Doctors fear Assange 'could die' in UK prison, say he needs hospital care

International News
Hong Kong's master majority rule government camp was cruising towards a devastating triumph in network level races on Monday, sending the Beijing-sponsored government a reasonable message of open help for the requests of a dissent development that has grasped the domain for quite a long time.
Checking was still under way following record turnout in Sunday's surveys, however fractional outcomes demonstrated that competitors favoring more prominent popular government were on course to hold onto a stun greater part of the regularly foundation commanded 18 area committees.
The dazzling outcome was a mortifying reprimand to Beijing and ran any waiting any expectations of Hong Kong pioneer Carrie Lam that the undeniably forceful strategies sent by radical dissidents would urge a quiet greater part to turn out on the side of her organization. Change-chasing government officials seized on the outcome as confirmation that residents need more state in running the city.
"Regardless of how solid Carrie Lam is I trust she can agree to the desires of the individuals, satisfy the five requests (and) give the adolescents a possibility," political extremist Jimmy Sham told journalists in the wake of winning an area board seat. The dissent development has made five key requests, including direct famous races and a test into supposed police mercilessness. Lam has rejected the possibility of government concessions as "unrealistic reasoning".

Hong Kong has suffered a long time of mass meetings and vicious conflicts, at first ignited by outrage regarding a bill supported by Lam that would have enabled removals to China's dark legal framework. Region committees handle network level concerns, for example, transport courses and trash assortment and the surveys normally produce little fervor. However, Sunday's challenge for 452 seats took on new political centrality on account of the general population discontent.....READ MORE

US House passes Hong Kong 'Democracy Act'; move may infuriate China further

International News
The US House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill sought by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong that aims to defend civil rights in the semi-autonomous territory.
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which will now move to a similar vote in the Senate before it can become law, has drawn rare bipartisan support in a polarized Congress.
Its passage is likely to further aggravate China which has accused "external forces" of fuelling weeks of unrest in the global financial hub.
"Today we're simply urging the Chinese president and the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, to faithfully honor the government's promises" that Hong Kong's rights and autonomy would be protected, Republican
Representative Chris Smith, prime sponsor of the bill, said on the House floor.Millions have taken to the streets of Hong Kong, initially against a now-dropped bid by its leaders to allow extraditions to the authoritarian Chinese mainland.
The months-long movement has expanded into a broader pro-democracy push in the territory where activists say freedoms are being eroded by Beijing, despite a deal that outlined Hong Kong's 1997 return to China from British colonial rule.

 The Hong Kong Rights and Democracy Act would end Hong Kong's special trading status with the United States unless the State Department certifies annually that city authorities are respecting human rights and the rule of law.It also requires the US president to identify and sanction people who are responsible for the erosion of autonomy and serious abuses of human rights in Hong Kong....READ MORE

Hong Kong leader setting up communication platform to help end protest

Current Affairs
Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday said she hoped "calm" will prevail after a massive weekend march passed without clashes between police and demonstrators, but again refused to give ground to protester demands.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the heart of the city on Sunday in a show of peaceful protest after escalating street battles with police drew stark warnings from Beijing and threatened to undermine public support.
"On Sunday, many Hong Kong residents participated in a rally at Victoria Park that was largely peaceful," Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a televised press conference."I wholeheartedly hope that this is the beginning of society returning to calm and staying away from violence." The protests began against a proposed extradition law to China but morphed into a pro-democracy movement sparking the city's biggest political crisis in decades.
They have been fuelled by anger over alleged police brutality, with tear gas and rubber bullets deployed against protesters. Lam reported 174 complaints have been made against police since protests began.
She said they would be "robustly" investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Council, whose head is appointed by the chief executive. However, the probe is unlikely to satisfy protesters who have called for an independent inquiry by an external body.In addition to universal suffrage and cancelling the extradition bill, protesters also demand the release of those detained during clashes.

 Lam, pilloried by press and protesters for failing to step down while the city plunges into crisis, said her government would continue a "fact-finding mission" on how to move forward from the demonstrations...Read More