The man who attempted to murder Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been instructed to remain in custody.The Prime Minister is in serious but stable condition after being shot several times.
The prosecutors asked the court to keep the suspect in jail because they were afraid he might run away or commit more crimes.
The police were told not to share the man’s name or other information about the case. Some news reports say he is a 71-year-old retired person who liked to write poems and may have worked as a security guard at a mall in the southwest.
The government officials provided information that was the same as that description. They said the person who did it was not part of any political groups, but the attack was still influenced by politics.
The courthouse in Pezinok, a small town near the capital city of Bratislava, had police officers with helmets and masks and they were carrying guns. Reporters were not allowed to go inside, and they had to stay outside behind a gate.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in serious but stable condition after an attempted assassination. The person accused of the attack is appearing in court for the first time.
Fico had a surgery on Friday to remove dead tissue from his gunshot wounds. The doctors are hopeful for his recovery, but he’s still not well enough to go to a hospital in the capital city, Bratislava. Government ministers gave this information outside University FD Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, where Fico was brought by a helicopter after the shooting.
“Good things have happened in Banska Bystrica recently because of the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Roosevelt Hospital,” said Defense Minister Robert Kalinak.
Fico, who is 59 years old, was assaulted while he was saying hello to his supporters after a meeting with the government on Wednesday in the town of Handlova, which used to be a coal mining town. The person was grabbed and taken down to the ground, then taken away by the police.
Slovak state media said the man accused of trying to kill Fico appeared in court and Fico’s health update was given at the same time.
The prosecutors wanted the court to keep the suspect in custody in Slovakia.
The police were asked not to tell the public about the man or share other information about the case. Some news reports say he was a 71-year-old retiree who liked to write poetry and possibly worked as a security guard at a mall in the southwest of the country, but this has not been confirmed.
The government told information that was the same as that description. They said the person who did it doesn’t belong to any political groups, but the attack itself was done for political reasons.
The building where trials happen in Pezinok, a small town near Bratislava, had police officers wearing masks and holding guns to protect it. Reporters couldn’t go in and had to stay outside behind a gate.
The police took the suspect to his home in Levice and took away a computer and some papers. This was reported by Markiza, a TV station in Slovakia. The police didn’t say anything.
The police have not said much about the case, so it’s not clear how the suspect got the gun.
In Slovakia, it’s hard to own a gun. People need a good reason and have to take a test.
As a result, Slovakia has very few people owning guns compared to other countries in Europe. According to a group that studies laws in the European Union, this country is ranked 23rd out of 27. The rate of people who own guns is 65 out of 100.
Leaders from around the world have criticized the attack and are standing by Fico and Slovakia.
Fico is a controversial person in Slovakia and other places. Last year, when he came back to power, he had a plan that was in favor of Russia and against America. This made other European Union and NATO members concerned that he might change his country’s support towards Western countries, especially when it comes to Ukraine.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Slovakia was strongly supporting Ukraine. However, when Fico became prime minister for the fourth time, he stopped sending weapons to Ukraine.
Fico’s government has tried to change public broadcasting. Critics say this would give the government complete control of public TV and radio. This, along with his plans to change the rules to remove a special anti-corruption prosecutor, have made people concerned that Fico will take Slovakia in a more controlling direction.
Many people have come together many times in the city and all over the country of 54 million people to show they are against his rules.
Last month, Fico said on Facebook that he thinks the country’s growing tension could cause politicians to get killed, and he thinks the media is making the tension worse.
Before Fico came back into power last year, many of his friends in politics and business were being looked into by the police, and many of them have been accused of crimes.
His plan to change the penal system would get rid of the special prosecutor who handles organized crime, corruption, and extremism cases.
Tag: Prime Minister
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Conditions for the Slovak prime minister are stable
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Prime minister of Slovakia had more surgery, still serious condition – Deputy PM
The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, had another surgery after being shot on Wednesday. He is still in serious condition, according to the country’s deputy prime minister and defense minister.
Fico, who is 59 years old, was attacked while he was saying hello to his supporters after a meeting with the government in the town of Handlova, which used to be a coal mining town. A person who is believed to have attacked someone has been taken into custody by the police.
Miriam Lapunikova, who is in charge of the hospital where Fico is being treated, said that Fico had a special X-ray and is now awake and in stable condition in the ICU. She said he was in really bad shape.
She said the surgery took out dead tissues that were still in Fico’s body.
“I believe we will need a few more days to know for sure which way things are going,” said Robert Kaliniak, the defence minister and deputy prime minister, to the reporters at the hospital.
Still, Kaliniak said that the government is still working.
“The government departments are doing all their jobs, nothing is stopped or paused, the country keeps moving forward,” he told the news. “The condition of the state and the patient is okay and not changing. ”
Fico has been a controversial figure in Slovakia and other places for a long time. Last year, when he came back into power, he supported Russia and opposed America. This made European Union and NATO members worried that he would stop following the pro-Western path for his country, especially concerning Ukraine.
Earlier on Friday, the man who tried to kill Fico was taken home by the police. The local news said it was part of a search for proof.
Markiza, a TV station from Slovakia, aired a video of the suspect being taken to his home in Levice on Friday morning. They also said that the police took a computer and some papers. The police did not say anything.
The police have been told not to share the suspect’s name or any other information about the case with the public. The person who is suspected of a crime will have their case looked at again in court on Saturday at the Specialized Criminal Court in Pezinok, Slovakia, which is near the capital city of Bratislava.
Unconfirmed news says he was a 71-year-old retired person who liked to write poems and might have worked as a security guard at a mall in the southwest of the country.
