Reuters, United Nations
China’s President Xi Jinping told the United Nations on Sunday that all Chinese women have the opportunity to excel, touting his government’s record on women’s rights as the United States slammed Beijing and others for jailing women for their views. China and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon co-hosted a UN meeting of world leaders on gender equality and women’s empowerment, raising eyebrows among some western diplomats and human rights defenders in China and abroad.
German far-right mobilising
against migrants
AFP, Berlin
Germany’s domestic intelligence chief warned Sunday of a radicalisation of right-wing groups amid a record influx of migrants, as xenophobic rallies and clashes shook several towns at the weekend. Domestic spy chief Hans-Georg Maassen said that “what we’re seeing in connection with the refugee crisis is a mobilisation on the street of right-wing extremists, but also of some left-wing extremists” who oppose them.
Protesters gather in HK a year since mass rallies
AFP, Hong Kong
Yellow umbrellas and makeshift tents were back in central Hong Kong Monday as protesters gathered a year to the day since huge pro-democracy rallies brought parts of the city to a standstill. But numbers were small in the early afternoon and with no concessions on political reform from authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong, disheartened campaigners say they do not plan to start more mass demonstrations.
India launches ‘mini-Hubble’
Reuters, New Delhi
India launched its first space research observatory and several US satellites on Monday, part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive to expand his country’s influence in the competitive, $300 billion global space industry. The observatory, named ASTROSAT, will help Indian scientists intensify space exploration efforts.
Libya parliament will go past deadline
AP, United Nations
The leader of Libya’s parliament says the elected House of Representatives will continue talks past the Oct. 20 deadline for its mandate to expire if a peace deal with the divided country’s rival government isn’t reached by then. Ageila Saleh, who represents the internationally recognized government in the oil-rich but chaotic North African nation, gave no sign that an agreement was near, even though the U.N. says the final draft of a peace deal was handed to both sides in recent days.
Israel strikes Syria after rocket fire
AP, Jerusalem
The Israeli military said Sunday it struck two Syrian army posts with artillery fire after rockets from the war-torn country landed in Israeli-controlled territory.
The military said the two rockets, which landed over the last two days, were errant fire from the Syrian conflict. They caused no damage or injuries.
