do not directly support the US sanctions, but have been unable to come up with ways to allow Iran to avert them. A spokeswoman for the EU, however, urged Iran to abide by the deal, saying the bloc was "extremely concerned" by the latest moves. 

"We strongly urge Iran to stop and reverse all activities that are inconsistent with the commitments made under the JCPOA," EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told reporters on Monday. 

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Separately, Kamalvandi, the spokesman for Iran's nuclear agency, hinted in a state television interview aired on Monday that the country might consider going to 20 percent enrichment or higher as its third step, if the material was needed. 

Such a move would be dramatic, since that was the level Iran had achieved before the deal was put in place. It is considered an important intermediate stage on the path to obtaining the 90 percent pure fissile uranium needed to make a nuclear bomb.

Kamalvandi also suggested using new or more centrifuges, which are limited by the deal.

Iran says its recent measures to increase enrichment beyond the 3.67 percent cap and stockpile uranium beyond the 300kg limit could be reversed within "hours" if the pact's signatories shielded it from the US sanctions, particularly those on its oil and banking sectors.

The nuclear diplomacy is only one aspect of a wider confrontation between Washington and Tehran. 

Last month, Trump ordered air strikes on Iran, only to call them off minutes before impact. The move came after Iranian forces shot down an unmanned US drone saying the plane had violated its airspace. 

Washington denied the claim, saying it was downed over international waters. The US's European allies have been warning that a small mistake on either side could lead to war.

Britain, one of Washington's main European allies, was drawn deeper into the confrontation last week when it seized an Iranian tanker it said was bound for Syria, in violation of separate EU sanctions on Syria. 

Iran has called the tanker's detention a "threatening act" and denied it was heading for Syria. 

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2019-07-08 13:18:00Z
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Inquiry launched into 'inept Trump administration' leaked emails - BBC News - BBC News

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2019-07-08 12:59:38Z
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Greece's left-wing PM ousted by conservative party - New York Post

ATHENS, Greece — Conservative party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis was being sworn in as Greece’s new prime minister Monday, a day after his resounding win over left-wing Alexis Tsipras, who led the country through the tumultuous final years of its international bailouts.

Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party won 39.8% of the vote, giving him 158 seats in the 300-member parliament, a comfortable governing majority. Tsipras’ Coalition of the Radical Left, or Syriza, garnered 31.5%. The extremist right-wing Golden Dawn, Greece’s third largest party during the height of the financial crisis, failed to make the 3% threshold to enter parliament.

Mitsotakis will have to move fast to deal with the myriad of problems still plaguing the economy. Europe’s finance ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday and will be discussing Greece, which still has stringent fiscal targets to meet even though it no longer directly receives bailout loans.

“I assume the governance of the country with full awareness of the national responsibility,” Mitsotakis said in his victory speech Sunday night. “I know of the difficulties that lie ahead for me and for my associates. But I draw strength from the strength of the people.”

Greece’s economy shrank by a quarter and poverty and unemployment levels soared during the country’s nearly decade-long financial crisis. Although its finances are on the mend and the economy is expected to grow by 2.2% this year, it still has a long way to go to make up the economic output lost.

The country’s debt stands at about 181% of annual GDP and Greece has pledged to continue producing large primary surpluses — the budget excluding debt servicing — of more than 3% of GDP for years to come.

Mitsotakis said Sunday he would stick to his campaign pledges of lowering taxes, attracting investments and cutting through red tape to make Greece more business-friendly.

“New Democracy’s clear victory in Greece’s parliamentary elections yesterday will be welcomed by investors,” said economics consultancy Capital Economics in a research note. “But it will not be a game changer for the economy, not least because the government will still be constrained by its membership of the single currency and its ‘surveillance’ agreement with the EU.”

That caution was evident in the performance of the main stock market in Athens, which was down 1.4 percent in midday trading Monday as investors booked profits generated during the recent rally that was largely based on expectations of a Mitsotakis victory.

Mitsotakis will also have to contend with pension increases and other benefits the outgoing government granted ahead of European elections in May — benefits which European creditors had warned could make Greece’s fiscal targets hard to meet.

“Although Greece exited its third bailout in mid-2018, it is subject to ‘enhanced surveillance’ which bears a striking resemblance to a bail-out program,” Capital Economics said. “For example, the government will get further relief on the cost of servicing its public debt only if it sticks to tight fiscal policy.”

Mitsotakis is expected to name his cabinet later in the day. The ministers would then be sworn in on Tuesday.

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2019-07-08 10:40:00Z
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British trade minister to apologize to Ivanka Trump over leaked cables | TheHill - The Hill

Britain’s trade minister to the United States will reportedly apologize to President TrumpDonald John TrumpDemocratic senator: White House has 'used cruelty to children' as a tool of immigration policy Amash: 'High-level' Republicans privately thanked me for supporting Trump impeachment UN official: US can't ignore that climate change will force 120 million people into poverty MORE’s daughter and senior White House adviser Ivanka TrumpIvana (Ivanka) Marie TrumpHere are the top paid White House staffers Trump Jr. blasts reports of Kushner feud: 'More fake news bulls---' Hillicon Valley: Facebook facility evacuated after sarin scare | Warren, Jayapal question FCC over industry influence | 2020 Dems take on election security | Border Patrol to investigate Facebook group with racist, sexist posts MORE after leaked memos revealed a British ambassador describing the administration as “dysfunctional” and “inept.”

The memos, leaked over the weekend to a British newspaper, from Ambassador Kim Darroch showed that he made disparaging remarks about President Trump in a series of official diplomatic cables, dating back to 2017.

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Reuters reports that British trade minister Liam Fox said he will apologize on behalf of the British government in person to Ivanka Trump during his current visit to Washington.

“I will be apologizing for the fact that either our civil service or elements of our political class have not lived up to the expectations that either we have or the United States has about their behavior, which in this particular case has lapsed in a most extraordinary and unacceptable way,” Fox said on BBC radio.

He added that “malicious leaks” such as the one that exposed Darroch’s remarks “can actually lead to damage to that relationship, which can therefore affect our wider security interest.”

Darroch, in the leaked comments, was highly critical of what he called instability in the Trump administration.

"We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept," Darroch wrote in one memo.

It is unclear if the leaked cables mentioned Ivanka Trump specifically.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office defended Darroch on Saturday in a statement.

“Their views are not necessarily the views of ministers or indeed the government. But we pay them to be candid. Just as the U.S. Ambassador here will send back his reading of Westminster politics and personalities,” the statement read.

The president on Sunday responded to the reports of Darroch’s remarks, telling reporters that “we are not big fans of that man and he has not served the U.K. well, so I can understand and I can say things about him but I won’t bother,” according to Reuters.

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2019-07-08 11:56:59Z
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Trump scorns UK ambassador and sends a strong warning to Iran - The Sun

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2019-07-08 09:27:40Z
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