Government officials on Thursday provided information that was consistent with that description. They said the suspect wasn’t part of any political groups, but the attack was driven by political reasons.
Slovakia’s president wants to have a meeting with all the leaders of the political parties next Tuesday. President Zuzana Caputova, who is leaving her job soon, and the next president, Peter Pellegrini, made a plan to lessen problems between people in the country.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Slovakia supported Ukraine strongly. But when Fico became prime minister again for the fourth time, he stopped sending weapons to Ukraine.
Fico’s government has tried to change public broadcasting. Critics say this would let the government have complete control of public TV and radio. This, along with his plans to change the law to get rid of a special prosecutor who investigates corruption, has made some people concerned that Fico will make Slovakia more like a dictatorship.
Many people have gathered in the capital and across the country of 5. 4 million people to protest against his decisions.
Last month, Fico said on Facebook that he thought the increasing tensions in the country could cause politicians to be killed, and he said the media was making the tensions worse.
Before Fico came back into power last year, many of his friends in politics and business were being looked into by the police, and many of them have been accused of crimes.
He wants to change the penal system by getting rid of the special prosecutor who deals with organized crime, corruption and extremism. -
‘Lone wolf’ charged with shooting prime minister – Slovak interior minister
On Thursday, the interior minister of Slovakia said that one person acted alone and has been charged for shooting and seriously injuring Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The small country in central Europe was shocked by the attempted murder, and its leaders are saying it was because the people are very divided and have extreme politics.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said at a press conference that the man who was charged is not a member of any political groups.
Slovak leaders want everyone to stay calm after the Prime Minister was shot several times on Wednesday. It was a surprise because political violence rarely happens in the country, even though the politicians are very divided.
Fico is in serious but stable condition after being attacked. The attack shocked the small country and had an impact across Europe before the European elections.
They caught a suspect, and the Interior Minister said they think the attack on Fico was because of politics. Fico was at a government meeting in an old coal mining town when it happened.
The minister did not say why they did it. Many people in Slovakia and other countries disagree about Fico. When he came back into power last year with a message that supported Russia and went against America, it made other European Union members worried that he would stop supporting the West.
Someone tried to kill Fico on Wednesday. People in Slovakia are very divided right now and thousands of protestors are demonstrating in the capital and around the country to show they are against his policies. It comes before the June elections for the European Parliament.
Former President Zuzana Caputova, who had disagreements with Fico, said on Thursday that the leaders of the country’s political parties would get together to try to bring peace and stop any violence.
“We ask everyone to be responsible,” Caputova said at a press conference in Bratislava.
Caputova was talking with Peter Pellegrini, who is a friend of Fico and will be the next president of Slovakia. They both spoke together to try to calm down the angry political arguments in the country. They want people in Slovakia to stay united and not let politics divide them.
“This attempt to kill someone should be strongly condemned by everyone,” said Pellegrini. “I ask everyone in Slovakia to stop or lessen their European Parliament election campaigning, because campaigning leads to conflict, and we don’t need conflict right now in Slovakia. ”Fico’s new government, chosen last September, has stopped sending weapons to Ukraine. They also want to change the rules so that a special prosecutor who deals with corruption cases is no longer in charge, and they want to control the public TV and radio stations. People who disagree with him are concerned that he might take Slovakia, a country with 5. 4 million people that is in NATO, in a more controlling and dictatorial direction.
Zuzana Eliasova, who lives in Bratislava, said that the attack on Fico was a big surprise for the country. She also said it was an attack on democracy when political issues were already causing a lot of tension.
“I think many people and the whole society will think about their actions, because there has been a lot of division within society. “
Surgeons operated on Fico for five hours. At first, Fico was said to be in very bad condition. This is what the director of the F. DMiriam Lapunikova works at the Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica. He is getting special help in a special room.
Five gunshots were heard outside a cultural center in Handlova, a town about 85 miles northeast of the capital. Government officials confirmed this.
Slovakia’s leaders were going to meet in Bratislava to talk about the situation on Thursday. After that, they would have a government meeting.
Fico became the prime minister of Slovakia again last year, after already serving two times before. People often say he and his Smer party are left-leaning populists, but some people also compare him to right-wing politicians like Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary.
Fico’s return made some people worried that he and his party, which had a history of being involved in scandals, would take Slovakia in a direction different from the rest of Western countries. He said he would be strict on migration and non-governmental organizations and protested against LGBTQ2S+ rights.
Even though some people were unsure about Fico’s leadership, both his friends and enemies criticized the attack. On Wednesday, President Putin sent a message to President Caputova, saying he supports her and hopes the prime minister gets better soon.
“This terrible crime cannot be excused,” Putin said in a statement from the Kremlin. “I think Robert Fico is brave and determined. ” I really hope that his good traits will help him get through this tough situation.
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also criticized the attack on the leader of a nearby country.
“He said we should do everything we can to stop violence from becoming normal in any country or situation. “ -
Prime Minister of Slovakia gravely ill but stable following assassination
Slovak politicians are asking everyone to stay calm after Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot many times by someone who tried to kill him. This is very unusual and surprising because there is a lot of disagreement and fighting in Slovak politics.
Fico is in the hospital in stable condition after someone tried to hurt him. The whole country is shocked by what happened.
A person was caught by the police, and the Minister of the Interior, Matus Sutaj Estok, said on Wednesday that a first look into the case found that the attack on Fico had a strong political reason. This attack happened while he was at a government meeting in a town that used to have coal mines.
The minister did not say why they did it. Fico has been a controversial figure for a long time in Slovakia and other countries. When he came back into power last year with a message that supported Russia and opposed America, it made other European Union members even more concerned that he might change Slovakia’s support for Western countries.
