EU leaders agree for new sanctions on Iran
European Union leaders agreed late on Wednesday on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said to European Union representative in the city that it was not feasible to relaunch a debate on universal suffrage now, as that would require constitutional steps by the National People’s Congress and society was too polarised, according to an internal report on Tuesday.
The report further said that Lam also “acknowledged that a heavy defeat for pro-establishment parties was in prospect” in the upcoming district council elections.
Lam reportedly stated there was nothing to be gained by opening a discussion on something that could not be delivered at present. Universal suffrage is one of five core demands of anti-government protesters.
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The Chief Executive said she had every intention of ensuring the district council elections, scheduled for November 24, would proceed as planned. But she noted it was “up to protesters”, the report said.
On Wednesday, Lam was supposed to deliver a speech in a meeting, which was described as “frank and candid”, she played down her policy address, “with the crisis taking its toll on preparations”.
According to the report, the Hong Kong leader considered that answering to the protesters’ demands would be pointless at this stage and that she said “you can’t negotiate with the mob”, pointing to recent episodes of vandalism and illegal roadblocks.
Earlier on Monday, Hong Kong activists plan to rally after another weekend of unrest that saw protesters hurl petrol bombs and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets, as violence in the Chinese-ruled city shows no signs of letting up.
Hong Kong’s protests started in June against proposals to allow extradition to mainland China, a move many feared would undermine the city’s judicial independence and endanger dissidents.
Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of people took to streets for an anti-government march in Hong Kong a day after a female university student claimed to be
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