let's go live now to hong kong and the bbc‘s stephen mcdonell.'s general strike, janet, is there big participation? well, because of the weather, the driving rain and strong winds, it has been hard tojudge just how successful this call for a widespread strike has been. certainly, there are shops and small businesses closed, but the weather makes it hard to move around at the moment. near here, we saw a starbucks which had a sign up saying it is closed today due to the unpredictable situation. i don't know if that means staff didn't come to work or if it is because of the weather, or they are just worried that there might be just some sort of protest in this area in conjunction with the strike action. certainly, students, both from high schools and universities, have boycotted classes and there are rallies going on as we speak in different parts of the city. people participating in this strike, especially students, are gathering in various parts of the city. but by and large, it is kind of peaceful here today, when you compare it to the running st

our correspondent stephen mcdonell is there and has more. here at the airport in hong kong.gers would normally come out to reach buses. you can see it's closed. here's a barricade that has been built to stop them coming in or out. the idea was to cause transport chaos. here are the protesters, the pro—democracy activists, who defied the authorities, defied warnings that to have a rally like this risks arrest, risks the potential of being charged with illegal assembly. they are moving around the airport from place to place trying to block various parts of the transport infrastructure. for example, the airport express train service has had to be stopped, as well. protesters are running in that direction because police havejust arrived. with the transport chaos we have seen today the authorities must have decided this can't go on. protesters are still leaving the airport. protesters get to out of fear as a way of delaying the police. barricades along the road. trying to flee the airport and big numbers. this is the movement in action having a discussion and then working out wha

our correspondent, stephen mcdonell, has been on the streets of hong kong.re the same streets which were occupied five years ago in the umbrella movement. but the mood is so different. then, it was like a mass, peaceful sit in. now it's much more tense. we have water cannon down the end of the road there, spraying water with blue dye in it. there are people here smashing up government buildings. the authorities, in the lead—up to the 70th anniversary of the communist party coming to power in china, are not prepared to tolerate the type or the levels of disturbance that they were prepared to put up with weeks ago. you can see here these activists do not want to get arrested. the mere hint of the police coming through — and they've all taken off, you can see. . . ..how many people are now coming through here. i mean, just minutes ago, thousands of protesters were occupying this road. that street is now empty, and they've all come down here — and now walking up because the police are in the underground train station, so they can't go there. for that reason, pro

our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell, was there.ng and singing songs, calling for democratic reforms in hong kong. inside, a very different atmosphere. the situation much more polite but that doesn't mean the questions for carrie lam have been soft. hong kong's leader has been asked time and again why her administration would not consider having a genuinely independent enquiry into these allegations of police brutality. her response was that the existing police complaints procedure is there and that that is enough. she, however, welcomed the questions and said no matter how tough they are, at least this is dialogue. she says that talking is the way forward. another example, carrie lam was asked about this particular detention centre that some activists have been taken and allegations of brutality there. in response, she announced that no more protesters will be taken to that particular detention centre. this, i guess, is her way of saying, see, the government is listening. and that's the purpose of these community consultation sessi

china correspondent stephen mcdonell was there.tivists chanting and singing songs, calling for democratic reforms in hong kong. inside, a very different atmosphere. the situation much more polite but that doesn't mean the questions for carrie lam have been soft. hong kong puzzlement leader has been asked time and again why her administration would not consider having a january — make genuinely independent enquiry into these allegations of police brutality. —— hong kong's leader. her response was that the existing complaints procedure is there and that that is enough. she, however, welcome to the questions and said no matter how tough they are, at least this is dialogue. but she said talking is the way forward. another example, carrie lam was asked about this particular detention centre that activists has been taken and her response was that no more protesters will be taken to that particular detention centre. that is maybe her way of saying, see, the government is listening. that is the purpose of these community consultation sessi

our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell, sent us this report from hong kong.on for it, and yet again it's turned into one of these street battles. this week, a senior police officer told us that they are stretched to the absolute limit. they say they are handling this crisis but, if there was to be a greater escalation, the only way they could deal with it would be to eat into other areas of their police work. as the police detain protesters, there is a lot attention from the local media. this is especially the case given the amnesty international report that was released a few days ago, accusing the police of excessive force, which is something the officers here deny. but, given that, when they apprehend people, the media are on them. after being cleared out of other areas, protesters have come here to yuen long to mark two months since triad—connected gangs ambushed activists and, using home—made weapons, bashed them in the train station, and they've accused some police officers of colluding with those gangs. they've also accused some pro—beijing politicians

