Ai Weiwei: "I think the world will abandon Hong Kong."

China passed a highly controversial national security law for Hong Kong. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Controversial national security law to take effect in Hong Kong [Riot police patrol at a shopping mall during a protest after China's parliament passes national security law for Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China June 30, 2020.]( Credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters The National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China's top legislative body, [passed a highly controversial national security law]( for Hong Kong Tuesday, which will take effect just ahead of the 23rd anniversary of the end of British rule on July 1. The legislation outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion with a maximum penalty of life in prison. It comes in [response to pro-democracy protests](; activists have warned of the erosion of human rights and the risk of turning Hong Kong into a [police state](. The law gives Beijing [sweeping powers]( to crack down on political opposition in the semi-autonomous territory, where many Hongkongers are protective of the broader rights and liberties afforded them under a separate legal system. The territory has enjoyed a semi-autonomous status under China's "[one country, two systems](" policy since reverting to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Semi-autonomy has afforded the special administrative region certain freedoms, which could be compromised under the new law. The national security legislation was fast-tracked, and only a few Hong Kong delegates were able to read the drafted text before the law was passed. This lack of transparency raised alarm bells, but the law was nonetheless signed by President Xi Jinping and added to Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's mini-constitution. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's chief executive, [urged the international community to accept the law]( in a video to the UN Human Rights Council. Taiwan, which Beijing views as a breakaway province, [condemned the law](, and will dedicate an office to help Hongkongers looking to flee. Pro-democracy activist [Joshua Wong tweeted]( the law "marks the end of Hong Kong that the world new before," but pledged to continue to fight for freedom: "When justice fails, our fight goes on." Tune into The World today, when we will speak with Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei: "I think the world will abandon Hong Kong. It's a very sad story." What The World is following The New York Times reports that [President Donald Trump was briefed on a suspected Russian operation to incentivize killing US soldiers in Afghanistan as early as February](. This new reporting contradicts Trump's claim that he had not been informed and undermines his efforts to cast dispersions on the veracity of the intelligence. Concerns have been raised that the White House knew about Russian machinations but authorized no response. [The World spoke with Gen. David Petraeus about Russian bounties](: "We were looking for this kind of activity, frankly, from Russia." Ruhollah Zam, an Iranian journalist, [has been sentenced to death]( for the charge of "corruption on Earth." Zam's work including running a channel on Telegram, a messaging app, that helped [inspire widespread economic protests]( in 2017; authorities accused Zam of inciting violence. Zam had been living in Paris but was convinced to return to Iran, where he was [arrested in 2019](. The decision may be appealed by the supreme court. [Koalas could become extinct]( by 2050 in New South Wales unless swift action is taken to prevent further habitat loss, an Australian parliamentary inquiry found. Koalas were dramatically impacted by bushfires earlier this year and climate change is heightening risk to the iconic species. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Discussion: How the coronavirus crisis is exacerbating food insecurities and global inequities]( The coronavirus crisis has exacerbated existing crises of food insecurity and health disparities. And mass protests around the world continue to spotlight deep-seated inequities faced by communities of color. As part of our weekly discussion series on the global pandemic, The World's Elana Gordon will be taking your questions and moderating a conversation exploring the global food supply and inequities, presented with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, [on Tuesday, June 30, at 12 p.m. Eastern time](. What questions do you have? Email [myworld@theworld.org](mailto:myworld@theworld.org?subject=Discussion%3A%20Food%20insecurities%20and%20inequalities) or post them to [The World's Facebook page](. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [A US report shows big strides on human trafficking. Advocates say the message is misleading.]( [Rohingya refugees who were intercepted by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency off Langkawi island, are escorted in their boat as they are handed over to immigration authorities, at the Kuala Kedah ferry jetty in Malaysia, April 3, 2018.]( Credit: Reuters Every year, the US issues an annual report that ranks countries by their progress fighting human trafficking. The 2020 report lists [22 countries]( receiving improved rankings for their work on the issue over the past year. But advocates across the globe warn that with the pandemic and economic downturn, there’s an urgent risk that more people will fall prey to human traffickers. [They say the report is poorly timed and counterproductive.]( [Fair & Lovely cream gets a makeover in India, but will it change prejudice?]( [A customer picks up Fair & Lovely brand of skin lightening product from a shelf in a shop in Ahmedabad, India, on June 25, 2020.]( Credit: Amit Dave/Reuters Last week, consumer giant Unilever announced it will rebrand its bestselling skin-lightening cream, Fair & Lovely, and drop the word "fair" from its name in the latest makeover of the brand in response to global backlash against racial prejudice. The Fair & Lovely cream — and colorism — is something Mumbai-based documentarist Richa Sanwal has been familiar with since she was a child growing up in India. Sanwal welcomes the news from Unilever, but says [more needs to be done to change the stigma]( associated with a darker skin tone that has been perpetuated by skin lightening products. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Yes, you can find us [@TheWorld]( — but we're not actually, you know, the world. 🌎 [Screenshot from Twitter]( [Credit: Screengrab from Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Bergamo says goodbye to those lost to COVID-19]( - [Liberian Italian rapper Karima 2G battles racism with music]( - [Depression-era recipes go viral for coronavirus-era home cooks]( - [Racial justice and the climate movement]( - [France confronts its own racism]( - [The influence of Kim Jong-un’s half-sister, Kim Yo-jong]( - [Unilever rebrands its Fair & Lovely skin-lightening cream]( - [How human lockdowns are changing wildlife movement]( - [Coronavirus cases rise in Iran again as country reopens]( - [Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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