Hong Kong leader Lam won’t seek new term after rocky 5 years

Apr 3, 2022, 10:46 PM | Updated: Apr 4, 2022, 7:48 pm

FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March,...

FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)

(AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Monday she wouldn’t seek a second term after a rocky five years marked by huge protests calling for her resignation, a security crackdown that has quashed dissent and most recently a COVID-19 wave that overwhelmed the health system.

Her successor will be picked in May, with the city’s hard-line security chief during the 2019 protests seen as a likely choice.

“I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on the 30th of June this year, and I will also call an end to my 42 years of public service,” Lam said at a news conference. The 64-year-old career civil servant said she plans to spend more time with her family, which is her “sole consideration.”

Speculation had swirled for months about whether she would seek another term, and she repeatedly declined to comment on the possibility. But on Monday, she said her decision had been conveyed to the central government in Beijing last year and was met with “respect and understanding.”

Her time in office will likely be remembered as a turning point during which Beijing firmly established control over the former British colony, which was returned to China in 1997. For years, the city rocked back and forth between calls for more freedom and growing signs of China extending its reach, chipping away at a promise by the mainland government to give Hong Kong the power to govern itself semi-autonomously for 50 years.

Lam’s popularity sharply declined over her five-year term, particularly over legislation that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China for trial and her leadership during the protests that ensued in 2019. The mass demonstrations were marked at times by violent clashes between police and protesters. Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing insisted that overseas forces were fueling the movement, rather than local activism, while protesters denounced the police crackdown as excessive and said that claims of sedition were attempts to undermine the pro-democracy cause.

Lam said she came under great pressure because of the extradition bill, “interference from foreign forces” and the pandemic. “However, the motivation for me to press on was the very staunch support behind me by the central authorities,” she said, according to a simultaneous translation by a government interpreter.

Later, Lam strongly backed the national security law initiated by Beijing and implemented by her government that was seen as eroding the “one country, two systems” framework that promised after the handover from Britain that city residents would retain freedoms not found in mainland China, such as a free press and freedom of expression.

The security law and other police and court actions in the years since have virtually erased the city’s pro-democracy movement, with activists and the movement’s supporters either arrested or jailed. Others have fled into exile. Lam and the central government in Beijing say their actions have restored stability in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong media have reported this week that Chief Secretary John Lee, the city’s No. 2 leader, is likely to enter the race to succeed Lam. Lee rose through the ranks as a police officer to become deputy commissioner in 2010, and was the city’s secretary of security during the 2019 protests. He is known for his support for the police force during the protests and his tough stance against protesters.

Hong Kong’s leader is elected by a committee made up of lawmakers, representatives of various industries and professions, and pro-Beijing representatives such as Hong Kong deputies to China’s legislature. One of the unfulfilled demands of the 2019 protests was direct election of the city’s chief executive.

The election for the chief executive had been set on March 27 but was postponed until May 8 as the city endures its worst coronavirus outbreak.

Lam said that holding the polls as originally scheduled would pose “public health risks” even if a committee of only 1,462 people is involved.

Hong Kong has reported nearly 1.2 million cases, 99% of them during the wave driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. It has strained the healthcare system, with hospitals at times placing patients on beds outdoors. More than 8,000 people have died in the latest outbreak, and mortuaries operating at capacity have used refrigerated containers to temporarily store bodies.

Lam’s government has been widely criticized for flip-flopping policies, including mixed messaging in February and March on whether a lockdown and compulsory mass-testing would be implemented. The uncertainty sparked panic among residents, who cleared out store shelves to hoard daily necessities.

The plans for compulsory mass-testing were dropped, and Lam last week urged all residents to test themselves with rapid antigen kits between April 8 to 10. She later said the exercise was voluntary as it was not possible to enforce.

Lam previously served as chief secretary and secretary for development and in other civil service positions. She earned the nickname “good fighter” for her tough stance and refusal to back down in political battles.

Lam renounced her British nationality in 2007 when she was appointed secretary for development. Her husband and two children have retained their British nationalities.

