PARENTS of a Hong Kong man, who fell to his death after putting up banners against divisive extradition legislation, urged young people to continue campaigning.
Younger people in Hong Kong have been at the forefront of huge rallies against the legislation, which has plunged the city into chaos, amid wider fears about the erosion of civil rights in the Chinese territory. Marco Leung’s banners demanded a full withdrawal of the bill, which would have allowed suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. Leader Carrie Lam declared her effort to amend the laws “dead” earlier this week but did not formally withdraw the bill.
His parents said: “Every brave citizen who takes to the street is doing so because they love Hong Kong deeply. Only by protecting themselves and staying alive can young people continue to speak up bravely against social injustices.”
MEANWHILE, singer R Kelly has been arrested on charges including child pornography and enticement of a minor, the US Attorney’s office said.
Kelly, 52, was arrested on Thursday night on a 13-count indictment which also included alleged obstruction of justice. He was taken into custody in Chicago at around 7pm Thursday night.
The R&B singer already faces state sex-related charged in Illinois involving four women, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, Kelly is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in Chicago. More details are expected to be released soon by authorities.
ELESWHERE, the first shipment of a Russian missile defence system has arrived in Turkey, a development which could move the country closer to US sanctions, said the country’s defence ministry.
The delivery of parts of the system will continue in coming days and authorities will decide “how it will be used” once it is made operational, Turkey’s defence authority said. The US has warned Turkey it will face economic sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of the Russian missile defence system.
Sanctions would mark a new low in the already-tense relations between Turkey and the US. Last year, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey over its detention of an American pastor, which triggered a Turkish currency crisis.
AND FINALLY, a former bank analyst has been sworn in as the new president of Lithuania.
Gitanas Nauseda, 55, who won the May elections, arriving on Friday at Lithuania’s Parliament with his family in a pomp-filled ceremony. He takes over from Dalia Grybauskaite.
Mr Nauseda, who will travel to Poland for his first foreign trip, said: “we must not forget that freedom and independence is not a gift, those must be won and protected.”
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