our correspondent stephen mcdonell is in sha tin and joins us now live. often been fired at the demonstrations. give us a sense of what is going on there now. so, we have just been pushed of what is going on there now. so, we havejust been pushed out of what is going on there now. so, we have just been pushed out along with everyone else out of the shopping centre, the riot police are gathering here, they have been chasing activists through the streets here, you can see that those in the darker clothes, the so—called ra ptor in the darker clothes, the so—called raptor units, they are the serious riot police, they are charging into that area, because they have got word that there are some protesters inside, with the hope of grabbing them. i'm going to possibly take my mask off because they seem to have... if we walk down the steps a bit... so, the goal of the police here at the moment is also to try and apprehend as many of these activists as they can because they think if they do that they can take the wind out of the movement. now, for that reason they a

our correspondent stephen mcdonell is in hong kong. today's rally was cleared. it's turned into one of these street battles. this week, a senior police officer told us that they are stretched to the absolute limit. they say they are handling this crisis but, if there was to be a greater escalation, the only way they could deal with it would be to eat into other areas of their police work. as the police detain protesters, there is a lot attention from the local media. this is especially the case given the amnesty international report that was released a few days ago, accusing the police of excessive force, which is something the officers here deny. but, given that, when they apprehend people, the media are on them. after being cleared out of other areas, protesters have come here to yuen long to mark two months since triad—connected gangs ambushed activists and, using home—made weapons, bashed them in the train station, and they've accused some police officers of colluding with those gangs. they've also accused some pro—beijing politicians of being linked to the

our correspondent, stephen mcdonell, is in hong kong.of hong kong took to the streets today, despite the fact that they were told to do so would be breaking the law, despite the fact that there was tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets used against them, they still marched through the streets. we had everything from peaceful protesters, marching singing and chanting, and at the other end of the spectrum, barricades being set on fire, molotov cocktails, bricks being thrown at police headquarters. now, the police have come in with a very tough response. and for both sides, this is really a dressed rehearsal, for tuesday. both the activists and the authorities are getting ready for this 70th anniversary of communist rule in china. beijing wants that to be celebration of everything that's great about the country, all the achievements, over seven decades of rule. the protesters are determined to crash the party and, instead, they want to draw attention to their claims that there should be democratic reforms in hong kong. and so, for that re

our correspondent stephen mcdonell is in hong kong and joins us now live. a regular feature of the pro—democracy movement. this is a main shopping centre and there are thousands of protesters here gather to chant, sing. they are putting posters up and holding these brightly coloured lights and flags. a moment ago, somebody came through with a bent chinese flag and what sort of waving it around too much applause —— with a burnt chinese flag. these would not be welcome to beijing —— these are scenes. they would say it has a sign of what is going wrong in hong kong over the past few months. here they are renewing their calls now for universal suffrage, for an independent enquiry into these allegations that certain police officers have links to the underworld, to organised crime. later this week, there are to be these public meetings that the government has instigated and, maybe, that will take some of the heat out of this, but as you can see, even though we're now beyond our third month, people are still turning up. i should add, that the plan today was to blo

stephen mcdonell has the latest from hong kong.t pro—democracy push. and these protests have gathered here in these protests have gathered here in the heart of hong kong to remember that moment. now, those in the city will know that behind me is the stage and there is the harbour. if we come around in this direction that there is the legislative building, effectively the parliament. and if you were to walk up parliament. and if you were to walk up that hill behind me that would ta ke up that hill behind me that would take you into the central business district and the streets where that sit in actually took place. people occupied that area for more than two months and then when it finished many thought, well, that's that. however, fast forward five years, here we are again with people calling for the same thing, calling for universal suffrage and democratic reform here. today's anniversary though, tonight's rally, tomorrow's protests and all of the political activity in the city over the next few days are all pointing to one thing

