Hong Kong grounds all flights as protest paralyzes airport: Live updates - CNN

Use of the terrorism label for the Hong Kong protests, even in a somewhat backhanded way, is a major rhetorical shift in how China has described the protests, and could foreshadow an escalation in Beijing's handling of them.

Earlier today, a top Chinese official said the protests -- now in their eleventh week -- had "begun to show signs of terrorism." In recent years, that term has only been used in a domestic Chinese context to refer to the actions of alleged Islamist groups, particularly in Xinjiang, the predominantly Muslim northwest region of China. Beijing has cracked down heavily in Xinjiang in recent years, establishing a massive system of so-called "re-education camps" in which millions of Muslims have been detained.

In domestic propaganda, there has been a major shift in recent weeks in how the protests are covered. Reports initially barely mentioned them, amid heavy censorship, as is usual for anti-government actions anywhere in China, but increasingly they have emphasized the violent side of the protests -- and sought to paint the protesters as separatists being controlled by the United States and other foreign "black hands."

Suggesting those protesters are also committing acts of terror could open the door for Beijing to crack down on Hong Kong, either by ordering the local police to escalate their use of force, or even by deploying the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the city.

The PLA can be deployed in Hong Kong if the local government requests it, in order to assist with a major breakdown in public order. Local officials have previously refuted any suggestion they would do so.

Earlier Monday, police showed off a riot control vehicle with water cannon, previously never used in Hong Kong. Across the border in Shenzhen, the People's Armed Police, a paramilitary organization, conducted major exercises seen as a potential signal to protesters in Hong Kong.

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2019-08-12 11:05:00Z
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Hong Kong grounds all flights as protest paralyzes airport: Live updates - CNN

A line for the bus at the airport. Ben Westcott/CNN Ben Westcott/CNN

Ben, a British expat who landed in Hong Kong at 4.20 p.m. on a Cathay Pacific flight from Cebu in the Philippines, said airport staff gave no warning of the chaos awaiting travelers trying to leave the airport. 

"It was wall-to-wall people chanting, 'Don't trust HK police' and providing maps of MTR stations that had been attacked in the last couple of days, and where people had been beaten up by the police," he said. 

Once through customs, Ben, who asked that CNN withhold his full name, said it took him an hour to battle through the arrivals hall. "Normally, it takes 10 minutes," he said.

Travelers stranded at the airport: The taxi stand was shut and Ben couldn't get on the Airport Express train, leaving him with few options to leave the airport.

"If you're waiting for that train, you're going to have to wait for an hour-plus, if not more," he said, describing a huge crowd waiting to catch the train, which takes 25 minutes to reach the city center.

"We weren't given any advice (after landing)," he said. "I'd seen on various WhatsApp groups what was going on, but there was nothing from airport staff warning what we were going to face." 

In the end, Ben left the airport terminal and walked up to the highway until he saw a taxi that dropped someone off.

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2019-08-12 10:15:00Z
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Hong Kong grounds all flights as protest paralyzes airport: Live updates - CNN

When protesters in Hong Kong targeted the Chinese government's headquarters in the city last month, social media users in China were united in outrage.

"The dignity of our motherland won't be allowed to be trampled," one person wrote on Weibo, the country's highly-censored equivalent to Twitter, while another warned the young protesters that "playing violently is how you seek death."

A third commenter sought to reassure others, writing that "the central government promised that Hong Kong won't be changed for 50 years. There's only 28 years left before Hong Kong becomes part of (China)."

A looming deadline: That 2047 deadline, on which the clock began ticking after the United Kingdom handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997, is at the forefront of the minds of the mostly young protesters who have been taking to the streets for over two months now, in increasingly violent confrontations with police and pro-government groups.

What began as protests over a now-suspended extradition bill have broadened to cover a host of demands, including calls for greater democracy and more government accountability, that many feel they are running out of time to achieve.

Even as democratic values have increasingly come under threat around the world, and many voters in democracies are increasingly expressing apathy or despair, young Hong Kongers are determined to continue a fight for freedom which began decades ago under British rule, before time runs out and Hong Kong becomes just another Chinese city.

"Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times," the slogan of the protests has become.

Read more analysis here.

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2019-08-12 10:02:00Z
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Hong Kong grounds all flights as protest paralyzes airport: Live updates - CNN

With the airport now closed and tear gas being fired across the city almost every weekend, many travelers are wondering -- is it still safe to visit Hong Kong?

Several countries including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, and Singapore have already issued travel advisories, warning of "violent clashes" between pro-democracy protesters and police.

The Hong Kong Tourism Commission has said the city is still open to travelers. And key major attractions such as the Peak Tram, the Ladies' Market and the Star Ferry, which takes passengers across the Victoria Harbor to Kowloon, have been unaffected.

But there are signs the mass protests are having an impact on tourism.

Between June 16 and July 13, during which time there were several huge demonstrations, flight bookings to Hong Kong from Asia fell by 5.4% on the same period last year, according to analysis firm ForwardKeys.

Read more here.

