Prince Harry expresses 'great sadness' following news he and Meghan are no longer working members of royal family - CNN

"The UK is my home and a place that I love," Harry said in a speech at a charity event in London. "That will never change."

"The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly," he said. "It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven't always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option."

"Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding," he said. "Unfortunately, that wasn't possible."

Earlier in this month, the couple announced they would step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, split their time between the United Kingdom and North America and work toward becoming financially independent.

The Queen released a statement Saturday revealing that conversations with the pair had been going on for months.

"I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family," read the statement.

"I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life."

The couple and baby Archie will always be "much loved members" of her family, the Queen added.

The Sussexes will no longer use their royal titles (HRH) as "they are no longer working members of the Royal Family," according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

The couple will no longer receive public funds for royal duties, and will no longer formally represent the Queen, said the statement.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives," it said.

Questions have been raised over who will pay for Harry and Meghan's security arrangements, but the palace said it would not comment on the matter.

"There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security," said the statement.

Under the agreement announced Saturday, Harry and Meghan will also pay back 2.4 million pounds (about $3 million) of British taxpayers' money used to renovate their home, Frogmore Cottage, on the Windsor estate.

Harry made his remarks at a dinner for Sentebale, the charity he started in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help AIDS orphans.

"I've accepted this, knowing that it doesn't change who I am or how committed I am," Harry said Sunday of his family's future. "But I hope that helps you understand what it had come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life."

"I was born into this life," he said, "and it is a great honor to serve my country and the Queen."

"When I lost my mum 23 years ago, you took me under your wing," he said, referring to Princess Diana, who died in August 1997 after a car she was in crashed while being pursued by members of the paparazzi.

"You've looked out for me for so long," Harry said, "but the media is a powerful force, and my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful because this is so much bigger than just us."

"I will always have the utmost respect for my grandmother, my commander in chief, and I am incredibly grateful to her and the rest of my family for the support they have shown Meghan and I over the last few months."

The British people will want the best for Harry and Meghan, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday in Berlin.

"The whole country will want to join in wishing them the very best," said Johnson, who attended a Libya peace conference in the German capital.

He added that he was certain "the Royal Family, which has been around a very long time, would find a way forward."

CNN's Max Foster contributed to this report.

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2020-01-20 08:33:00Z
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China confirms some 140 new cases of Sars-like virus ahead of peak travel season - CNBC

Health authorities in China on Monday confirmed nearly 140 new cases of a mysterious pneumonia-like virus, which has killed three people so far.

It comes as the country's peak holiday travel season kicks off ahead of the Lunar New Year, sparking concerns over the spread of the viral strain and its possible impact on economic growth.

"It's highly likely we'll see this virus spread given that it appears there's some form of human-to-human transmission and given the scale of travel in the lead-up to Chinese New Year," said Alexandra Phelan, faculty research instructor in the microbiology and immunology department at Georgetown University.

"Looking further on, I think we're likely to have cases around China and also there will likely be cases in other countries as people travel," Phelan told CNBC on Monday.

While the Sars-virus first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late December, the 139 new cases that appeared over the weekend in China showed new cases in the capital of Beijing in the north of the country, as well as in the southern city of Shenzhen, Reuters reported. This brings the total to more than 200 confirmed cases from the new coronavirus strain. Three of them have died.

Impact on travelers

Hundreds of millions of Chinese travelers are expected to travel both domestically and internationally as Lunar New Year starts this Saturday, igniting fears of a further spread of the virus and kindling memories of the fatal Sars pandemic in 2002 and 2003 that killed nearly 800 globally.

The Sars pandemic — also caused by a coronavirus — cost the global economy tens of billions of dollars.

On Monday, South Korea confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus in a Chinese woman who flew to Incheon International Airport from Wuhan.

Two cases have also been reported in Thailand and one in Japan. They involved two Chinese from Wuhan and a resident in Japan who had travel history to the city — where the virus is linked to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting that the virus had jumped from animals to humans, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its website.

However, some of the patients have not had exposure to the animal markets, "suggesting that some limited person-to-person spread is occurring," the CDC said Friday.

Airport authorities around the world have already stepped up health screening of travelers at their borders to pick up suspected cases. Measures include temperature screening.

However, as symptoms from the new Wuhan coronavirus infection are similar to that of other respiratory conditions, there will be "a lot" of travelers who would be wrongly picked up alongside, Phelan said.