The attack on Fico happened during a time when Slovakia was very divided. Many people have been protesting in the capital and across the country against Fico’s decisions. It comes right before the elections for the European Parliament in June.
Zuzana Caputova, who is the current President and does not get along with Fico, announced that the leaders of all the political parties in the country will meet to try to bring peace and stop violence.
“We want to urge everyone to be responsible,” Caputova said at a press conference in the city of Bratislava.
Caputova was talking with Peter Pellegrini, who supports Fico and will be the new president of Slovakia. They both asked people to try to calm down the angry feelings about politics in the country and to not let politics divide them.
“This assassination attempt should be strongly condemned by everyone,” Pellegrini said. “I ask everyone in Slovakia to stop or cut back on their campaigning for the European Parliament election. Campaigning can cause conflict, and Slovakia doesn’t need more conflict right now. ”The government elected last September in Fico’s country has stopped sending weapons to Ukraine. They also want to change the rules to get rid of a special prosecutor who fights corruption and to control public media. His opponents are concerned that he will take Slovakia, a country of 5. 4 million people in NATO, in a direction with more control by a single leader.
Zuzana Eliasova, who lives in the capital city Bratislava, said the attack on Fico was a big surprise to the country and feels like an attack on democracy when there’s already a lot of political tension.
“I think many people or the entire society will think about their actions, because there has been a big divide among different groups in society,” she said.
Fico had a five-hour operation by doctors at the FD Roosevelt Hospital. At first, he was said to be in critical condition. This information was shared by Miriam Lapunikova, the hospital’s director. He is getting special care in a hospital.
Five bullets were shot outside a cultural center in Handlova, a town about 140 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of the capital, according to government officials.
Slovakia’s security leaders were going to have a meeting in the capital city of Bratislava on Thursday to talk about the situation. After that, the government leaders would also have a meeting.
Fico became the prime minister of Slovakia again last year, after serving as prime minister twice before. People often say he and his Smer party are left-leaning populists, but some also think he is similar to politicians on the right like Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary.
Fico’s return made his critics worried that he and his party, which had a bad reputation because of scandal, would take Slovakia in a direction different from the Western countries. He said he would be strict about immigration and non-profit groups, and he also worked against LGBTQ2S+ rights.
Even though some people didn’t like Fico’s leadership, both his friends and enemies criticized the attack. On Wednesday, President Putin sent a message to President Caputova. He said he supports her and hopes the prime minister gets well soon.
“This terrible crime cannot be excused,” Putin said in a statement from the Kremlin. “I think Robert Fico is brave and determined. ” I really hope that his character traits will help him get through this tough situation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke out against the violence targeting another country’s leader.
“He said that we should try really hard to make sure that violence doesn’t become a regular thing in any country or area. “ -
Slovakia’s prime minister in critical condition after being shot
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico got hurt in a shooting after a political event on Wednesday. His condition is very serious and life-threatening. This information was shared on his Facebook page.
News from a Slovakian TV station called TA3 said Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is 59 years old, was shot in the stomach four times outside the House of Culture in a town called Handlova, which is 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital city. He was meeting with his supporters when the shooting happened. They caught a suspect, it was reported.
A message on Fico’s Facebook said that the leader was shot many times and is in critical condition. Right now, he is being taken by helicopter to Banska Bystrica because it would take too long to get to Bratislava for an urgent procedure. The next couple of hours will make the decision.
The shooting in Slovakia happened three weeks before important European Parliament elections. Populist and hard-right parties in the 27-country bloc are expected to do well in the elections.
Lubos Blaha, the deputy speaker of parliament, said that an incident happened during a meeting in Slovakia’s Parliament, so they stopped the meeting for now. This was reported by the Slovak TASR news agency.
Slovakia’s main opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, called off a protest against a government plan to change public broadcasting. They think the plan would let the government have total control over public radio and TV.
“We are completely against violence and strongly condemn the shooting of Premier Robert Fico today,” said Michal Simecka, leader of Progressive Slovakia. “We ask all politicians to avoid saying or doing things that could make the situation more tense. ”
President Zuzana Caputova criticized a very violent and cruel attack on the prime minister.
“I can’t believe it,” Caputova said. I hope Robert Fico feels better soon and gets through this tough time with strength.
Fico, who is the prime minister for the third time, and his left-leaning Smer party, won the September election in Slovakia. 30 elections will happen and a political party is making a comeback by talking about supporting Russia and not liking America.
Critics were concerned that Slovakia under Fico would stop supporting Western countries and start following the same path as Hungary under their popular Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Many people have gathered in the capital and all over Slovakia to protest against Fico’s policies.
Leaders in Europe spoke out against political violence, but it wasn’t known why the attack happened yet.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, criticized a very bad attack.
“Violence like this has no place in our society and it goes against democracy, which is very important for all of us,” von der Leyen said in a message on X.
The Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, said the incident was very surprising and he hopes the leader gets better soon. We don’t like violence, there’s no room for it in society. The Czech Republic and Slovakia were together as Czechoslovakia until 1992.
The leader of Poland, Donald Tusk, wrote on social media X that he was surprised by the news from Slovakia. Robert, I am thinking of you during this tough time. -
Chad’s interim Prime Minister challenges presidential election results
Chad’s interim Prime Minister, Succès Masra, has submitted a petition to the Constitutional Council disputing the initial outcomes of the recent presidential election.Despite General Mahamat Déby being announced as the winner with 61% of the vote, Mr. Masra asserts himself as the rightful victor.
