Six In The Morning Monday 17 June 2019

 

Hong Kong extradition: How radical youth forced the government’s hand

In just one week Hong Kong has witnessed two of its largest ever protests, as well its most violent protest in decades. At the forefront of these demonstrations are young people, many barely out of their teens. How did they get radicalised – and how did they manage to force the government’s hand?

We screamed at people to run.”

“My parents kicked me out after the protests.”

“It was the first time I got tear gassed – tears were coming uncontrollably out of my eyes.”

“I’m afraid to give my real name.”

These are not words anybody would have expected to come out of the mouths of Hong Kongers – and certainly not ones aged between 17 and 21.

Hong Kong protests: pressure builds on Carrie Lam as public rejects apology

Calls for government leader to stand down after an estimated two million march over unpopular extradition bill

Hong Kong’s political crisis has entered its second week, after protesters who had filled the city’s streets in record numbers on Sunday rejected an apology from leader Carrie Lam, and vowed to continue their fight against a controversial law she championed.

After the sweeping protest – which organisers say attracted 2 million people, the largest in the semi-autonomous city’s history – Lam apologised in a statement for the way the government had handled the draft extradition law.

But she did not meet any of demonstrators’ key demands. They are calling for her to withdraw the extradition bill, end a crackdown on activists and hold police accountable for brutal tactics at previous protests. They also want her to resign.

Nuclear powers upgrade arsenals as numbers fall: SIPRI

Nuclear-weapon powers continue to modernize their arsenals despite an overall reduction in warheads, a report has found. Reductions may slow if a US-Russia treaty is not renewed past 2021.

Nuclear powers are continuing to modernize their arsenals despite an overall decrease in the number of nuclear warheads, a Sweden-based peace research institute said Monday.

Nine nuclear-weapon powers — the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea — had an estimated 13,865 nuclear weapons at the start of 2019, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported. Deployed warheads and those held in reserve or awaiting dismantlement are included in the estimate.

Indian doctors strike over violence from patients and families

Tens of thousands of Indian doctors went on strike Monday calling for more protection against violence by patients and their families, as parliament met for the first time since national elections.

The nationwide strike, which will last until Tuesday morning, is in solidarity with doctors in the eastern state of West Bengal after three were viciously attacked by the relatives of a man who died.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), representing 350,000 of India’s 900,000 doctors, called for tougher punishments for those assaulting medical staff.

Desperation and exploitation in the food delivery gig economy

By Liz Alderman

Aymen Arfaoui strapped on a plastic Uber Eats bag and checked his mobile phone for the fastest bicycle route before pedaling into the stream of cars circling the Place de la Republique. Time was money, and Arfaoui, a nervous 18-year-old migrant, needed cash.

“I’m doing this because I have to eat,” he said, locking in a course that could save him a few minutes on his first delivery of the day. “It’s better than stealing or begging on the street.”

Argentina does not believe a cyber attack caused massive blackout across South America

Updated 0730 GMT (1530 HKT) June 17, 2019

Argentina’s energy secretary said he does not believe a cyber attack caused a massive power outage that left tens of millions of people in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in darkness for several hours on Sunday.

“At this moment we do not rule out any possibilities but… a cyberattack is not within the preliminary alternatives being considered,” Gustavo Lopetegui told reporters on Sunday.
Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri called the power outage, which also affected parts of Chile and southern Brazil, “unprecedented” and announced an official investigation into the cause.