stephen mcdonell has the latest from hong kong.empt to disperse protesters. the initial cause was this piece of legislation, the hong kong executive wa nted legislation, the hong kong executive wanted to put through, to allow people from hong kong to be sent to court in china if they were wanted by the chinese authorities, for offences on the mainland. a lot of people saw that as basically a free pass to the chinese government, because the chinese courts are not seen by many people in hong kong, is independent of the chinese government, they are perceived to be independent of the hong kong executive. nonetheless, the protests have continued after the bill is gone. the use of the water cannon pretty graphic pictures, i'm not sure an umbrella will protect you from the force of some of the water. but it has not made a lot of difference and there is no sign of the protests coming to an end anytime soon. we will get more from hong kong and sooner we can bring it to you. the hosts of the rugby world cup — japan — have recorded one of the

it's the 16th weekend of protests by pro—democracy campaigners. 0ur correspondent stephen mcdonell isnow live. reports that tear gas was fired once again there, stephen. i don't know what you saw but it has been another day of chaos. yes, absolutely. we definitely saw that. i mean, right now it is a peaceful sunday evening, people are jogging peaceful sunday evening, people are jogging along next to the river behind me going for walks and things like that. hard to believe that an hour ago there was a violent conflict on the streets here. it all started when people gathered in the shopping centre here. it was peaceful there was singing and chanting, and then at one point the more hardline wing of that pro democracy movement moved on the mtr station started smashing it out. ticket machines smashed and they we re ticket machines smashed and they were spraying graffiti on the walls and then, even in the general shopping centre, there were neon signs and ads, you know, glass ads being smashed up. lots of camino, glass strewn along the floor. people had built a barricade at one point inside

there, demanding people boycott companies that they say are ‘pro—beijing'. 0ur correspondent stephen mcdonell have had pretty chaotic scenes at the sha tin shopping centre. you get these stand—offs at between the hardline protesters and any place and they building barricades. we have this barricade inside shopping centre here. all of the further, there is a lot of very slippery sticky stuff that protesters have put down so that protesters have put down so that when the right place running, again, it will slow them down. they have used pens, bit of metal and the like to build a certain barricade here. —— they have used pins and bits of metal to build certain barricade here. we will show you that around. there is graffiti all over the place. rubbish thrown down. this is one of the reasons why the police had to come in. they would say. if we move right over her, you can see that this is the entrance to... i'm slipping as i walked because of all the slippery stuff being placed on the ground. this is the entrance to the underground train station. now, the protesters claim the train operator for co

stephen mcdonell is our correspondent in hong kong and hejoins us now. students, both university and high school students, have boycotted classes today. at the universities, it was the first week back for the semester and they boycotted classes and in the high schools, the stu d e nts and in the high schools, the students are standing outside the school buildings, joining hands in a so—called human chain. they are coming under some pressure from the government, as are the schools, for allowing them to do this, but i don't quite see how you can stop them if you are the school. this is pa rt them if you are the school. this is part of a broader call for strike action today. given the weather, the driving rain and strong winds that have been battering hong kong, it is ha rd to have been battering hong kong, it is hard to gauge how many people have supported this strike because there are shops and small businesses closed, nurses and other hospital staff at some hospitals have had protests at their workplace. but, generally speaking, it is a more peaceful her

it comes as china prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of communist rule. 0ur correspondent stephen mcdonell hong kong to susa say despite they found —— were told to do so, despite tear gas rubber bullets use against them, they marched through the streets and we had everything from peaceful protesters marching, singing, and chanting and at the other end of the spectrum, barricades being set on fire, molotov cocktails, bricks being thrown at police headquarters. the police have come in with a tough response and for both sides this is really a dress rehearsal for tuesday. both the activists and the authorities are getting ready for this 70th anniversary of communist rule in china. beijing once said to bea rule in china. beijing once said to be a celebration of everything that is great about the country or the achievements over seven decades of rule. the protesters are determined to crash the party and instead they wa nt to to crash the party and instead they want to draw attention to the claims that there should be democratic reforms in hong kong. for that reason, we are looking at a very big

stephen mcdonell reporting. robert mugabe, will take place next saturday. the service will be held in the national sports stadium in harare. mr mugabe died in singapore on friday at the age of 95. he led his country for nearly four decades until he was ousted in 2017. the headlines on bbc news: after her resignation from the cabinet and the conservative whip — amber rudd attacks borisjohnson's handling of brexit. british airways pilots prepare to go on strike — for the first time in the airline's history. another day of anger in hong kong — as radical pro—democracy protesters attack a metro station. president trump says he has called off peace negotiations with the taliban after they admitted they were behind a recent attack that killed an american soldier in afghanistan. the bombing on thursday killed 12 people. president trump has been seeking to negotiate a us exit from afghanistan after 18 years of war. our north america correspondent, david willis, joins us now from washington. let me ask you about not so m