“With the help of our lawyers, today we submitted a request to the Constitutional Council to reveal the truth of the ballot boxes,” Mr Masra announced in a social media post on Sunday.
The opposition leader and his party, the Transformers, have called for the nullification of the results, claiming that certain ballot boxes were tampered with and others were relocated by soldiers for counting elsewhere.
According to the party, several opposition members have been detained, and Mr. Masra along with his supporters have faced threats.
However, Mr Masra reiterated that his followers remain “peaceful for the love of our country”, insisting that “the change you want to see cannot happen in a destroyed country”.
Shortly before the announcement of the election results, Mr. Masra called on his supporters to mobilize for peaceful demonstrations to defend their votes.
The Constitutional Council is expected to make a decision in the coming days regarding whether to uphold the preliminary results or annul them, as requested by Mr. Masra and another candidate, Yacine Abdramane Sakine, who lost the election.
Although the council has not yet confirmed Mr. Déby as Chad’s new president, some heads of state, such as Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu and Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embalo, have already congratulated the military leader.
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Congo elects its first female prime minister
President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has elected the country’s first female prime minister on Monday. This fulfills a promise he made during his campaign and is an important step towards forming a new government after being reelected at the end of last year.
Judith Suminwa Tuluka, who used to work as a planning minister, will take on the new job when there is more and more violence happening in the east of the country, which has a lot of minerals and is next to Rwanda. According to the United Nations, more than seven million people have been forced to leave their homes because of the ongoing conflict. This makes it one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
Tuluka said she would try to make peace and improve things in her first speech on TV after getting her new job. It might take a long time before a new government is formed because they need to talk a lot with different political groups.
“I’m thinking about the people in the east and all over the country who are in conflict with enemies, some of whom are not easy to see,” she said. The conflict involves many armed groups, some of which are thought to be supported by the military of Rwanda. “I’m thinking about all these people, and my heart feels sad for them. ”
In a place far from the main city Kinshasa, many armed groups have taken over the eastern Congo. They are fighting to get control of the gold and other valuable things there, and they are also killing a lot of people.
The Congo government told both regional and UN peacekeepers to go away because they couldn’t fix the conflict. Violence has gotten worse as more people have left, and Congolese authorities have taken over.
Bintou Keita, UN’s top representative in Congo, said last week to the UN Security Council that the rebel group known as M23 had taken over a lot of land in the east. This has led to more violence and a lot of people having to leave their homes.
Tshisekedi was chosen for a second five-year term in December. He says Rwanda is helping the rebels with military support. Rwanda says it is not true, but experts from the UN say there is a lot of evidence that their soldiers are in Congo.
Last month, the United States asked Congo and Rwanda to try to avoid starting a war.
The United States The State Department said that Rwanda should remove its soldiers and weapons from eastern Congo. They also criticized M23, saying it is a group supported by Rwanda.
Last month, the Rwandan Foreign Ministry said that the country’s troops are protecting their land because Congo is increasing its military forces near the border. -
DR Congo’s Prime Minister Sama Lukonde has resigned
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde has tendered his resignation, as announced in a video shared on the presidency’s social media channels late Tuesday.
President Felix Tshisekedi has accepted Lukonde’s resignation, according to a statement from the president’s office reported by Reuters.
The statement further noted that President Tshisekedi has instructed Lukonde’s government to continue its duties until a new government is formed.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the prime minister heads the government.
Following his resignation, Lukonde will transition to legislative duties after being elected to parliament in the country’s general elections last December.
Lukonde assumed the role of prime minister in 2021, succeeding former Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, who stepped down following a vote of no confidence from legislators against him and his government.
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Imran Khan: Pakistan’s former prime minister arrested in state secrets case
Ex-Pakistani leader Imran Khan got a 10-year jail term for sharing government secrets.
Khan, who was removed as the Prime Minister in 2022, is currently in jail for three years because he was found guilty of being corrupt.
He said that all the accusations against him were done to hurt him in politics.
He was found guilty under the secrets act just before the elections, and he is not allowed to run for office.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who used to be a foreign minister, and is now the vice-chairman of Imran Khan’s PTI party, was given a 10-year prison sentence by a special court in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where both men are currently held.
The cipher case is about the suspected sharing of secret letters from Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington to the government in Islamabad while Khan was prime minister.
It’s about when he showed up at a big meeting in March 2022, just before he was kicked out of his job as leader in a vote by the parliament. Imran Khan came on stage and showed a paper, claiming it proved that there was a plan from another country to harm him.
He said very clearly that “everything will be forgiven if Imran Khan is no longer in charge”. He didn’t say which country it was, but he had a lot of bad things to say about the United States.
The prosecutor said that the ex-Prime Minister leaked a secret document and harmed relationships with other countries. The second accusation can result in life in prison or even being sentenced to death.
Imran Khan has been in Adiala jail most of the time since he was arrested in August. Foreign reporters were not allowed to go to the court hearings that have been happening for the past few months.
The news said that the judge was asked to speed up the trial. A PTI representative said they will fight the court decision and said it was a joke.
“We don’t agree with this bad choice,” said Naeem Panjutha, a lawyer for the ex-prime minister who has many legal cases. He posted this on X (formerly Twitter).
Another person who works for Khan told the Reuters news agency that his lawyers didn’t get to help him or question the people giving evidence.
The election on 8 February is late, and some people say the PTI party is not getting a fair chance to campaign.
The government says they didn’t attack the PTI, but lots of its leaders are in jail or have left the party. Its candidates have to run for election as independents and some are hiding.
The police arrested many of its supporters after there were protests, some of which were violent, last May when Imran Khan was first taken into custody.