"They can be a useful opportunity to provide people with information if they do feel sick ... but most of the time, border screening is actually a very expensive, not particularly effective way of actually preventing the spread of disease," said Phelan.

Impact on China's economy

While the nature and severity of the new coronavirus is still under investigation, it could pose a major risk to Asia Pacific economies, experts said.

"Human-to-human transmission will be (the) tipping point, and mass movements in China during CNY (Chinese New Year) may be an unwelcomed accelerant," said Vishnu Varathan, Asia head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank.

The 2003 Sars crisis created a severe negative impact on GDP growth for the Chinese economy and also hit the economies of a number of Southeast Asian nations.

Rajiv Biswas

Asia Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit

In particular, the "fear factor" posed by the uncertainties that come with the new coronavirus could send economic activity grinding down rapidly and "hijack signs of bottoming/recovery in economic activity," Varathan said in an email to CNBC.

On Monday, shares of Chinese drugmakers and face mask-makers soared amid rising concerns over the outbreak.

Recent data out of China have suggested some bottoming out of the country's economy that was hit due to its bitter trade war with the U.S.

"The 2003 Sars crisis created a severe negative impact on GDP growth for the Chinese economy and also hit the economies of a number of Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam," said Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit. There could also be a ripple effect elsewhere, he added.

"Since the 2003 Sars crisis, China's international tourism has boomed, so the risks of a global Sars-like virus epidemic spreading globally have become even more severe," Biswas said.

Sectors that are particularly vulnerable include retail, food and beverage, conferences, special events — such as the 2020 summer Olympics taking place in Tokyo — and aviation, said Biswas.

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2020-01-20 07:09:00Z
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Violent unrest grips Beirut as 'week of rage' escalates - CNN

Protesters were seen attacking bank branches and smashing the windows of one prominent cell phone company.

Some threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at police, who attempted to disperse protesters with tear gas. As clashes continued, security forces deployed water cannons and rubber bullets.

Hundreds of people have been injured in the chaos, according the Lebanese Red Cross, which comes after months of mostly nonviolent demonstrations over the country's continued economic failings.

The banking system has all but collapsed and Lebanese citizens have a monthly withdrawal limit worth around $200. The nation's currency has lost 60% of its value in the months of tumult, as prices soar and people are left unable to pay their regular bills.

Lebanon's President, Michel Aoun, called on the country's army and security forces to impose order.

Protesters declared the "week of rage" on Tuesday, angry that the government has failed to stymie Lebanon's descent into economic crisis. Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in late October in response to the initial protests, but Lebanese lawmakers have been unable to form a legitimate government in the three months since to tackle the economic issues still plaguing the country.

Some protesters who spoke to CNN said they've decided to use new tactic that includes employing more violence in order to spur quicker change, as the situation has mostly stalled since Hariri's resignation.

Hariri, who has been ruling a caretaker government since his resignation, issued a statement calling events in downtown Beirut an "unacceptable scene that threatens civil peace."

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both issued statements accusing police of using excessive force.

"There was no justification for the brutal use of force unleashed by Lebanon's riot police against largely peaceful demonstrators in downtown Beirut on January 18 (Saturday)," Michael Page, Human Rights Watch's deputy Middle East Director, said in a statement. "Riot police showed a blatant disregard for their human rights obligations, instead launching teargas canisters at protesters' heads, firing rubber bullets in their eyes and attacking people at hospitals and a mosque."

In a statement published Thursday, Amnesty International acknowledged wrongdoing by a small number of protesters but called the actions by authorities an "alarming attack on freedom of assembly and expression." The group also accused the government of failing to "address protesters' demands and their concerns about the impact of the economic crisis."

"Acts by a minority of protesters who vandalized banks or threw stones is never a justification for such excessive use of force and sweeping arrests by law enforcement," said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International's Middle East director of research.

CNN's Mitchell McCluskey, Christian Streib and Angela Dewan contributed to this report

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2020-01-20 06:41:00Z
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Police arrest organizer of Hong Kong protest after rally turns violent - Reuters

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist was arrested by police, his organization said on Monday, after a protest he helped organize in the financial district a day earlier turned violent with officers firing tear gas to disperse the crowds.

FILE PHOTO: Anti-government protesters attend a rally to call for democratic reforms in Hong Kong, China January 19, 2020. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Ventus Lau was arrested on Sunday evening on charges of “obstruction of police administration” and violating terms set when permission was granted for the protest, the Hong Kong Civil Assembly Team said in a statement.

