Hong Kong protesters call for 'Mulan' boycott after star went public in support of police - CNN

Liu Yifei, the Chinese-born actress starring in Disney's upcoming live-action "Mulan" remake, waded into the Hong Kong protest controversy on Thursday by expressing support for the city's police, who anti-government demonstrators accuse of using excessive force to quell unrest.

"I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong," she posted on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese social media platform.

Immediately, people began posting #BoycottMulan on Twitter -- which is banned in China. Hours later, the hashtag was trending in Hong Kong and the United States with 37,700 tweets posted at time of writing. Twitter users accused the actress of supporting police brutality, and called out the fact that she's an American citizen.

"Liu is a naturalized American citizen. It must be nice. Meanwhile she pisses on people fighting for democracy," one person tweeted.

On the flip side, she also received plenty of praise on Weibo, the dominant platform in China. Nearly all the comments on her post echoed support for the Hong Kong police and Beijing.

"Believe in the government, believe in the Chinese central (government), believe in the country," one comment wrote.

The protests, which began in June as largely peaceful mass demonstrations against a now-suspended extradition bill, have morphed into something much darker and more violent, with frequent clashes between protesters and police.

Liu isn't the only Chinese celebrity who's weighed in -- Jackie Chan, martial arts film icon and native Hong Konger, called for peace on Thursday in an interview with China's broadcaster CCTV. He, too, was blasted on Twitter for the nationalist tone of his message -- at one point, he says in Mandarin, "I feel the pride of being a Chinese everywhere. The five-starred red flag is respected everywhere."

Other public figures, actors and singers like Tony Leung Ka-fai and Daniel Chan have spoken out against protester violence and vandalism. Pop star Denise Ho came out in strong support of the protesters -- she even gave a speech about the protests at a United Nations meeting last month.

Celebrities outside of Hong Kong and China have also chimed in. Kim Eui Sung, a South Korean actor who starred in the cult 2016 zombie apocalypse film "Train to Busan," expressed support for the protesters on Instagram, writing, "We are watching you, praying for you. #freehongkong." After being bombarded with critical and pro-Beijing comments, he posted another photo -- the infamous Tank Man shot from the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Sports drinks brand Pocari Sweat was also cheered by protesters and boycotted by the opposition after the company pulled ads from a local broadcaster perceived as pro-Beijing. Even bubble tea has been caught in the mix, with a Taiwanese chain urging solidarity with protesters.

And with the unrest showing no end in sight, both sides are settling in for the long haul.

"So disappointed," said one Twitter user of Liu's Weibo post. "Was so excited for Mulan too."

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2019-08-16 12:45:00Z
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Cathay Pacific CEO resigns amid Hong Kong protests - CNN

The company has been caught in a political firestorm because of the city's pro-democracy protests that have angered Beijing. Its business and stock price is also hurting -— hundreds of its flights were canceled when protesters overran the airport and bookings are down.

"This is a grave and critical time for our airlines. There is no doubt that our reputation and brand are under immense pressure and this pressure has been building for some weeks, particularly in the all-important market of mainland China," Hogg wrote in a memo to staff which Cathay shared with CNN Business. "Could we have managed things differently? In hindsight, 'yes'."

Paul Loo, the airline's chief commercial officer, is also stepping down, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Friday. The resignations, first reported by Chinese state media, will take effect on Monday.

"Recent events have called into question Cathay Pacific's commitment to flight safety and security and put our reputation and brand under pressure," said Cathay Chairman John Slosar in a statement. "This is regrettable as we have always made safety and security our highest priority."

Slosar did not elaborate further, but the airline has been swept up in numerous controversies related to the demonstrations.

China said last week that it would not allow Cathay flights crewed by people who have taken part in "illegal demonstrations, protests and violent attacks" to use its airspace, a rule the airline said it would follow.

Cathay then warned it could fire employees who take part in illegal protests. On Wednesday, the company said it had terminated two pilots, without disclosing the reason. A well-placed source within the company told CNN the pilots were fired in association with activities related to ongoing protests.

