Morning Mail: Hong Kong protests, US strikes in Syria, Brisbane gunman dies
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Version 0 of 1. Good morning folks, and welcome to the Morning Mail – sign up here to get it straight to your inbox before 8am every weekday. Hong Kong protests Fresh waves of pro-democracy protesters have swept into the heart of Hong Kong, as a leader of the civil disobedience movement urged supporters to keep momentum going until Wednesday’s national holiday. We have an explainer on the protests, why they’ve happened now, and what the protesters want. Ying Chan writes that Beijing cannot ignore the outpouring of support for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, a frustration which has been building for years. Rowena He writes on the parallels with events in Tiananmen Square in 1989 – and the differences. We also have live coverage of events overnight, as police showed restraint after the weekend of assaults. Isis Julie Bishop has said that Australia will play a prudent and proportionate role in attacking Islamic State, with the cabinet likely to make a final deployment decision this week. Greens leader Christine Milne has warned Australia is following the US into a “long quagmire” in Iraq. US-led air strikes have struck oil facilities held by Isis in Syria, while the Syrian army has bombed areas in Aleppo province. We have a special report on the hundreds of young women and girls leaving their homes in western countries to join Islamic fighters in the Middle East. Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has compared his country’s recent bombing campaign in Gaza to the US-led air strikes, saying Hamas and Isis are “branches of the same poisonous tree”. Australian news and politics • A gunman in Brisbane has died after he was shot by police during a siege. • The Australian branch of the far-right Greek Golden Dawn party is running a Christmas fundraising drive using an unregistered charity. • The Victorian government has signed the contract to construct the controversial East West Link project, after the high court rejected a last-ditch effort to deny the deal being finalised. • Unauthorised election leaflets claiming the Victorian opposition spokeswoman for women was in favour of abortion up until birth are being investigated by the state’s electoral commission. Around the world • A 37-year-old man has been executed in Iran after being found guilty of heresy and insulting prophet Jonah, human rights activists say. • A knife-wielding intruder who scaled a fence outside the White House managed to get much further into the building than previously thought. • Eight migrants die every day trying to reach more prosperous countries, a new study has shown. • A bilateral deal allowing US troops to stay in Afghanistan is set to be signed in Kabul. • Everything you’re authorised to know about the CIA branch of Starbucks. • The British chancellor has announced a two-year welfare freeze if the current Tory government is re-elected. • A handful of Londoners have agreed to give up their eldest children as part of a public Wifi experiment. More from around the web • Among the most read on the Guardian this morning: California has adopted a historic “yes means yes” rule on sexual consent. • Women and children have been sexually abused on Nauru and guards have threatened detainees with rape, according to allegations reported by Fairfax. • Self-harm and protests among asylum seekers on Nauru have escalated after a message from Scott Morrison saying they would not be able to apply for temporary protection visas in Australia was played on Thursday, New Matilda reports. • A bipartisan parliamentary committee has found that the government’s proposed six-month wait for the dole for young jobseekers would breach human rights, the ABC reports. • A senior Coalition senator has said that corporate tax avoidance is the “greatest financial challenge” facing Australia, the SMH reports. • Julie Bishop has pushed back against the idea of a US-style department of homeland security, the Australian reports. One last thing A group of scientists have spend the last 17 years sneaking Bob Dylan lyrics into their work as part of a long-running bet. Have an excellent day – and if you spot anything I’ve missed, let me know in the comments here or on Twitter @newsmary. Sign up Get the Morning Mail direct to your inbox before 8am every day by signing up here. |