Sep 6, 2020 - World

Hong Kong police arrest nearly 300 protesters as elections postponed

Police patrol the area after protesters called for a rally in Hong Kong, Sept. 6. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

Police in Hong Kong arrested 289 demonstrators who gathered to protest the government's decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong's legislature, AP reports.

Why it matters: Elections were supposed to take place on Sunday, but Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pushed them back one year, citing health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. Her pro-democracy opposition has accused her of moving the elections to stop their momentum and to keep pro-Beijing candidates in power, the New York Times writes.

The state of play: Thousands of police in riot gear were seen patrolling Hong Kong. The individuals were mainly arrested on charges of unlawful assembly.

  • Worth noting: One woman was arrested for using pro-independence slogans under China's newly enacted national security law. The law defines crimes such as terrorism and sedition broadly and mandates harsh sentences — in many cases life imprisonment.

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Rebecca Falconer
Sep 6, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Portland marks 100 days of protests

A protester holds a Black Lives Matter sign during a march to the Police Union building in Portland, Oregon, on Friday. Photo: Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters in Portland, Oregon, are marking 100 days of demonstrations against police brutality and systemic racism with a series of events this holiday weekend amid a backdrop of unrest.

The big picture: Demonstrators are holding vigils and speeches, while supporters of President Trump plan another caravan rally, AP notes. Police declared an unlawful assembly and arrested 27 people over Friday night, but there were peaceful scenes Saturday as protesters held sit-ins, played music and "stenciled the names of 39 Black people" killed by police or racially motivated violence, the Oregonian reports. The protests began over the May death of George Floyd.

Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Politics: Ex-FDA chief: Pence campaigning after COVID exposure puts others at risk — Mark Meadows: "We are not going to control the pandemic"
  2. Health: 13 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week — U.S. reports over 80,000 new cases for second consecutive day.
  3. World: Australian city Melbourne to exit one of world's longest lockdowns — In photos: Coronavirus restrictions grow across Europe
  4. Media: Fox News president and several hosts advised to quarantine after possible COVID-19 exposure
  5. Nonprofit: Rockefeller Foundation commits $1 billion for COVID-19 recovery
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Rebecca Falconer
Updated 1 hour ago - World

In photos: Coronavirus restrictions grow across Europe

A skeleton is placed at a restaurant table in Rome to protest Italy's restrictions that'll see gyms, movie theaters and pools close and bars and restaurants required to shut by 6 p.m. until at least Nov. 24. Photo: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Restrictions are returning across much of Europe as the continent faces a second coronavirus wave.

The big picture: Spain and France each surpassed 1 million cases last week, and both countries have implemented further restrictions on citizens. Italian officials announced strict new measures, effective Monday, to combat another cases spike. From Denmark to Romania, take a look at what steps countries have been taking, in photos.

See photos (<1 min. read)Arrow

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