The company source said one of the pilots was charged with rioting in Hong Kong and had been suspended from duty since July 30.

China's aviation authority said earlier this week that it met with Merlin Swire, the billionaire head of Cathay's biggest shareholder, Swire Pacific. Swire Pacific has been among the companies to condemn "illegal activities and violent behavior" in Hong Kong.

Worker participation in the protests is not the only issue that Cathay is grappling with. The political turmoil that has engulfed Asia's premiere financial hub for nearly 11 weeks is also starting to take a toll on Cathay's bottom line.

The airline was forced to cancel more than 150 flights last week amid a day of mass demonstrations and strikes. The protests at Hong Kong's international airport earlier this week led to nearly 1,000 flights being canceled.

Cathay said last week that protests affected its passenger numbers last month, and were continuing to "adversely impact" future bookings.

Cathay's (CPCAY) stock has plummeted nearly 24% since April.

"It has been my honour to lead the Cathay Pacific Group over the last three years," Hogg said in a statement. "I am confident in the future of Hong Kong as the key aviation hub in Asia. However, these have been challenging weeks for the airline and it is right that Paul and I take responsibility as leaders of the company."

Hogg will be replaced as CEO by Augustus Tang, the chief executive of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company, another Swire firm. Loo will be replaced by Ronald Lam, the head of HK Express, a Cathay subsidiary.

CNN's Laura He, Michelle Toh and Sandi Sidhu contributed to this report.

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2019-08-16 12:37:00Z
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Trump Greenland: US president 'mulls buying island from Denmark' - BBC News

Questions - and eyebrows - have been raised over reports that US President Donald Trump has talked about buying the world's biggest island.

The president is said to have discussed the idea of purchasing Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, during dinners and meetings with advisers.

His reported plans have been quickly dismissed by politicians in Denmark. "It must be an April Fool's Day joke...but totally out of [season]!", tweeted former Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

But the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which first reported the news, said Mr Trump had spoken about the purchase with "varying degrees of seriousness".

Sources quoted in other media differed over whether the president was joking or seriously hoping to expand US territory.

Greenland's Foreign Minister Ane Lone Bagger dismissed the idea. "We are open for business, but we're not for sale," she told Reuters.

The White House has not commented on the reports.

Where is Greenland?

Greenland is the largest island in the world (after Australia, which is defined as a continent in its own right). It is an autonomous Danish territory, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

It has a population of about 56,000 people concentrated around the coastline. Almost 90% are indigenous Greenlandic Inuit people. It has a limited self-government and its own parliament.

More than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap. Global warming is feared to be causing the ice cover to melt increasingly quickly but has also increased access to its mineral resources.

Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen has not commented publicly on the reports about Mr Trump.

Why would it be appealing to Trump?

Mr Trump has reportedly taken an interest in Greenland, in part, because of its natural resources, such as coal, zinc, copper and iron ore.

But while Greenland might be rich in minerals, it currently relies on Denmark for two thirds of its budget revenue. It has high rates of suicide, alcoholism and unemployment.

Two people briefed on the discussions told the New York Times the president was also interested in Greenland's "national security value" due to its location.

The US has long seen the island as being strategically important and established a radar base there at the start of the Cold War.

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher described Mr Trump's reported idea as a "smart geopolitical move".

"The United States has a compelling strategic interest in Greenland, and this should absolutely be on the table," he tweeted.

Is Greenland on the market?

As Greenland's foreign minister pointed out: the island is "not for sale".

Politicians in Denmark have ridiculed the idea of a possible US acquisition.

"If he is truly contemplating this, then this is final proof, that he has gone mad," foreign affairs spokesman for the populist Danish People's Party, Soren Espersen, told national broadcaster DR.

"The thought of Denmark selling 50,000 citizens to the United States is completely ridiculous."

"Out of all things that are not going to happen, this is the most unlikely. Forget it," Danish Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov wrote on Twitter.

The WSJ reported that it was "unclear" how the US would go about acquiring Greenland if Mr Trump was serious.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who took office earlier this year, has not commented on the reports.

She is set to visit Greenland this month and has said she is "very much looking forward" to it.