let's go live to hong kong now where we can speak to our correspondent stephen mcdonell. the last three months wanted ? have been protesting for the last three months wanted? yes, it is a key demand from the pro—democracy movement here and if, as is expected, carrie lam comes out and announces the formal withdrawal of this much hated bill allowing for extradition to mainland chinese courts, controlled by the communist party, it will be a significant backdown not only for her but also beijing. it is seen as something of an olive branch towards the protesters to try to take some of the heat out of this movement which, for three months now, has been going on in increasingly violent clashes between hardline radicalised protesters and the police. of course there is a much broader movement than that, many hundreds of thousands of people initially marched to try to stop this bill being pushed through. the government ignored this and tried to resist that people power movement, if you like, but there has been too much pressure from the ground. carrie lam, by her own reckoning, fee

let's get the latest now from our china correspondent stephen mcdonell in hong kong.g and heavy rains hitting the city, it is ha rd to heavy rains hitting the city, it is hard to tell how successful calls for a widespread strike have been. there are shops and businesses closed and some high schools, stu d e nts closed and some high schools, students haven't gone to class. same with universities who were supposed to go back today. students are boycotting class. in other parts of the city, they do seem to be just going about their normal monday morning routine. however, as i say, with the weather, it has been tough conditions today and it could be some of the shops being closed because of the weather. either way, we will get a better idea this afternoon when there is supposed to bea afternoon when there is supposed to be a rally in the coming hours from those supporting the strike and this follows on another weekend of violent street clashes between protesters and riot police as this crisis moves into its third month. absolutely. thank you very much for bringing us up—t

let's go live to hong kong now where we can speak to our correspondent stephen mcdonell.that go in fixing the situation? well, that's a very good question. it's definitely a significant humiliating backdown, not only for carrie lam and her administration here in hong kong, but also for ageing. three months ago, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets here —— also for beijing. three months ago hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets calling that it not be introduced, people were worried about being sent to mainland chinese courts controlled by the communist party. mass demonstrations were dismissed by carrie lam at the time, and now we have these weekly violent clashes with petrol bombs, probability and tear gas regular feature of the streets in this asian financial hub. carrie lam by her own reckoning has described the unforgivable havoc that she has created by bungling the response to the opposition of that bill, and finally it will be withdrawn. it will take place in october when the legislative meets next, they will ta ke legislative meets next,

earlier, our correspondent in hong kong, stephen mcdonell, had the latest on the developing protests.the government, as other schools, for allowing them to do this, but i don‘t quite see how you could stop them if you are at the school. this is part of a broader call for strike action today. given the weather, the driving rain and strong winds that have been battering hong kong, it is ha rd to have been battering hong kong, it is hard to gauge how many people have supported the strike because there are shops and small businesses closed. nurses and other hospital staff at some hospitals have had protests at the workplace. generally speaking, it is more peaceful here in the city when you compare it to the violent clashes we saw on saturday and the chaos at the airport on sunday when transport connections to the airport was shut down, when there was traffic gridlock leading to the airport and protesters were successfully able to disrupt operations there. this crisis just keeps looming on disrupt operations there. this crisisjust keeps looming on in hong kong and as the activist find new

worst violence in weeks between demonstrators and police. 0ur south east asia correspondent, stephen mcdonell it difficult to gauge the participation level after activists called for a widespread strike action in hong kong. there doesn't seem to have been less impact this time than a similar action around one month ago. corporations have successfully pressured their employees into not striking, cafe pacific, for example, said there would be a zero tolerance approach to any aircrews taking part in any illegal activities and that they expected all of their staff to turn upfor they expected all of their staff to turn up for work throughout this period. however, students from universities and high school is a boycott classes today and instead join rallies and this came despite warnings from the government at the risk punishment. the authorities are taking a much tougher stance when it comes to this movement. we are now up comes to this movement. we are now up to over 1100 people have been arrested since the crisis began in earlyjune, at arrested since the crisis began in early june, at least 60 a