___

Soo reported from Singapore. Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu contributed from Beijing.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a press conference in Hong Kong, on March, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference in Hong Kong, on Nov. 23, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam has announced she will not seek second term. Lam made the announcement Monday, April 4, 2022, at a news conference.(AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to questions during a press conference in Hong Kong, on Nov. 16, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam has announced she will not seek second term. Lam made the announcement Monday, April 4, 2022, at a news conference.(AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference in Hong Kong, on Jan. 6, 2022. Hong Kong leader Lam has announced she will not seek second term.  Lam made the announcement Monday, April 4, 2022,  at a news conference.(AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee, right, attends a reception, following the flag-raising ceremony for the celebration of China's National Day, in Hong Kong, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. After Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term, local media says that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was the city's head of security during the protests. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
            
              Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee, attends a reception, following the flag-raising ceremony for the celebration of China's National Day, in Hong Kong, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. After Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term, local media says that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was the city's head of security during the protests. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
            
              Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee attends a reception, following the flag-raising ceremony for the celebration of 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China, in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021. After Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term, local media says that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was the city's head of security during the protests. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
            
              Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee, right, and Finance Minister Paul Chan attend a variety show to mark the China's National Day, in Hong Kong, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. After Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term, local media says that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was the city's head of security during the protests. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
            
              Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee attends a reception, following the flag-raising ceremony for the celebration of 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China, in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021. After Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term, local media says that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was the city's head of security during the protests. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam leaves after a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Hong Kong leader Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to questions during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to reporter's questions during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)
            
              FILE - From right, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Secretary for Security Chris Tang and Chief Secretary John Lee attend a news conference in Hong Kong, on June 25, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term. Her successor will be picked in May. Hong Kong media say that her No. 2 John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed her.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
            
              FILE - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to a reporter's question during a news conference on the Hong Kong electoral system reform in Hong Kong, March 30, 2021. Hong Kong leader Lam, who presided over a rocky period in the Chinese territory's relationship with the central government in Beijing, said Monday, April 4, 2022, she will not seek second term.  (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
            
              Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses during a news conference in Hong Kong, Monday, April 4, 2022. Lam, who survived massive protests against her government in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tough national security law that quashed dissent, said Monday she will not seek a second term. Her successor will be picked in May. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, Pool)

AP

(Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS...

Associated Press

Florida police search for 3 gunmen who wounded 9 at crowded beach on Memorial Day

Police are responding to a shooting near the beach broadwalk in Hollywood, Florida.

2 days ago

Crew members assemble the main stage ahead of the 2023 Scripps Nations Spelling Bee on Sunday, May ...

Associated Press

Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion

As the final pre-competition meeting of the Scripps National Spelling Bee's word selection panel stretches into its seventh hour, the pronouncers no longer seem to care.

2 days ago

FILE - Gabby Petito's mother Nichole Schmidt, wipes a tear from her face during a news conference o...

Associated Press

Mother of man who killed Gabby Petito said in letter she would help son ‘dispose of a body’

The mother of the man who killed Gabby Petito told her son in an undated letter that she would “dispose of a body” if needed because she loved him so much, according to copies of the note shared publicly for the first time this week by attorneys for Petito's parents.

5 days ago

A member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, places flags in front of e...

Associated Press

5 things to know about Memorial Day including its controversies

Memorial Day is supposed to be about mourning the nation’s fallen service members, but it’s come to anchor the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend of discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.

5 days ago

FILE - This artist sketch depicts the trial of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, left, as he test...

Associated Press

Officers describe chaos, fear on Jan. 6 as judge weighs prison time for Oath Keepers’ Rhodes

Police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and public servants who fled the mob's attack told a judge on Wednesday that they are still haunted by what they endured, as the judge prepares to hand down sentences in a landmark Capitol riot case.

6 days ago

Pride month merchandise is displayed at the front of a Target store in Hackensack, N.J., Wednesday,...

Associated Press

Target on the defensive after removing LGBTQ+-themed products

Target once distinguished itself as being boldly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community.

7 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Hong Kong leader Lam won’t seek new term after rocky 5 years