Mr Trump is scheduled to visit Denmark in September but there is no indication that the possible acquisition of Greenland is on the agenda.

Can countries buy territories?

Historically, countries have acquired territory not only through military conquest but also financial deals.

Under the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the US acquired about 827,000 sq miles (2.1m sq km) of land from France for $15m (£12.3). In 1867, the US reached a deal with Russia to purchase Alaska for $7.2m.

The US later purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917 and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.

However, law professor Joseph Blocher wrote in 2012 that the "market for sovereign territory seems to have dried up".

"To be sure, there is still an active market for proprietary interests in public land... But borders - sovereign territory, rather than property - do not seem to be for sale."

"Sovereign territory was bought and sold throughout much of American history... But no such market currently exists," he wrote in his paper Selling State Borders.

Has the US ever tried to buy Greenland before?

Mr Trump is not the only US president to have had a reported interest in buying Greenland.

In 1946, Harry Truman offered Denmark $100m for the territory.

He had earlier toyed with the idea of swapping land in Alaska for strategic parts of Greenland, according to AP.

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2019-08-16 11:09:29Z
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Trump Urges Israel to Block Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib - The New York Times

JERUSALEM — Israel on Thursday barred the entry of two American Democratic congresswomen who had planned to visit the West Bank, the deputy foreign minister on Israeli radio said, hours after President Trump had urged the country to ban them.

Mr. Trump’s intervention was an extraordinary step to influence an allied nation and punish his political opponents at home.

It was reported last week that Mr. Trump was pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to deny entrance to the two women, Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, and Thursday morning he left little doubt. He said in a Twitter post while Israeli officials were still deliberating the matter that “it would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit.”

It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds. Minnesota and Michigan will have a hard time putting them back in office. They are a disgrace!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2019

“The decision has been made, the decision is not to allow them to enter,” Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, told Israel’s Reshet Bet Radio.

There was no immediate confirmation from either the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the Interior Ministry. Both Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib have been vocal in their support of the Palestinians and the boycott-Israel movement.

Mr. Trump’s decision to recommend that another country block entry to two United States citizens, let alone members of Congress, was one of the most pronounced violations of democratic norms that he has engaged in since taking office in January 2017.

It also placed him at odds with the Republican leadership in Congress.

“I feel very secure in this, that anyone who comes with open ears, open eyes and an open mind will walk away with an understanding, just as all these members here do, that this bond is unbreakable,” the House minority leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday, while leading a delegation of 31 Republican lawmakers. “I think all should come.”

Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr. McCarthy, Representative Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader, who was heading a delegation to Israel of 41 Democratic representatives, agreed.

Many Israelis and Jewish leaders have also expressed discomfort with the idea that American officials could be denied entry because of their beliefs or criticism of Israel. Just last month, the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, said that Israel would not deny entry to any United States representatives.

Ms. Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, and Ms. Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, were scheduled to arrive on Sunday for a tour of the West Bank, partly under the auspices of an organization headed by a longtime Palestinian lawmaker, Hanan Ashrawi, that was expected to highlight Palestinian grievances over the Israeli occupation.

The women were planning to visit the West Bank cities of Hebron, Ramallah and Bethlehem, as well as Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, including a visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque, a hotly contested and volatile holy site, according to Ms. Ashrawi. Most of the delegation was expected to depart on Aug. 22, but Ms. Tlaib had been planning to stay on to visit relatives in the West Bank.

No meetings had been planned with either Israeli or Palestinian officials, other than Ms. Ashrawi, who is also a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee. She said the organization she leads, Miftah, was co-sponsoring the visit.

The purpose of the visit, Ms. Ashrawi said, was to give the congresswomen a way “to engage with the Palestinian people directly and to see things on the ground.”

“What are they afraid of?” she said, referring to the Israeli government. “That they might find out things?”

Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Omar, both freshmen, are the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. Ms. Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, has spoken often of her grandmother, who lives on the West Bank, while Ms. Omar, a Somali refugee, is the first woman to wear a hijab on the House floor.

