Hong Kong democracy campaigners jailed over anti-China protests
Alex Chow, Nathan Law, and Joshua Wong given six to eight month sentences for roles in anti-government occupation known as the umbrella movement
Hong Kong’s democracy movement has suffered the latest setback in what has been a punishing year after three of its most influential young leaders were jailed for their roles in a protest at the start of a 79-day anti-government occupation known as the umbrella movement.
On Thursday afternoon Alex Chow, Nathan Law, and Joshua Wong, the bespectacled student dubbed Hong Kong’s “face of protest” were sentenced to between six and eight months imprisonment each.
The trio, aged 26, 24 and 20 respectively, had avoided jail a year ago after being convicted of taking part in or inciting an “illegal assembly” that helped spark the umbrella protests, in late September 2014. But this month Hong Kong’s department of justice called for those sentences to be reconsidered, with one senior prosecutor attacking the “rather dangerous” leniency he claimed had been shown to the activists.
Donald Trump, there’s no such thing as the ‘alt-left’ – and even white supremacists know it
The opposite of a neo-Nazi is not a neo-Nazi. The opposite of a fascist is not a fascist. The opposite of a racist is not a racist. We really don’t need to develop any new terminology for this. The old ones work just fine
Nearly 48 hours after the bloodshed in Charlottesville which saw Heather Heyer killed and many more injured when a car crashed into a crowd of anti-racism protestors, President Donald Trumpcame out to condemn the violence. Well, almost.
Speaking from Trump Tower, the President defended those who had organised protests against the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee and sought to apportion the blame to both the “alt-right” and the “alt-left” for the violence that ensued.
“What about the ‘alt-left’ that came charging at, as you say, the ‘alt-right’?” he asked. “Let me ask you this: What about the fact they came charging – that they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do.”
South Korean President Moon Jae-in rules out war with North Korea
President Moon has said there won't be a new war on the Korean Peninsula. He added that US President Donald Trump has promised to seek Seoul's approval before pursuing any option against its nuclear-armed neighbor.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in urged North Korea on Thursday not to make further provocations as it would result in tougher sanctions that the impoverished country would not be able to withstand.
He said he would consider sending a special envoy to North Korea for talks if Pyongyang stopped conducting missile tests.
"All South Koreans have worked so hard together to rebuild the country from the ruins of the Korean War," Moon said at a press conference marking his first 100 days in office.
"I will prevent war at all cost," he added. "So I want all South Koreans to believe with confidence that there will be no war."
Quest for Turkey coup plot’s ‘disappearing imam’ extends to Germany
Turkey has formally asked Germany to extradite a key suspect in last year’s failed coup attempt. But the mystery surrounding the “disappearing imam” is not about to disappear.
He has been dubbed the “air force imam”, the “disappearing imam” and the “black box” of the July 2016 Turkish coup attempt, to name just a few of many monikers. As for speculation as to his whereabouts, they have ranged from Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, a London market, the US embassy in Ankara, an unmarked grave somewhere in Turkey or the bottom of the Black Sea.
Such is the level of mystery surrounding Adil Oksuz, the key link in the Turkish government’s assertion that the coup plot was masterminded by Pennsylvania-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Germany has now joined the list of likely Oksuz destination spots, with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu revealing on Wednesday that Ankara had sent Berlin a diplomatic note requesting his extradition.
Brazil court favours indigenous groups in land dispute
The Supreme Court rules against Brazilian state seeking compensation for land that had been declared as tribal reserves.
Brazilian indigenous activists celebrated on Wednesday after the Supreme Court ruled against a state seeking compensation for land that had been declared tribal reserves.
The ruling against Mato Grosso state in western Brazil was seen as a victory for indigenous rights in the face of constant pressure from the powerful agricultural lobby.
The state had argued that the tribal reserves were created out of its land, but the court rejected this 8-0, saying that the territory had long belonged to the native peoples.
"It was a positive result, maintaining the land borders that had been under question," Raphaela Lopes, a lawyer for the activist group Justica Global, told AFP news agency.
Trump adviser Steve Bannon dubs white nationalists 'clowns'
The chief White House strategist Steve Bannon has attacked white nationalists as "clowns" as the fallout from violent protests in Charlottesville continues.
Mr Bannon once headed the far-right Breitbart News, seen as both a major channel for nationalism and key in helping Donald Trump win election.
But he told The American Prospect: "Ethno-nationalism - it's losers".
Questions surround Mr Bannon's future, with President Trump refusing to say if he had confidence in him.
Mr Trump has reportedly been urged to fire Mr Bannon, who in his role has enjoyed direct access to the president and whose influence has been seen in decisions like the US withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.
At a news conference this
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