Many believed this would be the year that a Western team finally won the League of Legends World Championship, but it wasn't meant to be. China-based FPX beat European-based G2 in Paris to claim the $1 million prize.
The backdrop: "A European team hasn't won finals since 2011, which wasn't a truly global event," writes WashPost's Matt Vella. "In the years following, Korean teams dominated — until 2018 when a Chinese team took the top spot."
The European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday that all European Union member states must label goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights — identifying them as products from an Israeli settlement.
Why it matters: The court’s decision could have a big influence on Israeli trade with the EU — and on U.S. trade with the continent. Israel asked both the Trump administration and Congress to put pressure on the EU not to implement the ruling.
There was a major escalation in Gaza overnight after Israel killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander in an airstrike early Tuesday. In retaliation, the PIJ launched dozens of rockets on cities in southern and central Israel including Tel Aviv.
Why it matters: This is the first time in several years that Israel engaged in targeted killing against a senior commander in one of the terror organizations in Gaza. Israeli officials believe the situation will further escalate in the next few hours and several days of fighting in Gaza is expected.
Hong Kong endured one of the most violent days in five months of protests today, with police shooting a protestor at close range, protestors lighting a man on fire, and Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam denouncing "enemies of the people."
Why it matters: More than 60 people were wounded, according to Lam, and tear gas filled the air in the Central business district in the middle of the work day. Chris Johnson, a former top CIA China analyst now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Michael Morell on the Intelligence Matters podcast that protest leaders realize violence by more "hardcore" elements risks sapping western support.
The U.S. and China may be on course for a “phase one” deal to prevent further trade war escalation — but a hardening between the world's two biggest economies could last far beyond the tariffs and truces of the Trump era.
Why it matters: Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister and current president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, fears talk of “decoupling” — in which the U.S. and China disentangle their economies and erect new barriers — will become a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” with drastic consequences.
A Hong Kong protester was shot by police who opened fire on demonstrators during clashes in the city at the start of Monday's rush hour, local media report. A hospital spokesman told the BBC the 21-year-old man had surgery and was in a critical condition.
Why it matters: The shooting occurred as demonstrators "blocked roads and scuffled with riot police officers," some of whom fired tear gas during a general strike across the city, per the New York Times. While there have been clashes between police and protesters for the past 24 weekends, it's unusual for it to happen on a working day.