The organizers initially applied for a permit - known as a letter of no objection - for a march, but the police only agreed to a static rally in a park in the city’s Central district.

But as the crowds swelled and spilled onto surrounding streets, some protesters briefly barricaded roads with umbrellas, traffic cones and other street furniture and dug up bricks from the pavement.

Police then ordered a halt to the protest and began dispersing the crowd.

“It was primarily rioters’ violent acts which led to the suspension of the gathering,” Senior Superintendent Ng Lok-chun told reporters.

“The organizer has violated the agreements set in the no objection letter, failed to assist in maintaining the order in the public gathering event, that is why we have arrested Mr. Lau.”

Police said two community liaison officers were attacked with wooden sticks and sustained head injuries. They also said some protesters threw water bottles at officers conducting a ‘stop and search’ operation.

In a statement late on Sunday, the government said it “strongly condemns” the attack on the police officers.

The “Universal Siege Against Communism” demonstration was the latest in a relentless series of anti-government protests since June, when Hong Kongers took to the streets to voice their anger over a now-withdrawn extradition bill.

Organizers said 150,000 attended the demonstration, while police estimated a crowd of 11,680 at its peak.

Reporting by Jessie Pang and Donny Kwok; Writing by Marius Zaharia; editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-01-20 04:10:00Z
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Chaos in Puerto Rico as mob finds unused disaster supplies - New York Post

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — People in a southern Puerto Rico city discovered a warehouse filled with water, cots and other unused emergency supplies, then set off a social media uproar Saturday when they broke in to retrieve goods as the area struggles to recover from a strong earthquake.

With anger spreading in the U.S. territory after video of the event in Ponce appeared on Facebook, Gov. Wanda Vázquez quickly fired the director of the island’s emergency management agency.

The governor said she had ordered an investigation after learning the emergency supplies had been piled in the warehouse since Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico in September 2017.

Vázquez said inaction by the fired official, Carlos Acevedo, was unacceptable.

“There are thousands of people who have made sacrifices to help those in the south, and it is unforgivable that resources were kept in the warehouse,” the governor said.

Puerto Rico’s secretary of state, Elmer Román, told reporters that Acevedo had not told him about the contents of the warehouse.

News of the warehouse spread after online blogger Lorenzo Delgado relayed live video on Facebook of people breaking into the building. The scene became chaotic at times as people pushed their way in and began distributing water, baby food and other goods to those affected by the earthquake.

Delgado later told reporters that he had received a tip about the warehouse, but gave no specifics on when.

The mayor of Ponce, María Meléndez, said he had not known about the warehouse and its contents.

“This is outrageous,” she said. “Everyone knows what us mayors went through after Hurricane Maria to try and get help to our cities and how we’ve worked these weeks to provide basic supplies to people affected by earthquakes. Those involved owe us an explanation.”

Inés Rivera, spokeswoman for the city of Ponce, told The Associated Press that the warehouse is owned by Puerto Rico’s Company of Commerce and Export. Officials with the company could not be reached for comment.

The information upset many in Puerto Rico already angry over the government’s botched response to Hurricane Maria, with similar incidents of supplies going unused being uncovered months later.

Ponce is one of several cities in the island’s southern region hit by the recent 6.4 magnitude earthquake that killed one person and caused more than an estimated $200 million in damage. More than 7,000 people remain in shelters since the quake.

The governor said she has sent the Senate her nomination of José Reyes, who oversees the National Guard in Puerto Rico, to be the new commissioner for the State Bureau for Emergency Management and Disaster Management.

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2020-01-19 15:17:00Z
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Hong Kong police tear gas rally after protesters attack plainclothes agents - The Washington Post

Ng Han Guan AP A participant waves a U.S. flag as a colonial flag is seen on right during a rally demanding democracy in Hong Kong, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020.

HONG KONG — A mass protest in Hong Kong came to an abrupt and chaotic end on Sunday when demonstrators attacked plainclothes police officers, sparking a response from authorities that included pepper spray, tear gas and numerous arrests.

Relations between the public and the Hong Kong Police Force have collapsed during the months of protests that began in response to the government’s attempt to pass a bill that would allow for extraditions to mainland China. The bill was withdrawn, but the alleged misuse of force by the police, and the government’s refusal to launch an independent inquiry into the force’s conduct, have become a central grievance.

The scenes on Sunday here, where pro-democracy protesters brawled with police, marked a return to the sporadic violence that has occasionally erupted around the largely peaceful anti-government movement, now in its eight month. It also underscores the risk of using plainclothes police officers to respond to the protests, a highly controversial tactic that has sowed mistrust and prompted scuffles multiple times since the demonstrations began in June.