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2019-08-12 09:16:00Z
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Alejandro Giammattei wins Guatemala's presidential race - Aljazeera.com

Guatemala City, Guatemala - Guatemalans have voted for Alejandro Giammattei of the Vamos party as the country’s next president, amid hopes that he would address the issues of crime and security, as well as concerns about his human rights record.

The 63-year-old conservative candidate and former surgeon won in a run-off election, with 58.26 percent of the vote after counting 98 percent of voting centers. He defeated former first lady, Sandra Torres, who received about 40 percent of the votes.

"Today is a new period of the country," he told supporters at the party's headquarters in Guatemala City following his victory.

"Those who voted for us, those who did not vote for us, and those who did not go to vote, it does not matter. Today we need to unite, today I am the president of all Guatemalans."

This is the fourth time that Giammattei ran for president of the Central American country, which is plagued by violence, poverty, and corruption. He has suffered from multiple sclerosis for years and is reliant on crutches.

He will assume office on January 14, 2020.

Giammattei, who was supported by the Guatemalan business community and former military, faced Torres from the centrist National Unity of Hope party.

Many who voted for Giammattei saw their votes as a vote against Torres, who is accused of campaign finance violations during her 2015 presidential run against current president Jimmy Morales, and for corruption.

"I decided to vote against Sandra Torres because of the accusations of corruption," Rosa Julaju, a 38-year-old indigenous Maya Kaqchikel woman who lives in Guatemala City and works as a vendor in a market in the city, told Al Jazeera.

"I hope Giammattei confronts the violence in our country," she said. "I voted for him for better security."

Giammattei campaigned on being tough on crime, promising to treat gang membres "like terrorists", legalise the death penalty and bring more investment to combat migration from Guatemala.

Supporters of Giammattei celebrate in Guatemala City following his victory on Sunday [Johan Ordonez/AFP]

For voters like Julaju, Giammattei's stance on crime contributed to her reasons to vote for him. 

Human rights concerns

The election of Giammattei has raised concerns among human rights defenders in Guatemala.

He has stated in interviews that he would use force against protesters and spoken out against the LGBT community.

"Giammattei has publicly said that he will not tolerate the actions of [protesters] that are part of a democratic system," Claudia Samayoa, the founder  of the Guatemalan human rights organisation UDEFEGUA, told Al Jazeera. 

"He has announced he will pursue evictions. He has said he will have zero tolerance of protests. He has stated he will have zero tolerance of the expressions of gender and LGBT identities. And he has said he will use whatever means against gangs," she said.

"His discourse is extremist."

"Giammattei has shown he is capable of violating human rights in the name of peace," she sadded.

During his period as director of the penitentiary system, he was embroiled in a scandal over extrajudicial killings in a prison in Guatemala.

In 2010 he was arrested following an investigation by the Guatemalan Public Prosecutor's office and the United Nations-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, CICIG, but was acquitted after 10 months in pre-trial detention.

Giammattei denied any wrongdoing and was acquitted of all charges.

Sunday's vote was marked by rampant absenteeism. According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, only roughly 40 percent of registered voters cast ballots, far lower than they predicted.

The lack of participation is reflective of the frustration with the political options in the 2019 election, analysts said.

"There exists a profound apathy in these elections," Renzo Rosal, an independent political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

"The parties and candidates do not represent anyone."

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2019-08-12 04:34:00Z
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Yemen separatists say they've seized the key port of Aden - CNN

A spokesperson for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) told CNN the group took over the city including its presidential palace, port and airport. Aden has been the seat of the Saudi-backed government since Houthi fighters took over Sanaa in 2014.

"We are not inside the presidential compound, which is on an island, but we have secured its entrances and exits," Nizar Haytham, the STC spokesperson, told CNN.

CNN wasn't able to verify the claims. However, the interior minister of the country's internationally recognized government conceded a defeat in what he called a "successful coup."

"The successful coup destroyed what's left of this country's sovereignty," Ahmed Al-Maysary said in a video circulated on social media.

He said he recorded the video in Aden right before fleeing to Riyadh. He was the only minister on the ground making statements to the public about the fighting.

Witnesses in Aden said fighting subsided on Sunday, the first day of the Eid Al-Adha holiday.

The Aden International Airport was closed and flights have been diverted to Sayoun airport since Friday, according to Yemen Airways flight schedule.

Some 40 people have been killed and 260 injured in the fighting in Aden, according to preliminary reports cited by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"It is heart-breaking that during Eid al-Adha, families are mourning the death of their loved ones instead of celebrating together in peace and harmony" said Lise Grande, UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen.

In a bid to defend the city, the Saudi-led coalition said earlier it hit a target posing "direct threat" to the embattled government and ordered the STC to withdraw immediately.

The coalition didn't specify the target, but warned that "this is the first operation and it will be followed by another, in case no one abides by the coalition' statements," Saudi state TV reported.

However, Haytham downplayed the attack, telling CNN the coalition airstrike hit an empty field in the presidential compound in Aden.