But while they were hailed as symbols of diversity when they arrived in Washington, they quickly became embroiled in controversy over their statements on Israel and on supporters of the Jewish state. Ms. Omar apologized after she said support for Israel was “all about the Benjamins, baby” — a reference to $100 bills.

In early March, the House voted to condemn all forms of hatred after Ms. Omar said pro-Israel activists were “pushing for allegiance to a foreign country,” a remark that critics in both parties said invoked the longstanding anti-Semitic trope of “dual loyalty.”

Those remarks have been deeply problematic for Democratic leaders, who are trying to demonstrate solidarity with Israel. And they have given Mr. Trump and his fellow Republicans an opening to fan the flames of racial division, in an effort to break the longstanding alliance between American Jews and the Democratic Party.

Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib’s public support for the boycott movement had already drawn criticism from the White House. In remarks last month that were widely condemned as racist, Mr. Trump said that four congresswomen of color — Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib, as well as Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts — should “go back” to the countries they came from. Since then, the chant of “send her back” has become a fixture at President Trump’s political rallies.

Axios reported recently that President Trump had told advisers that he thought Mr. Netanyahu should bar Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Omar under a law that denies entry to foreign nationals who publicly show support for a boycott.

Under the law, passed in 2017, Israel can bar entry to people considered prominent advocates of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, a loose network that, among other goals, aims to pressure Israel into ending the occupation of the West Bank. Pro-Israel advocates accuse the movement’s supporters of anti-Semitism.

Last month, the United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the boycott-Israel movement as one that “promotes principles of collective guilt, mass punishment and group isolation, which are destructive of prospects for progress towards peace.”

Mr. Netanyahu, for his part, is in the middle of a tight election campaign, and some analysts say he can ill afford to appear weak when dealing with high-profile critics of Israeli policies. At the same time, he is involved in a high-wire act of trying to balance Israel’s ties with the Democrats and his close embrace of, and support from, Mr. Trump.

“If they are prevented from entering, it will be the foolishness of the Netanyahu government,” said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general in New York, told Israel’s Army Radio on Thursday. “These are congresswomen of the majority party, which most American Jews vote for.”

One of the main points of contention over the planned itinerary appears to be the visit to the Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. A sacred site revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as Temple Mount, the location of their ancient temples, it is a frequent flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States and a former deputy foreign minister, told Israel’s Kan Radio on Thursday that the congresswomen should be allowed to enter Israel “but with restrictions.”

“If they want to stage a provocation by entering the Temple Mount with Palestinian hosts, then that can be prevented,” he said.

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2019-08-15 15:00:00Z
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Chinese diplomat warns Beijing ‘will not sit on its hands’; military runs drills near Hong Kong border - Fox News

The Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom issued a stern warning Thursday, saying that Beijing will “not sit on its hands” amid ongoing near-daily street protests in Hong Kong.

Liu Xiaoming's warning at a news conference in London came as Chinese paramilitary forces conducted exercises across the border from Hong Kong.

Liu said if the situation continues to deteriorate in the region, the Chinese government would act to “quell unrest.”

Military vehicles are parked on the grounds of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen, China August 15, 2019. (Reuters)

“We have enough solutions and enough power within the limits of basic law to quell any unrest swiftly,” he said, referring to Hong Kong’s mini-constitution adopted after the former British colony was handed over to China in 1997. “Their moves are severe and violent offenses, and already shows signs of terrorism.”

CHINESE MILITARY VEHICLES STASHED ACROSS HONG KONG BORDER IN SOCCER STADIUM

He added: “The central government of China will never allow a few violent offenders to drag Hong Kong down a dangerous road, down a dangerous abyss.”

Military vehicles are parked on the grounds of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen, China August 15. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, hundreds of members of the People’s Armed Police were photographed at a Shenzhen soccer stadium where parking lots were filled with more than 100 dark-painted paramilitary vehicles, raising concerns that China might intervene to end 10 weeks of unrest across the harbor, Reuters reported.

"I don't know why they're here, but it could be related to Hong Kong," a ticket vendor at the stadium told Agence France-Presse, a Paris-based news wire service.

