Globetrotting — Hong Kong to ban rallies

Hong Kong to ban ralliesBEIJING: Police in the Hong Kong special administrative region (SAR) will soon ban protests which advocate independ...

Hong Kong to ban rallies

BEIJING: Police in the Hong Kong special administrative region (SAR) will soon ban protests which advocate independence for Taiwan or Tibet under fresh guidelines issued by the SAR government to maintain national security. The police will also be able to refuse or cancel the registration of societies believed to be a `risk’ to national security, media reports from Hong Kong said. The new guidelines, endorsed by the executive council of the SAR government last week, aimed to help police apply the concept of national security as defined by

the revised public order and society ordinances.

US advisory

WASHINGTON: The United States has issued a travel advisory to its citizens on India, State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns announced here today. Such advisories are warning to American citizens not to travel to a country or area and take extra precautions if they are there. In this case the warning applies to New Delhi. Burns said the US decision follows the raising of public awareness by the New Delhi police about the possibility of a terrorist attack.

Algeria polls

Story continues below this ad

PARIS: Algerian President Liamine Zeroua today announced that local elections would be held on October 23, a final step in restoring elected institutions which crumbled amid violence between Muslim militants and security forces. The October vote will be the fourth plural election since 1995 when Algerians voted for the first time to elect the head of state from among four contenders.

Lanka strife

COLOMBO: Air force jets roared in to help government troops repulse Tamil rebels in heavy fighting over a key northern highway, leaving at least 16 guerrillas and four soldiers dead, the military spokesman said today. The guerrillas attacked government forces with rockets and machine guns yesterday, in the latest battle over the road through rebel-held territory that could open a land route to the government-controlled Jaffna peninsula.

Cosby trial

NEW YORK: A federal jury began deliberations in the $40 million Bill Cosby extortion trial after the judge said it makes no difference whether or not the defendant is the television icon’s daughter. Autumn Jackson, 22, is accused of demanding the money from Cosby in return for not going to the tabloids with a story that America’s most famous father had an out-of-wedlock daughter from an affair in the 1970s. Two co-defendants are also charged in the case.