[Hong Kong police respond with tear gas, water cannons as protesters mark new year]

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Chater Garden in the city’s Central district to take part in a rally opposing Communism and calling for universal suffrage in the territory. Organizers had applied for a permit for a march, which was denied, but police did approve the holding of a rally as long as it stayed in one place. The crowd easily filled the park and protesters spilled into the nearby streets.

The turnout appeared to be the largest since an authorized protest on New Year’s Day, when organizers said over a million people gathered to demonstrate but had their march canceled by police midway through.

Ng Han Guan

AP

A woman cries as she pleads with the police not to beat a man as police detain protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020.

The plainclothes officers told the organizers that the rally was being called off at around 4:00 p.m., Ventus Lau, a member of the Hong Kong Civil Assembly Team, which organized the rally, said. Lau asked to see one of the officer’s identification card, he said, but the officer initially resisted. Once he saw the officer’s badge, Lau said, he attempted to clear the park, but the altercation had drawn a crowd of angry protesters and fighting broke out.

At around 4:30 p.m., a small group of riot police entered the park in what looked to be an effort to assist their injured colleagues and clear the park.

A group of protesters chased the injured and bleeding plainclothes officers across the street, where they attempted to find safety in a building but were unable to enter because the doors were locked. Cornered, the three were beaten by protesters with umbrellas and batons. One protester attempted to hit them with a brick. More police rushed in to disperse the crowd.

Moments later, police fired multiple rounds of tear gas, sending protesters, and dozens of migrant domestic workers who gather in the area on their day off, fleeing. The three people beaten — two men and a woman — left in ambulances with their heads bandaged.

Police raced down the nearby streets clearing protesters backed by an armored vehicle and water cannons.

The police said in a statement that two officers from the Police Community Liaison Office were speaking with rally organizers when they “were suddenly surrounded and beaten up brutally by a large group of rioters with wooden sticks and other weapons.”

“They were left with bloody head injuries. Such appalling acts are not to be condoned. The Police will endeavor to bring the assailants to justice,” the statement added. Lau was arrested on Sunday evening, local media reported.

Earlier this week, police commissioner Chris Tang was grilled by district councilors about the force’s use of plainclothes officers, who often have no visible identification and further obscure themselves by wearing masks. One district councilor held up photos of plainclothes officers and asked Tang if he himself could identify the people as officers, to which Tang responded that he could not.

Sunday’s protest, featuring a range of speakers and an Italian opera singer, drew a crowd of diverse ages. Many of the protest materials being handed out were styled for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

The government has drastically scaled back its own celebrations this year — canceling a fireworks show and limiting the size of the traditional New Year’s markets selling food and flowers. But independent fairs have popped up offering items featuring popular protest slogans and icons.

Faning Yam, a 27-year-old waitress, stood near a suitcase filled with 3,000 cards she had printed that people filled out with New Year messages to be delivered to imprisoned protesters. “Chinese New Year is coming and we need to bring some encouragement to our brothers and sisters who are in jail for us,” she said.

Cheng Keng Ieong, a pro-democracy district councilor, handed out fai chun, a traditional New Year decoration, emblazoned with the slogan “five demands, not one less.” The mantra was popularized after Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s leader withdrew the extradition bill, but refused to meet any of the other four demands laid out by protesters including univeral suffrage and an independent inquiry into police conduct.

“We are not giving up,” Cheng said, “even if they [the government] is abusing its power and using the police as a tool.”

Earlier this week Lam was questioned by lawmakers during a raucous session at the Legislative Council about the police. Lam dismissed the concerns as a smear campaign aimed at weakening the police’s ability to enforce the law. Cheng described Lam’s comments as “useless.”

“The voting results are very clear,” he said, referencing November’s district council elections during which pro-democracy candidates routed the pro-Beijing camp, “they want the five demands.”

Ng Han Guan

AP

Participants wave British and U.S. flags during a rally demanding electoral democracy and call for boycott of the Chinese Communist Party and all businesses seen to support it in Hong Kong, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020.

Tiffany Liang contributed to this report.

Read more

In Hong Kong crackdown, police repeatedly broke their own rules — and faced no consequences

Large, peaceful protest shows Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement is still strong

In Hong Kong, an accountant by day becomes street fighter by night

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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2020-01-19 12:46:00Z
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Harry and Meghan are giving up royal titles and state funding. Here's what that means - CNN

The news comes after a flurry of conversations and crunch talks with the Queen, who said Saturday that she was "pleased" to have found a "constructive and supportive way forward" for the Sussexes.