The party cannot use the cricket bat symbol anymore. This symbol is important in a country where many people can’t read, so voters can use it to mark their ballots.
Many are doubting if next Thursday’s vote is fair, because Imran Khan, who is still one of Pakistan’s most popular politicians, and his party have been ignored.
The man expected to win is Nawaz Sharif, who has been Prime Minister three times before and came back from living outside the country. For a long time, he caused problems for the powerful military. He was put in jail for being dishonest before the 2018 election that Imran Khan won.
Now things are different. Nawaz Sharif’s legal problems have disappeared, which makes many people think that the government supports him now. At the same time, his opponent, who was once liked by the military, is not liked anymore. -
Japan earthquake: Japan earthquake zone impacted by fires and aftershocks
Rescuers are still working to help people in Japan after a strong earthquake on New Year’s Day killed at least 62 people.
Houses fell down, buildings started burning, and roads were badly broken, making it hard for rescue teams to help.
The middle of the big earthquake was in the Noto peninsula in central Japan.
The Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, said that emergency teams are working quickly to save people who are still alive.
He also said that 3,000 people are trying to reach parts of the Noto peninsula to try to help. “Helicopter surveys revealed lots of fires and damage to buildings and infrastructure. ” Wajima, a city at the top of Noto, can’t be reached by road.
In Suzu, a city by the coast in Ishikawa prefecture, almost all of the homes were “completely or nearly completely destroyed”, according to the mayor, Masushiro Izumiya, who told the news outlet Kyodo.
The Japanese army is giving things like food, water, and blankets to people who had to leave their homes. The government said 57,360 people had to leave their homes.
Tens of thousands of meals are being brought to the area where people need them.
Aftershocks kept happening on Tuesday. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the top government official, told people to watch out for more strong earthquakes in the next week.
Ishikawa, which is 155 kilometers (96. 3 miles) south of the Noto peninsula, had a 4. 9 earthquake on Tuesday afternoon.
The big tsunami warnings from Japan’s government on Monday were changed to be less serious later. By Tuesday, all warnings about a tsunami along the Sea of Japan were taken away, so there was no more danger of a tsunami happening.
People living in the area of Japan that was affected by the earthquake have been talking about what happened during the quake, which went on for a few minutes.
An 82-year-old man from Nanao named Toshio Iwahama said to the BBC that his old wooden house partially fell down. He said that even though he had been through many earthquakes, he had never felt one as strong as this.
41-year-old Emma Ward from Britain was on a skiing holiday in a place called Hakuba. She said that the earthquake hit suddenly and they had to take cover under a table in a cafe. She said to the BBC that the shaking was so strong that people ran out of the building. “The scariest part of the earthquake was not knowing how bad it was going to get. ” “It’s really scary,” said Ms.Many people also said that the earthquake made them think of the terrible earthquake and tsunami in 2011. That one killed 18,000 people and caused a nuclear accident in Fukushima.
A Japan Airlines plane caught fire on Tuesday because it crashed into a coastguard aircraft at Tokyo’s Haneda airport. This happened as the plane was heading to help with the earthquake relief.
Five people on the coastguard plane died, but all 379 passengers and crew from the Japan Airlines plane were able to get away safely.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes because it’s on the Pacific Ring of Fire where tectonic plates meet.
Japan has made a really good warning system for tsunamis because they are always worried about earthquakes. -
Israel pledges to persist with challenging military operation in Gaza
The Israeli military has committed to continuing its “protracted” and “difficult” operation in Gaza, expanding ground operations in both the southern and northern Gaza Strip.
Despite calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian truce, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the war will persist until all Israeli goals are achieved.
The US, while emphasizing the critical need to protect civilians, has not requested a ceasefire.
The UN Security Council approved a resolution for large-scale aid deliveries to Gaza but did not explicitly call for a ceasefire.
Talks in Egypt for a new truce have yet to yield results.
The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 20,000 people have been killed and 54,000 injured in Gaza since the war began. Most of the dead are women and children, Hamas says.
Israel says it takes steps to avoid civilian casualties, and blames Hamas for embedding itself in densely-populated areas.
Meanwhile, the IDF has announced that 14 of its soldiers have been killed in fighting in Gaza since Friday, bringing the total to more than 150.
Responding to the deaths, Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday that the war was exacting a “very heavy price” on Israel, but that there was “no choice but to keep fighting”.
Israel says 700 Palestinian militants have been arrested since it launched its military operation and invasion of Gaza with the aim of eliminating Hamas.
The Israeli operation began after Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into southern Israel on 7 October, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.
Image caption,Many Palestinians have been forced to flee northern Gaza to the territory’s south Mr Netanyahu and Mr Biden discussed Israel’s operation in Gaza in a phone call on Saturday.
Mr Biden “emphasised the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting”, the White House said.
Mr Netanyahu “made it clear that Israel would continue the war until all of its goals have been achieved”, the Israeli PM’s office said.
In its update on Sunday, the Hamas-run health ministry said at least 166 people had been killed and 384 injured in the previous 24 hours.
The Israeli military has kept up its bombing campaign in Gaza – ordering civilians to flee.
On Saturday, it said one of its fighter jets had killed Hassah Atrash, a man it accused of smuggling weapons into Gaza to arm Hamas. There was no confirmation from Hamas.
The Israeli military has said it has almost full operational control of the north of the Gaza Strip, and is stepping up operations in the south.
The UN said the latest evacuation order affected 150,000 people in the middle of the territory.
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Libyan prime minister takes 10-day break from school
Prime Minister of Libya‘s Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba, has stopped all schooling across the country for 10 days to support Libyans impacted by the floods on 11 September.
