At least 40 killed after airstrike targets migrant center in Libya - CNN

Images from the ground showed piles of rubble left where the buildings had been, while emergency crews worked to remove both the wounded and the dead.

The UN Refugee Agency posted to its official Twitter page that it was "extremely concerned" about the news of the airstrikes targeting the Tajoura detention center.

In a statement, the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli condemned the "horrific crime," blaming the leader of the opposition Libyan National Army (LNA) who are currently assaulting Tripoli.

There is currently no independent confirmation on who was responsible for the attack.

In their statement following the attack, the GNA said the airstrike on the center had been intentional and constituted a "war crime."

"We ask the international community through the African Union, European Union and (other) organizations to take a firm and clear stance against these continued violations," the statement said.

There has been no response from the opposition LNA yet. CNN has reached out to the LNA for comment.

Armed conflict in and around Tripoli escalated on April 4, when General Khalifa Hafter and his LNA launched an offensive to capture the Libyan capital from the UN-recognized government.

Defending the capital are disparate Islamist militia that prop up the UN-recognized transitional government.

Human rights organizations said that they have seen both sides potentially committing war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on residential areas and migrant detention centers.

"The drastic impact of the battle for Tripoli is even visible from space, with satellite imagery showing large swathes of the city now cloaked in darkness," said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International, in a statement Wednesday.

The United Nations Security Council has voted to impose an arms embargo against Libya until June 2020, saying that there is "no military solution" to the ongoing conflict.

But Amnesty International said that the embargo is not being properly enforced and has accused Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey of flouting the ban.

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2019-07-03 07:15:00Z
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Here's what Chinese state media are saying about the Hong Kong protests - CNBC

A protester defaces the Hong Kong emblem after protesters broke into the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.

Philip Fong | AFP | Getty Images

Protests in Hong Kong started gaining momentum since early June and have drawn tens of thousands, but there was no mention of it in any Chinese state media until Tuesday — a day after a group of protesters turned violent and broke into the territory's legislative council building.

China's state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday evening that "some extremists" stormed the Hong Kong legislative building and vandalized it.

CCTV, a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, said the "rare scene" was "condemned by people from all walks of life in Hong Kong," according to a CNBC translation.

For nearly three weeks now, political tensions in Hong Kong have risen amid on-and-off protests over an extradition bill that would have allowed anyone arrested in the city to be sent for trial in mainland China. The bill has since been suspended but citizens want it to be withdrawn completely.

"If such atrocities are encouraged and condoned, it will violate the rule of law in Hong Kong and challenge all law-abiding citizens," CCTV reported. The broadcaster cited business and religious communities as speaking against the violence, but there was no mention of the extradition bill and why the protesters were demonstrating.

Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, when it became a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China under a "one country, two systems" framework with the territory's legal system independent from the rest of China. Citizens of the Asian financial hub are concerned that their civil rights are slowly being eroded under Beijing.

The protests have been largely peaceful. Half a million people were estimated to have marched the streets for democracy on Monday, but Chinese state media reported that 5,000 people gathered at Victoria Park in downtown Hong Kong that morning to celebrate the "return to motherland."

After protests turned violent, the People's Daily, the official newspaper for China's Communist Party, called the violence an "undisguised challenge" to the country's authority.

China Daily, the official English state-owned newspaper, deflected its coverage of the incidents from politics to economics, reminding readers that Hong Kong's prosperity and China's fast pace growth over the last two decades go hand-in-hand.

In a Tuesday editorial, it said the best way to deal with Hong Kong was to push for further economic integration with the mainland.

"The only way for (Hong Kong) to sustain economic growth and maintain stability is for it to further integrate its own development into the nation's overall development," it said.

– Reuters contributed to this report.

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2019-07-03 04:58:32Z
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Here's what Chinese state media are saying about the Hong Kong protests - CNBC

A protester defaces the Hong Kong emblem after protesters broke into the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.

Philip Fong | AFP | Getty Images

Protests in Hong Kong started gaining momentum since early June and have drawn tens of thousands, but there was no mention of it in any Chinese state media until Tuesday — a day after a group of protesters turned violent and broke into the territory's legislative council building.