Earlier this month, in a carefully worded Instagram post and curated new website, Harry and Meghan announced their intention to exit the royal family. In it, they made clear what they wanted: to work to become financially independent, while continuing to support the Queen.

The question is now: did they get what they had hoped for?

Is this the exit the Sussexes had in mind?

The Sussexes had pitched for a hybrid role, where they would be allowed to pursue personal income, but also continue representing the Queen. But it appears they were offered two choices by the Palace -- in or out. They chose out.

So what's the deal with their royal titles?

Meghan received the title Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Duchess of Sussex upon marriage in May 2018. Harry's full title was His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel.

But the couple will no longer use the titles His and Her Royal Highness after announcing they would step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. This is quite unprecedented. After her divorce from Prince Charles, Harry's mother Diana had her "HRH" title taken away, and she was given the courtesy title of "Diana, Princess of Wales."

Similarly, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York was also stripped of her HRH title after her divorce from Prince Andrew.

But the situation for Harry and Meghan is different -- they have chosen, or been asked, not to use these titles because they no longer represent the Queen.

What does it mean for the Sussex brand?

This decision is really about Harry and Meghan's extraction from royal life, but the next question is what will happen to the Sussex Royal brand.

The role, outlined on Harry and Meghan's Sussex Royal website following the couple's first announcement, doesn't currently align with the agreement announced by the Palace on Saturday. That whole new brand of Sussex Royal will probably have to be reworked, and we are waiting to see what that will look like.

When does the new arrangement take effect? How long will it last?

The changes will take effect in the spring, when Harry and Meghan will stop using the titles "HRH." The situation will then be reviewed a year later, but in the meantime Harry can expect a lot of media scrutiny.

So what will they do now?

This latest announcement doesn't mean that the couple will no longer move in Royal circles -- we'll still see them at functions that look a lot like Royal events.

Harry and Meghan are also keeping all of their private causes and patronages -- including Invictus -- and the various patronages they hold separate to their association with the Queen. But the couple will have to find a way of tying this together with bringing in an income.

We will probably see them undertaking commercial work, possibly media work, but we'll have to wait and see who that will be with, or how that will be shaped. We know that the couple haven't signed any commercial deals yet.

Harry and Meghan will have to bring in quite a substantial income to keep up with their current lifestyles -- while the Prince of Wales will be financing them through his private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, this is expected to be in the low millions and may not be permanent.

What does it mean for other royals?

Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family is quite unprecedented, and could become a blueprint for other senior members of the family who want out -- for example, William's children, if they felt the same way as Harry as adults.

There are also questions that need to be answered about how Harry's move will affect Charles and William. It remains unclear whether Harry's royal duties will be dispersed between Charles and William, or whether Harry's departure will effectively reduce the amount of work that the royal family is doing.

What was left unsaid in the announcement?

The announcement didn't address what will now happen to the Sussex Royal brand, and it didn't give further details about what the security arrangements will look like for the couple in Canada.

Who is expected to pay for security costs?

In the statement released Saturday, Buckingham Palace said it would not comment on the details of security arrangements.

"There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security," it said.

Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau told a Canadian television station Monday that: "...there are still a lot of decisions to be taken by the royal family, by the Sussexes themselves, as to what level of engagement they choose to have and these are things that we are obviously supportive of their reflections, but have responsibilities in that as well."

Trudeau added: "That is part of the reflection that needs to be had and there are discussions going on."

What will their life look like now -- splitting time between North America and UK?

The couple will be spending most of their time in North America.

But they can only spend a certain amount of time in Canada without citizenship -- UK and America citizens can spend up to 6 months in the country as a visitor -- so it remains to be seen how much time the young family will also spend in the United States.

They will still maintain their Frogmore Cottage residence on Windsor Estate, west of London -- but will have to pay rent for it.

They will also return the Sovereign Grant funds they recently spent to renovate the residence -- £2.4 million (about $3 million) of British taxpayers' money -- the palace said in a statement.

Works included the removal of a chimney, re-finishing the roof, new staircases, fireplace installations and a new "floating" wooden floor. Expenses related to fixtures, furnishings and fittings were funded privately by the couple.

CNN's Stephanie Halasz and Jack Guy contributed to this report.

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2020-01-19 13:27:00Z
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