Government of National Unity in Libya, which is recognized by other countries, announced this on Wednesday. The government’s headquarters are located in the capital city of Tripoli.
Two different governments in Libya, led by PM Al-Dabaiba and PM Osama Hamad, are working to help the people affected by floods in eastern Libya.
The statement said that schools will be used as places to stay for people affected by the flood and learning will be put on hold for now. -
Minister suspended in Libya over Israel talks
Libya’s foreign minister suspended for meeting Israeli counterpart.
Israel termed it a significant initial step toward establishing relations. However, Najla al-Mangoush stated it was an unplanned encounter during discussions with the Italian foreign minister.
An investigation has been initiated, with findings to be submitted to the prime minister within three days.
The presidential council, representing Libya’s provinces, declared normalizing relations with Israel as illegal.
Parliament’s speaker’s office accused Mangoush of grand treason, calling for an urgent session. Despite improving Israel-Arab ties, formal diplomatic relations with Libya remain absent.
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Ukrainians’ coping with war is helped by cat and dog influencers
Amid the harrowing aftermath of Russia‘s invasion, cats and dogs in Ukraine have been lending their assistance in various ways, from fundraising initiatives to explosives detection.
Among them is Patron, a mine-sniffing dog employed by Ukraine’s state emergency service. Beyond his expertise in mine-clearance, Patron’s endearing charm has garnered him a substantial online following, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
In addition to Patron, an array of animals—both real and animated—have been providing emotional solace and sharing practical advice through their social media platforms. Their guidance encompasses coping strategies for the emotional toll of war and instructions for handling encounters with explosive devices.
Patron’s endeavors have brought him into contact with a range of dignitaries and celebrities visiting Kyiv, including Orlando Bloom of “Lord of the Rings” fame, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Ukraine’s postal service has even issued stamps showcasing this canine hero. Furthermore, President Volodymyr Zelensky has conferred a medal upon Patron, recognizing his “dedicated service.”
Ukraine’s postal service has printed stamps featuring the canine hero, who has also been awarded a medal for “dedicated service” by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Image caption,Patron, a Jack Russell terrier, has appeared on postal stamps across Ukraine Patron’s owner and handler, Mykhaylo Ilyev, says his meetings with foreign dignitaries have helped Ukraine’s emergencies services secure donations of crucial mine-clearing equipment.
The Jack Russell terrier has been involved in raising funds for people affected by war, particularly his colleagues injured while clearing mines. He has taken part in charity collections for animals too.
“Our little friends are going through a rough time after being abandoned or injured. We realise that they also want to live and that they need help,” Mr Ilyev tells the BBC.
Image caption,UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Ukraine’s hero mine-hunting dog on a trip to Kyiv last year Patron’s account on Instagram offers not just pictures of the charismatic dog, but also hope, inspiration and advice for Ukrainians facing the horrors of war.
“Hope matters. We hope that this will be over soon. We hope that victory is near. We hope that people won’t be killed anymore. Sometimes hope is all we’ve got,” reads one of his posts.
“Don’t lose hope, I’m begging you. Now, let me give you a hopeful lick!”
Patron also features in a cartoon series educating children about the dangers posed by unexploded munitions.
Despite his celebrity status, Patron is still doing his mine-sniffing day job, Mr Ilyev says.
The fundraising feline
Image caption,Stepan has helped raise thousands to help animals affected by war Stepan the cat hails from Saltivka, a district in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv that has been badly damaged by Russian shelling.
Before the war, Stepan was just another incredibly cute cat from the internet. But since Russia’s full-scale invasion, his Instagram account started offering more than just pictures – it started to comment on the war.
It has now switched to Ukrainian, too, even though it previously used Russian, which was widely spoken in parts of the east and south. Many people across Ukraine did the same after Russia invaded.
“We’ve all changed mentally after seeing what sort of thing this ‘Russian world’ really is,” Stepan’s owner Anna tells the BBC, referring to a concept promoted by Russia to justify intervention abroad ostensibly in support of Russian speakers.
“Ukrainian is part of my life and the life of my country and nation,” she says.
Stepan’s account, which has 1.3m followers on Instagram, has used its popularity to help animals who have suffered in the war. Last year, he helped raise almost 15,000 euros (£12,900) which was spent on food, medicine and other care for them.
After the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine in June, the cat helped collect funds for the evacuation of animals from flooded areas.
His account was also involved in a collection to repair a library damaged by shelling in Kharkiv.
Image caption,Many animals needed rescuing from flood areas after the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed two months ago But it is not just about the money for Stepan’s account.
“He has been offering support to people, particularly children, so that they can forget the horrors of this war at least for a little while. That’s why there is a bit of humour in his posts,” Anna says.
Stepan also tackles the realities of war in his posts, including this one: “Oh how I want my country to win as soon as possible! So that there is peace for which people on the front line have sacrificed their lives. So that there are no more missiles, so that people and animals stop dying.”
The cartoon cat
Image caption,Olena Pavlova describes her cartoon cat as a “natural anti-depressant” People are more receptive to advice if it looks as though it is coming from a fluffy pet, says Olena Pavlova, who created a cartoon character called Inzhyr the cat.
“A cat picture travels much further than just words. I’ve seen it many times,” she tells me. “Pictures and memes featuring cats can help deliver a lot of important ideas. They’re easier to absorb. Cat pictures help us cope.”
“Inzhyr the cat is a natural anti-depressant. I created him to make myself and also my readers feel better. He’s positive, cuddly and nice, and he’s helping people find hope and light inside themselves,” Ms Pavlova says.
