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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 28 august 2019

Hong Kong leader starts dialogue, but not budging on demands

By KEN MORITSUGU meeting with her executive tioned the sincerity of her
Associated Press council. "It is a question of initiative, calling it a delay
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong not accepting those de- tactic.
Kong leader Carrie Lam mands." It wasn't clear who attend-
said Tuesday that she had Hong Kong, a Chinese ter- ed the Monday meeting
met with a group of young ritory, has seen more than with Lam and the educa-
people about the pro-de- two months of youth-led tion and home affairs minis-
mocracy protests gripping protests that have often ters. The South China Morn-
the city, but she showed no ended in clashes with po- ing Post newspaper, citing
sign of budging in a con- lice. More than 80 people an unidentified source, said
tinuing stalemate over the were arrested last week- about 20 people took part
movement's demands. end after protesters occu- and that they were mostly
Lam said she explained pied city streets. They built in their 20s and 30s.
the government's position barriers across the roads Lam said her government
at the Monday meeting, and threw bricks and gaso- had accepted the move-
which was closed-door line bombs to try to block ment's main demand by
and unannounced. She the police, who used tear suspending the extradition
disputed complaints that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Listens to reporters' gas to drive them away. bill, which would have al-
questions during a press conference in Hong Kong Tuesday,
her government is ignor- Aug. 27, 2019. Lam announced last week lowed suspects to be sent
ing the protesters, whose Associated Press that she is creating a plat- to mainland China to face
demands include the with- form for dialogue and said trial. She has declared the
drawal of an extradition cessive use of force by po- "It is not a question of not Tuesday that it would in- legislation dead, but pro-
bill, an independent inquiry lice at the demonstrations, responding," she told re- clude protesters. Opposi- testers are demanding its
into what they believe is ex- and democratic elections. porters before a weekly tion lawmakers have ques- formal withdrawal.q

Sri Lankan Islamic clerics seek clarity on face veil ban

By KRISHAN FRANCIS All Ceylon Jammiyyathul government brought the
Associated Press Ulama, Sri Lanka's largest country under emergen-
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) group of Islamic clerics. cy rule, giving sweeping
— Islamic clerics in Sri Lan- Two local radical Muslim search, arrest and deten-
ka asked Muslim women groups have been blamed tion powers to the military
on Tuesday to continue to for the attacks. and police. President Mai-
avoid wearing face veils Farook urged Muslim wom- thripala Sirisena also used
until the government clari- en not to rush into wearing the emergency law to issue
fies whether they are once their veils again. a decree banning cover-
again allowed now that "They have managed in ing faces in all manners, in-
emergency rule has ended the past and we are ask- cluding face veils.
four months after a string of ing them to do it the same Emergency rule had been
suicide bomb attacks. way," Farook said, adding extended each month until
Clerics are wary of the Mus- that some women have re- last week, when Sirisena al-
lim community being tar- fused to be seen in public lowed the law to lapse. He A Sri Lankan Muslim woman walks in a street in Colombo, Sri
geted again for violence, without covering their fac- issued a separate order al- Lanka, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019.
as it was in the aftermath es because they had been lowing the military to main- Associated Press
of April's Easter Sunday accustomed to it. tain peace.
attacks that killed more After the Easter attacks on In the wake of the Easter munity attacked mosques Muslims also were subject-
than 260 people, said Fazil three churches and three attacks, gangs mostly from and Muslim-owned shops, ed to hate speech in public
Farook, spokesman for tourist hotels, Sri Lanka's the majority Sinhalese com- killing at least one person. and on social media.q