Chinese soldiers practice on the grounds of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen across the bay from Hong Kong (Reuters)

Inside the stadium, soldiers were seen conducting drills.

The stadium is just across a bridge that is one of the main access roads between the mainland and Hong Kong.

Chinese state media disputed claims that the government moved the vehicles in response to the protest, saying that exercises had been planned beforehand and were not directly related to the unrest in Hong Kong.

Chinese soldiers walk in formation on the grounds of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen across the bay from Hong Kong, China August 15, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter - RC18C09291A0

TRUMP SUGGESTS 'PERSONAL MEETING' WITH CHINA'S XI ON HONG KONG PROTESTS

Protests that began in early June have paralyzed parts of the territory, including its international airport, and led to hundreds of arrests.

Flights have mostly resumed after being halted by mass demonstrations and spasms of violence on Monday and Tuesday. Police made five arrests Tuesday night and 17 more on Wednesday during clashes outside police stations in the Sham Shui Po district.

Protesters displayed laser pointers and burned spirit paper in recognition of the lunar calendar's traditional Hungry Ghost Festival, but police spokesman Tse Chun-chung said some also used catapults to fire metal balls and marbles at police. Officers responded with tear gas and "minimal use of force," he said.

Police were also maintaining airport checkpoints and restricting access to the facilities to those with travel documents, Tse said at a daily news briefing. While acknowledging some complaints about the use of tear gas and other aggressive police tactics in residential areas, Tse said police never wish to take such measures, and do so only when "appropriate."

"We hope everybody will join us in restoring and order in society," Tse said.

HONG KONG PROTESTERS CLASH WITH RIOT POLICE ARMED WITH PEPPER SPRAY AT AIRPORT

This week's clashes highlighted the hardening positions of pro-democracy protesters and the authorities, which show no sign of abating as long as the government continues to refuse calls for dialogue. Along with scrapping the extradition legislation, under which criminal suspects could be tried in mainland China and, critics say, face torture and unfair justice, protesters are demanding an investigation into alleged police abuses and other steps, with some calling also for the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

The U.S. State Department said it was deeply concerned over reports that Chinese police forces were gathering near the border with Hong Kong and urged the city’s government to respect freedom of speech.

The department also issued a travel advisory urging U.S. citizens to exercise caution when visiting Hong Kong.

A total of 29 countries have issued travel safety alerts for Hong Kong, while international credit rating agencies have also expressed concern about the situation in the territory, city Financial Secretary Paul Chan said.

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On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a “personal meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help “quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem.”

“I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?” he tweeted.

More than 700 protesters have been arrested since the demonstrations began in the territory of 7.5 million in early June. Police and the government have pledged to bring all "culprits" to justice and to take "relentless enforcement action to bring the persons involved to justice."

Fox News's Paulina Dedaj, Brie Stimson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2019-08-15 12:46:46Z
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Nora Quoirin died from starvation, stress in Malaysia: autopsy - New York Post

SEREMBAN, Malaysia — Malaysian police said Thursday there were no signs of foul play in the death of a 15-year-old London girl who mysteriously disappeared from a nature resort, with an autopsy showing she succumbed to intestinal bleeding due to starvation and stress.

Nora Anne Quoirin’s body was discovered Tuesday beside a small stream about 1.6 miles from the Dusun eco-resort after she disappeared from her family’s resort cottage on Aug. 4.

Negeri Sembilan state police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop said the autopsy found no evidence the teenager had been abducted or raped. She was estimated to have been dead two or three days and not more than four when her naked body was found, he said.

“For the time being, there is no element of abduction or kidnapping,” he told a news conference at a police station.

“The cause of death was upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to duodenal ulcer, complicated with perforation… it could be due to a lack of food for a long period of time and due to prolonged stress,” he said.

Mohamad said there were also some bruises on the girl’s legs but wouldn’t cause her death. Samples taken from her body will be sent to the chemistry department for further analysis, he said.

The girl’s family can take her body back to their country if they wish, he added.

Quoirin’s family has said she wasn’t independent and wouldn’t wander off alone as she had learning and physical disabilities. Police believe she climbed out through an open window in the living room of the cottage but said they were investigating all aspects, including possible criminal elements.