The fighting between the southern separatists and the government in Aden illustrates the complexity of the conflict in Yemen.

Both sides are part of the coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north, but each is backed by a different member state of that coalition.

The southern separatists are supported by the United Arab Emirates, while the United Nations-recognized government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi has been propped up by Saudi Arabia.

The two sides had previously clashed over control of Aden.

In the statement on Sunday, Al-Maysary accused the STC of using UAE vehicles and weapons in its takeover of the coastal city and "congratulated" UAE on the "victory."

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdelaziz met with the exiled Yemeni president in Riyadh on Sunday, according to the Saudi official news agency. Saudi Arabia has played a major role in the conflict, leading the coalition against the Houthi rebels.

Separately, the STC said it has accepted an invitation for talks with the internationally-recognized government that would take place in Riyadh. A date has not been set yet, it said.

Sarah El Sirgany reported from Abu Dhabi and Ivana Kottasová wrote from London. Nada AlTaher contributed to this article.

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2019-08-11 16:32:00Z
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Yemeni official: UAE won in Aden, Saudi silent over 'slaughter' - Aljazeera.com

The interior minister of Yemen's internationally recognised government has said the United Arab Emirates won in the southern port city of Aden, a day after UAE-backed southern separatists took control of all government military camps and the presidential palace.

In a Twitter post published on his official account on Sunday, Ahmed al-Mayssari said: "We acknowledge defeat and congratulate the UAE on its victory … but this will not be our last battle."

He also blamed the Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and ally Saudi Arabia for remaining "silent" about the developments that had unravelled in Aden over the past few days.

On Saturday, the Security Belt - a militia aligned with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) which seeks the secession of the south - took effective control of various parts of Aden.

The city is the temporary seat of Hadi's government after the Houthi rebel movement seized the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, prompting a military intervention the following year by a Saudi-UAE-led coalition in support of the president's forces and stop the rebels' southern advance.

But this week's deadly clashes between the UAE-backed separatists and the government troops highlighted a rift fracturing the alliance, threatening to open a new front in Yemen's five-year-war that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the impoverished country to the brink of famine.

The infighting began on Wednesday when forces loyal to the STC attempted to break into the presidential palace in Aden after a call from former Cabinet Minister Hani Bin Braik, who serves as the council's deputy head, to "topple" Hadi's government. 

The violence has so far killed up to 40 people and injured 260 others, the United Nations said on Sunday.

The last few days of clashes had taken place in predominantly civilian neighbourhoods, leaving many trapped without access to hospitals, clinics, or markets.

Saudi king, Hadi meet

According to al-Mayssari, around 400 armoured vehicles provided by the UAE launched attacks against his forces in Aden.

In his series of tweets, al-Mayssari said he viewed the Yemeni presidential office's silence regarding the latest events with "suspicion" and described the lack of reaction as inadequate.

"We condemn and we are surprised by its (Saudi Arabia's) silence for four days, while our partner in the coalition is slaughtering us," he said in a video posted online. "We will meet you soon on the ground."

Hadi, who was swept from power in 2014 when Houthi rebels overran Yemen's capital, Sanaa, is currently based in Saudi Arabia 's capital, Riyadh.

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Officials with his government accused the STC of staging a coup, and said they held the council and the UAE "fully responsible".

Saudi's King Salman met Hadi and members of his cabinet on Sunday, Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA reported.

The two discussed "the latest developments in the region, particularly in Yemen," the statement said, without adding more details.

It was only shortly after separatists announced their forces had seized the palace on Saturday night that the Saudi-led coalition called for an immediate ceasefire.

"[The coalition] asserts that it will use military force against anyone who violates it [ceasefire]," Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA quoted a spokesman as saying.

The coalition had also called on all military groups to immediately return to their positions and retreat from areas that have been seized over the past few days.

Writing on Twitter to mark Eid al-Adha on Sunday, Brik, the STC vice president, said while the council remained committed to the coalition it would "not negotiate under duress".

It had earlier agreed to the truce.

Al Jazeera's Mohammed al-Attab, reporting from Sanaa, said people in the south were expecting Saudi Arabia to declare another "decisive military campaign against the separatists … similar to the one launched against the Houthis in the north".

Despite its jets monitoring the area for advancements, al-Attab noted the separatists have already taken control of all the military camps.

"Observers say Saudi is turning a blind eye to what's happening," he added.

"The STC seems to have the upper hand on the ground, especially with the UAE loading hundreds of armoured vehicles and weaponry."

The UAE, which announced recently the beginning of a troop withdrawal from Yemen, has armed and trained an estimated 90,000 allied fighters in the south.

In a statement on Friday, International Crisis Group warned that the clashes in Aden "threaten to tip southern Yemen into a civil war within a civil war".

Such a conflict would deepen what is already the world's worst humanitarian crisis and make a national political settlement harder to achieve. In the past, half-measures helped de-escalate simmering tensions in the south; today's circumstances require robust diplomatic intervention from the UN, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to avoid the worst and help forge a durable solution."

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2019-08-11 15:34:00Z
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