China's state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday evening that "some extremists" stormed the Hong Kong legislative building and vandalized it.

CCTV, a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, said the "rare scene" was "condemned by people from all walks of life in Hong Kong," according to a CNBC translation.

For nearly three weeks now, political tensions in Hong Kong have risen amid on-and-off protests over an extradition bill that would have allowed anyone arrested in the city to be sent for trial in mainland China. The bill has since been suspended but citizens want it to be withdrawn completely.

"If such atrocities are encouraged and condoned, it will violate the rule of law in Hong Kong and challenge all law-abiding citizens," CCTV reported. The broadcaster cited business and religious communities as speaking against the violence, but there was no mention of the extradition bill and why the protesters were demonstrating.

Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, when it became a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China under a "one country, two systems" framework with the territory's legal system independent from the rest of China. Citizens of the Asian financial hub are concerned that their civil rights are slowly being eroded under Beijing.

The protests have been largely peaceful. Half a million people were estimated to have marched the streets for democracy on Monday, but Chinese state media reported that 5,000 people gathered at Victoria Park in downtown Hong Kong that morning to celebrate the "return to motherland."

After protests turned violent, the People's Daily, the official newspaper for China's Communist Party, called the violence an "undisguised challenge" to the country's authority.

China Daily, the official English state-owned newspaper, deflected its coverage of the incidents from politics to economics, reminding readers that Hong Kong's prosperity and China's fast pace growth over the last two decades go hand-in-hand.

In a Tuesday editorial, it said the best way to deal with Hong Kong was to push for further economic integration with the mainland.

"The only way for (Hong Kong) to sustain economic growth and maintain stability is for it to further integrate its own development into the nation's overall development," it said.

– Reuters contributed to this report.

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2019-07-03 04:45:03Z
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EU picks women for top jobs after marathon negotiations - CNN International

German defense minister Ursula Von Der Leyen has been proposed as candidate for president of the European Commission, and International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde has been nominated for the presidency of the European Central Bank.

Outgoing European Council president Donald Tusk called the appointments "a perfect gender balance."

Von Der Leyen's role must be confirmed by a vote in the European Parliament. If elected, she would be the first woman to lead the European Commission. Lagarde will be the first woman to head the bloc's central bank.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has been elected as the new president of the European Council, to replace Tusk.

Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell Fontelles has been selected as candidate for high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

"The European Council has agreed on the future leadership of the EU institutions," Tusk said on Tuesday evening.

"We have chosen two women and two men for the four key positions -- a perfect gender balance," Tusk added. "I am really happy about it, after all Europe is a woman. I think it was worth waiting for such an outcome."

Tusk said Michel's experience in his current role made him "ideal for finding consensus and building unity among member states."

Borrell would be "a strong representative and defender of the European Union's interests and values in the world," Tusk said.

The appointments followed a tense series of negotiations. A summit broke up Monday after all-night talks failed to reach an agreement. France, Germany and Spain had proposed Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans as the next European Commission president but Italy and eastern European nations blocked the appointment, Reuters reported.

France, Germany and Spain proposed Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans as the next head of the European Union executive, but as diplomats signalled he was close to getting the nod, Italy and eastern European nations turned him down.

Lagarde, who is French, said she would temporarily relinquish her duties as managing director of the IMF during the nomination period.

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2019-07-02 19:29:00Z
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Germany's Ursula von der Leyen nominated to lead EU Commission - BBC News

EU leaders have picked German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen for the top post of European Commission chief, after a marathon three-day summit.

The nomination of Ms Von der Leyen, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, came as a surprise after the main front-runners were rejected.

If approved by the European Parliament she will become the first female Commission president.

IMF head Christine Lagarde has been nominated for the head of the ECB.

The European Central Bank role is currently filled by Mario Draghi, who was widely credited with saving the euro during the eurozone debt crisis.

In all, EU leaders were tasked with nominating five people for the top jobs.

"We have agreed the whole package before the first session of the European Parliament," said European Council President Donald Tusk.

He said Germany had abstained on Ms Von der Leyen's nomination over coalition issues but said Mrs Merkel had backed her. He praised the "perfect gender balance".