Inzhyr’s accounts on social media encourage Ukrainians to read more books and offer advice on issues such as fundraising, burnout and why everyone should be like a cat.
“Cats waste no effort, but are determined in achieving their goals,” one of his posts reads.
Sound words of advice for anyone, whether at war or not.
Image caption,Inzhyr, the cartoon cat, says: “Dreams come true if you try” -
Civilian prime minister from Niger visits Chad
The civilian prime minister appointed by Niger’s junta, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, along with two other members of the ruling military council, embarked on a visit to Chad on Tuesday to engage in discussions with interim President Gen Mahamat Idriss Déby.
Mr. Zeine, recognized as the diplomatic representative of the military administration, conveyed that his country was presently under a “transitional” government and restated the junta’s willingness to engage in dialogue.
However, he emphasized that the junta would engage in discussions solely with “partners” who uphold his nation’s sovereignty.
Chadian President Déby has been actively attempting to mediate between the Niger junta and the ousted government of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Chad has also declared its non-involvement in any military actions directed against the leaders of the Niger coup.
Concurrently, the heads of the armed forces from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are set to convene in Accra, the capital of Ghana, on Thursday and Friday to deliberate on the situation in Niger.
These military leaders reportedly plan to strategize a course of action for potential military intervention in Niger, aiming to restore power to Mr. Bazoum.
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Niger junta names new prime minister
Following the coup on July 26, the commander of the Niger junta, Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, appointed a former finance minister to the position of prime minister.
Mahamadou Ouhoumoudou is replaced by Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine since he was in Europe at the time of the coup.
From 2001 until the army overthrew the late former President Mamadou Tandja in 2010, Mr. Zeine, who is believed to be in his 50s, served as cabinet director and finance minister.
A junta spokeswoman delivered a statement announcing his appointment on the public television network Télé Sahel on Monday night.
According to the privately owned ActuNiger news website, Mr. Zeine has recently worked for the African Development Bank in Gabon, Ivory Coast, and Chad.
Along with appointing Brig. Gen. Amadou Didilli as the nation’s High Authority for Peace Consolidation (HACP) leader and Brig. Gen. Abou Tague Mahamadou as the inspector general of the army and national gendarmerie, the junta made these appointments on Monday.
It designated Lt Col Habibou Assoumane as the commander of the presidential guard and Col Ibro Amadou Bachirou as the junta leader’s personal chief of staff.
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Family holds vigil to protest imprisoned British-Egyptian activist
On Monday, the family of a British-Egyptian activist who is currently imprisoned organized a vigil outside the foreign ministry in London. The purpose of the vigil was to draw attention to a call made by 100 British lawmakers for the adoption of “fresh approaches” to secure the activist’s release.
The activist in question, Alaa Abdel Fattah, is a prominent advocate for democracy and human rights. He is serving a five-year prison sentence for the charge of “spreading false news” after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality.
Alaa Abdel Fattah played a significant role in the 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow of Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak. He obtained British citizenship in 2022 through his mother, who was born in Britain.
Expressing their concern, the lawmakers emphasized the lack of progress in securing the activist’s release. They highlighted that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had personally raised the case with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the COP27 climate summit in November of the previous year.
“Private lobbying of the Egyptian government even at the highest levels is yet to deliver results. This calls for fresh approaches,” the lawmakers from the lower and upper house of the UK parliament say in a letter to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly which was submitted on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron also took up the 41-year-old’s case with Sisi and US President Joe Biden raised human rights issues.
Abdel Fattah’s sister, Mona Seif, told AFP the family wanted to see the British government make his case a “top priority”.
“We are asking them to shift gear. They have been using this approach of soft diplomacy and raising Alaa’s case for over a year-and-a-half now and they haven’t received anything in return,” she said.
Rights groups say there are more than 60,000 “prisoners of conscience” who have been jailed in Egypt under the rule of President Al-Sisi.
Sisi deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, before being elected the following year.
– Hunger strike –
At the time of the climate meet in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Abdel Fattah had been on hunger strike for seven months.
On the day the conference opened he had begun refusing water too.
The British lawmakers want the UK to “take the lead on a joint statement on Egypt” at the UN Human Rights Council and to update the UK’s travel advice to align it with the United States.
The US government warns that US citizenship does not provide protection from detention or arrest in Egypt and that those detained may be subject to “prolonged interrogations and extended detention”.
Abdel Attah’s sister Mona added that she believed a joint statement on Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council would almost certainly be “effective” in persuading the Egyptian government to move on the case.
“We know that a lot of countries would be willing to join in on a statement… but it needs to be led by the UK government because they have a higher stake, they have one of their citizens in arbitrary detention,” she said.
The lawmakers’ letter adds that the British embassy in Cairo has been prevented from visiting Abdel Fattah in jail for the past 18 months.
His mother Laila Soueif, a mathematician, said she could not understand why the UK government had been unable to secure this and described the situation as “unacceptable”.
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Italy mourns former Prime Minister Berlusconi
Italy is immersed in a day of national mourning as the nation bids farewell to its former Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
The flamboyant figure, known for his tumultuous personal life and media empire, is being honored with a ceremony that matches the grandeur and drama of his own life’s soap opera.
Leading the state funeral at Milan’s magnificent cathedral is the Archbishop of Milan, symbolizing the significant role Berlusconi played in Italian politics and society. The solemn event serves as a moment of reflection and remembrance for the man who, despite lacking prior political experience, rose to power and left an indelible mark on the nation.
As a gesture of respect, both Italian and European flags on public buildings throughout the country have been lowered to half-mast, a poignant symbol of mourning and tribute to the charismatic leader.
