NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
Special status: Police Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said Thursday that the “one country, two systems” framework under which the city enjoys freedoms unknown in China could continue after a 2047 deadline if loyalty to Beijing is upheld. Lam’s comments at the Legislative Council appeared to be an appeal to those in the city who see Beijing as tightening its control over the semiautonomous territory. Hong Kong has been wracked by often violent antigovernment protests since June, although they have diminished considerably in scale following a landslide win by opposition candidates in races for district councilors late last year. Hong Kong was handed over from British to Chinese rule in 1997 with a promise that it would maintain its own capitalist economy and Westernstyle institutions for 50 years.
Royal rift: Prince Harry went back to work Thursday, mixing with children playing rugby and offering no hint of the days of turmoil that followed his recent announcement that he wished to step back from royal duties and become financially independent. Though ordinary, it marked the first time Harry had taken on a public engagement since announcing last week that he and his wife Meghan needed a change. Queen Elizabeth II brokered a deal on Monday that determined there would be “a period of transition” to sort out the complicated matter of how to be a parttime royal. Meghan and Harry will spend time in both Canada and the United Kingdom as things are sorted out.
Mistaken marriage: A gay rights activist in Uganda says criticism of a local imam who unknowingly married a man in a Muslim ceremony highlights intolerance in the East African country. Frank Mugisha, who heads Sexual Minorities Uganda, said the imam — who said he did not know his partner was male — has been suspended from clerical duty and his partner charged with committing an “unnatural” offense. Gay sex is criminalized in Uganda, where there have been efforts to enact stiffer penalties targeting homosexuals, including death by hanging.
Taliban offer: The Taliban have offered a brief period of reducing violence in Afghanistan during ongoing negotiations with U.S. diplomats, three officials said on Thursday, a concession seen as important to finalizing a preliminary peace deal between the insurgents and the U.S. to end their 18year war. If Washington accepts the offer, it could amount to the most significant development in the yearlong negotiations since talks resumed after President Trump had scuttled the peace process on the eve of a deal in September. Though the pledge to reduce violence falls short of the overarching longterm ceasefire sought by the Afghan government, Western diplomats had said getting the Taliban to agree to more than a modest reduction in attacks would be difficult before the withdrawal of foreign forces gets under way.
Home demolitions: Israeli authorities demolished homes in Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem at a significantly higher rate in 2019 than the previous year, according to an Israeli advocacy group. In a new report, Ir Amim said 104 housing units were demolished in 2019, compared with 72 units in 2018. The 44% spike also ends what had been a decline in demolitions between 2016 and 2018. Aviv Tatarsky, the researcher who wrote the report, said only 7% of housing units advanced by city planners last year were for Palestinian neighborhoods. Palestinians make up about a third of Jerusalem’s population. Israel says the houses being demolished were built illegally. Palestinians say they face a severe housing crisis fueled by Israel’s reluctance to issue building permits.