Police from Ireland, France and the U.K. are in Malaysia to assist in the investigation. The girl’s mother is from Ireland and her father is French, but the family has lived in London for 20 years.

The Paris prosecutor’s office on Wednesday said it has opened a preliminary investigation into the girl’s death, on potential charges of kidnapping and sequestration. The prosecutor’s office wouldn’t elaborate. French authorities often open such investigations when French citizens are victims or otherwise involved in suspected crimes abroad.

Quoirin’s family arrived Aug. 3 for a two-week stay at the Dusun, a small resort located in a durian orchard next to a forest reserve 39 miles south of Kuala Lumpur.

Her family on Wednesday thanked the more than 350 people who helped search for the girl and said that their hearts were broken.

“Nóra is at the heart of our family. She is the truest, most precious girl and we love her infinitely. The cruelty of her being taken away is unbearable,” the family said in a brief statement issued by the Lucie Blackman Trust, a charity that helps families of Britons in crisis overseas.

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2019-08-15 11:25:00Z
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U.S. Applies to Seize Iranian Tanker Held in Gibraltar - The New York Times

LONDON — The United States has applied to seize the Iranian oil tanker being held at Gibraltar, the government of the British territory revealed on Thursday, just as the authorities appeared to be close to releasing the ship they detained more than a month ago.

The American action is the latest in a series of back-and-forth jabs that the United States and Iran have traded recently, raising fears of escalation into an all-out conflict in the Persian Gulf.

Gibraltar freed the tanker’s Iranian crew from detention on Thursday, the latest sign that officials in the semiautonomous territory, Britain and Iran might be attempting to step back from the confrontation, possibly by agreeing to exchange seized vessels.

British marines and Gibraltar port officials seized the Iranian ship, Grace 1, on July 4, charging that it was carrying oil to Syria in violation of a European Union embargo. Iran quickly retaliated by detaining a British-flagged tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entryway to the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian government said this week that a deal was near for the release of Grace 1, which officials in Gibraltar and London would neither confirm nor deny; British officials insisted that it was a matter for the Gibraltar authorities. It was not clear whether such an agreement would include the release of the British ship.

A court in Gibraltar ruled last month that the Iranian vessel could be held for an additional 30 days, a period that will expire on Sunday. A follow-up hearing was set for Thursday morning, in which the territory’s government was not expected to ask the court to extend the detention.

But when the court met, Gibraltar officials revealed the United States request, and the hearing was adjourned until later in the day, according to The Gibraltar Chronicle, which first reported the developments.

“The U.S. Department of Justice has applied to seize the Grace 1 on a number of allegations which are now being considered,” the Gibraltar government said in a brief statement. “The matter will return to the Supreme Court of Gibraltar at 4 p.m. today.”

The legal basis for the request was not immediately clear, but the United States has recently imposed sanctions designed to cut off Iran’s ability to sell oil. Other countries have not signed onto those sanctions, but could face serious economic penalties for defying them.

Tankers carry about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz to destinations around the world.

The area has become a flash point as tensions have risen between the United States and Iran since President Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and imposed sanctions that have hurt Iran’s economy.

American officials have blamed Iran for attacks in May and June that damaged several tankers in the region. In addition to the Stena Impero, Iran also seized a tanker registered in Panama in July — a vessel chartered by a company in the United Arab Emirates — and later said it had apprehended an Iraqi tanker.

Britain said this month that it would join an American-led mission to protect ships moving through the strait.

On Tuesday, the government of Gibraltar said it was seeking to “de-escalate issues arising since the lawful detention of Grace 1” but provided no details about what, if any, steps had been taken.

While Iran had hinted at an exchange, Dominic Raab, Britain’s new foreign secretary, recently ruled out that possibility, saying that a swap would legitimize the Iranian seizure.

“We are not going to barter a ship that was detained legally with a ship that was detained illegally,” Mr. Raab told Sky News during a summit meeting in Thailand. “That’s not the way that Iran will come in from the cold.”

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2019-08-15 10:18:45Z
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