A bill that would have allowed for the extradition of people from Hong Kong to China drove millions to the streets in protest in recent weeks and is the latest action blurring the lines of the “One Country, Two Systems” structure.
Why it matters: Hong Kong, a concession of the Opium Wars and former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 on the grounds that it would maintain significant autonomy for 50 years. A global financial center, Hong Kong’s economy was once more than 1/4 the size of all of mainland China’s. As China’s economy has ballooned, and its reliance on Hong Kong has diminished, Beijing has exerted greater influence. But attempts to erode Hong Kong’s autonomy have been met with repeated mass protests.
Last year, a "Five Eyes" nation — either the United States or one of its 4 closest intelligence partners — may have hacked Yandex, the Russian equivalent to Google, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The goal appears to have been to find technical details on how Yandex users are authenticated, which could prove useful for breaking into accounts to read or modify messages, observe contacts or other such activities.
Given last week's flurry of U.S. cyberattacks against Tehran, Iran's history of retaliating with cyberattacks might raise a few eyebrows. But more concerning might be Iran's history of learning new strategies from other nations' cyberattacks.
The big picture: In 2009, Iran became the first known target of cyber warfare. Its history with cyber conflict is long, and could be used to inform how the current moment might play out.
Hundreds of protesters are rallying outside the office of Hong Kong’s justice secretary against the suspended extradition bill, calling on G20 leaders to help them get it permanently withdrawn, Reuters reports.
Driving the news: Protesters are holding rallies this week to capture the attention of leaders at the G20 summit in Japan, which starts Friday, according to the Hong Kong Free Press. Activists have submitted petitions to 19 foreign consulates urging leaders to raise their concerns at the summit, the news outlet says.
This article has been updated with more details, including the activists submitting petitions.
Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a veteran of the Iraq war and an active member of the Hawaii National Guard, accused Trump's "chicken hawk Cabinet" of leading the U.S. "to the brink of war with Iran" at the first Democratic primary debate on Wednesday.
President Trump told reporters Wednesday ahead of a planned meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit it's "none of your business" when asked what he'd discuss with the Russian leader.
The big picture: Trump's due to arrive in Osaka, Japan, Thursday night for the G20 summit during which he'll hold meetings on the sidelines with leaders including Putin, before flying to Seoul, South Korea, to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Saturday, per Reuters.
MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told me in an exclusive interview for Channel 13 news and Axios that the Palestinians made a mistake not showing up to the U.S.-led conference in Manama, where the Trump administration is launching the economic portion of its peace plan.
Ahead of a high-stakes meeting Saturday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump has expanded a new battle front with Beijing and other leading U.S. foes: a technology war.
What's happening: With the hope of extending its tenure as the world's sole superpower, the U.S. is reaching for its rivals' economic jugular, squeezing them using American technological superiority, and in China's case demanding that it suppress its own aspirations.
North Korea blasted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday and said a recent decision by the U.S. to extend sanctions against it is a "hostile act," the country's state-run news agency KCNA reports.
"Our state is not a country that will surrender to the U.S. sanctions, nor are we a country which the U.S. could attack whenever it desires to do so. If anyone dares to trample over our sovereignty and the right to existence, we will not hesitate to pull a muscle-flexing trigger in order to defend ourselves."
— North Korean foreign ministry spokesman quoted in KCNA
