HONG KONG PROTESTS RESTART, LAM PRESSES AHEAD WITH EXTRADITION BILL

Organizers of Hong Kong’s massive weekend rally on Monday called for residents to skip work this week and protest a controversial bill that will amend the city’s laws to allow extradition to China.

Despite Sunday’s rally, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the government would push forward with a vote on the bill as it was a “very important piece of legislation” that would close legal loopholes. The bill goes before the Legislative Council on Wednesday at 3 pm (0700 GMT) for its second reading.

Chinese state media meanwhile accused “foreign forces” of trying to destabilize Hong Kong, saying protesters were “pawns” used

by the opposition and its “foreign allies” to undermine the government’s credibility.

“Some foreign forces are seizing the opportunity to advance their own strategy to hurt China by trying to create havoc in Hong Kong,” China Daily wrote in an editorial.

Fernando Cheung, chairman of the Labour Party, called for a general strike in Hong Kong’s social welfare sector on Monday while on social media local businesses said they would close for the day.

Organizers, represented by the coalition Civil Human Rights Front, said further strikes may be called.