Belgian liberal Prime Minister Charles Michel is nominated to replace Mr Tusk while Spain's Josep Borell is proposed as foreign policy chief.

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2019-07-02 17:26:15Z
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What to Know About Hong Kong’s Evolving Protest Movement - The New York Times

HONG KONG — The protests in Hong Kong, leaderless but well coordinated, took a destructive turn on Monday, complicating what had been a mostly cohesive movement.

Scenes of protesters shattering glass to break into the Legislative Council building, followed by demonstrators scrawling graffiti on the walls inside and damaging furniture, caused some residents to question some of the tactics used. But many protesters defended the escalation by saying nothing else has worked, and that they were left with no choice if their demands — including the full withdrawal of a despised extradition bill — were to be met.

The resolution to the growing conflict could affect Hong Kong’s standing as an international business hub and its status as a foothold of democracy in China. Hong Kong is a semiautonomous Chinese territory with its own system of government separate from the mainland, which has mostly watched the unrest at arm’s length.

Here are the main takeaways from the recent protests, and a look at why they took a destructive turn on Monday.

[Need a primer? Read up on the basics of Hong Kong’s extradition bill, which sparked the protests.]

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Protesters inside the Legislative Council chamber on Monday night.CreditLam Yik Fei for The New York Times

A leaderless, digital movement is called into question

There is no single leader or group deciding on or steering the strategy, tactics and goals of the movement. Instead, protesters have used forums and messaging apps to decide next steps.

Anyone can suggest a course of action, and others then vote on whether they support it. The most popular ideas rise to the top, and then people rally to make them happen.

At its best, this structure has empowered many people to participate and have their voices heard. Protesters say it keeps them all safe by not allowing the government to target specific leaders. Their success in halting the extradition bill, which was shelved by the territory’s chief executive, speaks to the movement’s power.

But that same leaderless structure’s weaknesses were on display on Monday. Such a system makes little distinction between the thousands of people who marched peacefully, the scores who vandalized the Legislative Council building, and the dozens who physically forced a path in. It also does not allow for a forceful leader who can discourage such violence. Though many aided those attacking the legislature by moving supplies through the crowd, other protesters disapproved of the destruction, driving a wedge between residents who broadly share a common ideology.

“Not too many Hong Kong citizens are able to differentiate between the radical protesters who barged into the Legislative Council and the general protesters whose agenda is peaceful and rational,” said Willy Lam, a political scientist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Despite the lack of a clear leader, protesters have shown extensive coordination at the demonstrations, having planned the specifics online beforehand. Supply stations are set up to distribute water, snacks, gloves, umbrellas and shields made of cardboard. Volunteer first aid workers wear brightly colored vests. People form assembly lines to pass supplies across long distances, with protesters communicating what they need through a series of predetermined hand signals. Anyone walking in dangerous areas without a helmet or a mask is quickly offered one.

Still, no individual can speak on behalf of the protesters, which makes negotiations difficult, if not impossible. Mr. Lam called the lack of a leader a potential “fatal weakness” of the movement, allowing a small group of destructive protesters to set the tone for the entire group.

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Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, during an early morning news conference on Tuesday.CreditAnthony Kwan/Getty Images

One major victory, but additional demands

Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, had plenty of political support in the territory’s pro-Beijing legislature to pass a bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China. The legislators were set to begin discussing the bill in early June, and intended to vote on it just weeks later.

Instead, hundreds of thousands of people marched through the city’s streets in protest on June 9, and three days later, protesters blocked the entrance to the council building. As a group of protesters tried to beak into the building, the police responded with batons, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse tens of thousands of people.

After a June 16 protest saw the largest turnout yet, Ms. Lam made a major concession: She postponed the bill, at least temporarily.

It was an undeniable victory for the protesters — but it did little to quell the unrest. Since the bill could later be reintroduced, protesters felt they remained in danger.

The police tactics to break up the demonstrations on June 12, including the use of more than 150 tear gas canisters to push protesters far away from the government office, created a new set of demands from the protesters. Now, instead of just calling for the withdrawal of the bill and Ms. Lam’s resignation, they said they wouldn’t be content unless there was an independent investigation of officers’ conduct. They also wanted the release of protesters arrested on June 12, and for the government to rescind its description of the demonstrations as a “riot,” a designation that carries legal significance.

