Watch today in 'World Business Watch': Asian shares cling to tight range, attention shifts to US Election & stimulus.

Asian shares cling to tight range, attention shifts to US Election & stimulus

Hong Kong's leader&nbsp;Carrie Lam&nbsp;on Wednesday hailed a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing as the "most important development" since the city was handed back to China.

"The national security law is a turning point for Hong Kong from chaos to being governed well," she told dignitaries at a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-marks-handover-anniversary-as-national-security-law-takes-effect-309778" hreflang="en">Hong Kong marks handover anniversary as national security law takes effect</a>

Lam was speaking a day after China unveiled the law to semi-autonomous Hong Kong's 7.5 million residents, a historic move decried by many Western governments as an unprecedented assault on the finance hub's liberties and autonomy.

It outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces to undermine national security with sentences of up to life in prison.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-timeline-of-chinas-excesses-in-hong-kong-leading-up-to-the-national-security-law-309752" hreflang="en">A timeline of China's excesses in Hong Kong leading up to the national security law</a>

The new suite of powers radically restructures the relationship between Beijing and Hong Kong, toppling the legal firewall that has existed between the city's judiciary and the mainland's party-controlled courts.

China will have jurisdiction over "serious" cases and its security agencies will also be able to operate publicly in the city for the first time, unbound by local laws as they carry out their duties.&nbsp;

Twenty-seven countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, urged Beijing to "reconsider the imposition" of the legislation, saying in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council that it "undermines" the city's freedoms.

The United States has threatened new countermeasures.&nbsp;But Lam,&nbsp;a pro-Beijing appointee, rejected concerns the law will end Hong Kong's freedoms.&nbsp;

In her speech on Wednesday, she said the law "will not undermine Hong Kong's judicial independence and high degree of autonomy, and won't affect the Hong Kong people's freedoms and rights."

She described criticism of the law by foreign governments as "smearing and vicious attacks" and she thanked China's leaders for keeping faith in her after last year's huge and often violent pro-democracy protests.&nbsp;

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam on Wednesday hailed a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing as the "most important development" since the city was handed back to China.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam on Wednesday hailed a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing as the "most important development" since the city was handed back to China. "The national security law is a turning point for Hong Kong from chaos to being governed well," she told dignitaries at a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule. Also read: Hong Kong marks handover anniversary as national security law takes effect Lam was speaking a day after China unveiled the law to semi-autonomous Hong Kong's 7.5 million residents, a historic move decried by many Western governments as an unprecedented assault on the finance hub's liberties and autonomy. It outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces to undermine national security with sentences of up to life in prison. Also read: A timeline of China's excesses in Hong Kong leading up to the national security law The new suite of powers radically restructures the relationship between Beijing and Hong Kong, toppling the legal firewall that has existed between the city's judiciary and the mainland's party-controlled courts. China will have jurisdiction over "serious" cases and its security agencies will also be able to operate publicly in the city for the first time, unbound by local laws as they carry out their duties. Twenty-seven countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, urged Beijing to "reconsider the imposition" of the legislation, saying in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council that it "undermines" the city's freedoms. The United States has threatened new countermeasures. But Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, rejected concerns the law will end Hong Kong's freedoms. In her speech on Wednesday, she said the law "will not undermine Hong Kong's judicial independence and high degree of autonomy, and won't affect the Hong Kong people's freedoms and rights." She described criticism of the law by foreign governments as "smearing and vicious attacks" and she thanked China's leaders for keeping faith in her after last year's huge and often violent pro-democracy protests.

Carrie Lam calls security law 'most important' development for Hong Kong since handover

Indonesian authorities are offering a reward to anyone who can rescue a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crocodile-named-merry-mauls-woman-to-death-in-indonesia-190985">saltwater crocodile</a> with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck -&nbsp;and survive. 
The contest will see one brave croc hunter land an unspecified amount of cash, but it will mean coming face to face with the 13-foot (4-metre) reptile in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi.

Local conservation authorities have been trying -&nbsp;and failing - for several years to find a way to untangle the croc after video showed it gasping for air.&nbsp;That sparked worries the tire was slowly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-villagers-kill-nearly-300-crocodiles-in-a-revenge-attack-152071">killing the beast</a>. After a recent sighting, the province's governor instructed his resource-strapped conservation agency to figure out how to end years of fruitless attempts.

<img alt="Saltwater Crocodile" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7790ee6c-cd3f-4811-91de-7e73d365ef0f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2822%29_6.jpg" /> 
[ The crocodile can be seen here slowly dying as the tire continues to hamper its breathing&nbsp;(Courtesy: AFP) ]

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-human-limbs-found-inside-20-foot-long-crocodile-34515">Indonesia: Human limbs found inside 20-foot long crocodile</a>

The agency offered few details on the reward, or how outsiders might pull off the task. But its chief -&nbsp;who said the cash would come out of his own pocket -&nbsp;warned that he was not calling on amateurs to hunt down the reptile, but rather addressing people with a background in wildlife rescue and a thirst for conservation.

"We're asking the general public not to get close to the crocodile or disturb its habitat," said Hasmuni Hasmar, head of the Central Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency.

Indonesian authorities are offering a reward to anyone who can rescue a saltwater crocodile with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck - and survive. The contest will see one brave croc hunter land an unspecified amount of cash, but it will mean coming face to face with the 13-foot (4-metre) reptile in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi.

Indonesian authorities are offering a reward to anyone who can rescue a saltwater crocodile with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck - and survive. The contest will see one brave croc hunter land an unspecified amount of cash, but it will mean coming face to face with the 13-foot (4-metre) reptile in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi. Local conservation authorities have been trying - and failing - for several years to find a way to untangle the croc after video showed it gasping for air. That sparked worries the tire was slowly killing the beast. After a recent sighting, the province's governor instructed his resource-strapped conservation agency to figure out how to end years of fruitless attempts. [ The crocodile can be seen here slowly dying as the tire continues to hamper its breathing (Courtesy: AFP) ] Also Read: Indonesia: Human limbs found inside 20-foot long crocodile The agency offered few details on the reward, or how outsiders might pull off the task. But its chief - who said the cash would come out of his own pocket - warned that he was not calling on amateurs to hunt down the reptile, but rather addressing people with a background in wildlife rescue and a thirst for conservation. "We're asking the general public not to get close to the crocodile or disturb its habitat," said Hasmuni Hasmar, head of the Central Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency.

Reward offered by Indonesia to whoever can remove a tire stuck on a crocodile's neck

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Asian shares cling to tight range, attention shifts to US Election & stimulus

Carrie Lam calls security law 'most important' development for Hong Kong since handover

Reward offered by Indonesia to whoever can remove a tire stuck on a crocodile's neck