None of that has happened. Many analysts say Ms. Lam is unlikely to step down, nor would Beijing accept her resignation if she offered it. She has more wiggle room on the other demands, but has not indicated any willingness to budge.

It sets the stage for a protracted conflict.

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The police used tear gas against protesters outside the Legislative Council building early Tuesday morning.CreditLam Yik Fei for The New York Times

China is reluctant to get too involved

Just a few minutes’ walk away from the Legislative Council building, the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military, has an outpost with thousands of combat-ready soldiers ready to do Beijing’s bidding. But they have remained on the sidelines, even as the extended protests have turned violent and pose a political threat to President Xi Jinping.

Ivan Choy, a political scientist at Chinese University of Hong Kong, said deploying the army would be a last resort and a worst-case scenario for Mr. Xi. It would be widely seen as China reneging on the autonomy Beijing promised when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

“If the P.L.A. came out last night, it would seriously undermine confidence in ‘one country, two systems’ of the Hong Kong people and also the international community,” Mr. Choy said on Tuesday.

Mr. Xi still prefers to let Hong Kong officials handle the situation, he said. Hong Kong’s successful self-governance is important for China’s international image, and its failure would be a major black eye for the president.

But some in the Chinese government could use Monday’s escalation to justify tightening Hong Kong policies. They could also argue against making the concessions protesters seek, painting them as radicals who won’t be satisfied.

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Protesters lowered the Hong Kong flag and raised their own outside the Legislative Council building on Monday.CreditLam Yik Fei for The New York Times

Businesses are watching, but haven’t flinched

The international business community that has made Hong Kong such a crucial economic center did not bat an eye at Monday’s protests. Hong Kong’s stock market was up on Tuesday, indicating little concern that the protests have crossed a worrisome red line.

A collapse of Hong Kong’s autonomy — or a lack of confidence that law and order could be upheld — would cause businesses to scramble for a new home in Asia. Several business groups spoke out against the extradition bill, while more expressed concern privately.

Most have had little to say about the protests. But the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong condemned the protesters’ behavior in a statement on Tuesday.

“We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard,” it said. “We sincerely hope that Hong Kong will find ways for communication and collaboration between the government and the public in order to bring out the best of what Hong Kong has to offer as a premier business and financial hub.”

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2019-07-02 13:44:57Z
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Newt Gingrich says Iran is 'very close to breaking' under tough sanctions: 'This is a very shaky regime' - Fox News

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Tuesday that he believes the Iranian regime is "shaky" and "very close to breaking" under the weight of tough economic sanctions.

"The sanctions are really biting and, month by month, their economy is getting worse and people are getting more and more unhappy. I think they're lashing out desperately, trying to somehow change the circumstance," he said on "Fox & Friends," adding that the regime may want the U.S. to attack so they can use "nationalism" to rally the people in defense of the homeland.

Gingrich said President Trump was "very wise" to hold off on a military response two weeks ago after Iranian attacks on oil tankers and a U.S. drone.

AIR FORCE FIGHTER PLANES SENT TO PERSIAN GULF AMID HEIGHTENED TENSIONS WITH IRAN

"Be calm, be patient. Just continue to increase the pressure economically and I think they're very close to breaking. I think this is a very shaky regime," said Gingrich, host of the "Newt's World" podcast.

Speaking exclusively with Tucker Carlson, Trump said Monday he "built up a lot of great capital" after his decision -- but said that means "if something should happen, we're in a position to do far worse by not doing it."

He quickly added, "But, hopefully, we don't have to do anything." Trump also said Monday he believes the Iranians are "playing with fire."

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On Monday, a source told Fars News Agency that U.N. inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) weighed Iran's stockpile of uranium and said it exceeded the threshold for the Islamic Republic's low-enriched uranium stockpile agreed upon in the 2015 nuclear deal.

Gingrich said the Europeans are not pushing back on Tehran because of a desire from big companies to maintain business ties in Iran. He called on the administration to urge China, India and Japan to put pressure on Iran, since those countries rely on Iranian oil imports.

Fox News' Liam Quinn contributed to this report.

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2019-07-02 13:41:44Z
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