The square outside the cathedral filled up with thousands of people waving Forza Italian flags and AC Milan flags, clapping and chanting: “Silvio will always be our president.”
This kind of tribute is unprecedented for a former prime minister. A state funeral is a privilege usually reserved for popes, war heroes and serving ministers.
Milan is a city deeply associated with Silvio Berlusconi – this is where he was born and where he started his career, selling vacuum cleaners.
Maxi-screens have been set up in the main square, which filled during the morning with people coming to say a final farewell.
Behind the scenes, a true succession story is also playing out.
During his lifetime, Berlusconi amassed a vast empire that spanned media, real estate, finance, cinema and sport – as well as a powerful political party that is part of Italy’s current government.
He was one of Italy’s richest men. According to Forbes, his business assets are worth about €6bn (£5.15bn).
But he never publicly indicated who should lead his business empire after his death and there are also big questions over the future of the Forza Italia party he created.
Image caption,Marina Berlusconi already chairs Fininvest and is most likely to take over the family’s holding company Berlusconi has two children from his first marriage and three from his second. All of them have stakes in Fininvest, his holding company.
The future of his business interests will likely depend on how he has chosen to distribute the 61% stake he had in Fininvest.
Will there be equal shares for all, or more for the two eldest children, Marina and Pier Silvio, who have held management roles in the empire since the early 1990s?
Image caption,This 1993 picture shows Silvio Berlusconi with his wife Veronica and their 3 children, Luigi, Eleonora and Barbara Other valuable assets are undoubtedly Berlusconi’s numerous luxurious villas. They could be tricky to pass on to his offspring in an equal way.
His Villa San Martino in Arcore, north-east of Milan, covers 3,500 sq m and dates back to the 18th Century. He also has homes at Lake Maggiore, in Rome, Cannes, the Caribbean and elsewhere.
The jewel in Berlusconi’s crown of properties is Villa Certosa, a mansion in Sardinia that he bought in the 1970s.
He hosted world leaders there, from Vladimir Putin to George W. Bush. It has 126 rooms and looks like a theme park – including a fake volcano that erupts lava. Its value is estimated at €259m.
People close to the family have described Berlusconi as “the glue” who kept his children united.
There has been no dispute so far over who takes over the empire – that is expected to fall to his oldest child Marina, 56, considered closest of the five to her father.
The big question is whether that family unity can be maintained now that Berlusconi has gone, and what impact that might have on the future of his business empire.
His death could prove disastrous for the future of his political party. Can Forza Italia survive without its charismatic creator – or could it fall apart in a matter of months?
He was the ultimate populist leader, and unsurprisingly, the party he created was entirely shaped around his persona.
His right-hand man, foreign minister Antonio Tajani, has categorically denied its future is at risk: “It’s unthinkable that the party would disappear.”
But Forza Italia’s share of the vote had already slipped to 8% in last September’s general election.
Many Italians who backed the party did so because they were Berlusconi loyalists and it will be tricky to appoint a successor they will warm to.
In reality, party members will probably look to the Berlusconi family to make a decision.
Will the two eldest, Marina and Pier Silvio, want to keep investing in their father’s political creation, or will they turn off the financial tap and cut their losses?
Image caption,Pier Silvio Berlusconi runs the commercial TV side of the family’s Fininvest holding Without their financial support, Forza Italia has no chance of surviving. Berlusconi heavily funded his party – reportedly injecting it with nearly €100m.
There is some speculation that Marina could succeed him as leader, but for now this remains a rumour. She is seen as more of a behind-the-scenes operator.
Another unknown is Berlusconi’s partner Marta Fascina, who is 53 years his junior. She’s an MP in his party and has said several times that “her passion is politics and she grew up with the myth of Silvio Berlusconi”.
Berlusconi’s eldest daughter reportedly blocked his plan to marry her last year. So there is a cloud over Ms Fascina’s future role in her late partner’s party.
Image caption,Marta Fascina (left) is an MP in Berlusconi’s party, which plays an important role in the coalition of Giorgia Meloni (right) One thing is certain: if Forza Italia does fracture, it would be a big problem for the other members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition government.
Political instability looms after Wednesday’s day of national mourning.
In a country so well-known for regular political crises, a government collapse triggered by the disintegration of one of the coalition partners does not seem such an unlikely scenario.
Until now, Berlusconi’s children have avoided the limelight. But his death might force them to emerge from the shadows to take the reins of his empire.
Berlusconi had health problem for years so it is likely he and his children had thought all of this through.
They might opt for an easy transition heralded by their eldest sister Marina, rather than get into a succession battle which could go wrong.
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Italy’s former PM, Berlusconi, dies at 86
Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, known for his ability to rebound from sex scandals and corruption allegations, has passed away at the age of 86.
According to Italian media, Berlusconi died at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital. In April, he had received treatment for a lung infection associated with a previously undisclosed case of chronic leukemia.
Berlusconi, a charismatic billionaire media mogul, initially assumed office in 1994 and served as the head of four governments until 2011.
He led the center-right Forza Italia party, which later formed a coalition with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following the September elections. During these elections, Berlusconi himself was elected to Italy’s upper house, the Senate.
Berlusconi’s political career was marked by controversies and legal battles, but he remained a prominent figure in Italian politics for several decades. His passing marks the end of an era in Italian politics, leaving behind a complex and influential legacy.
More soon….
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Australian leader gives India’s prime minister a warming welcome
In a gushing opening speech at a stadium on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and compared him to the American rocker Bruce Springsteen.
As he prepares to run for office, Modi is paying his first visit to Sydney in nine years. At the same time, Australia is looking to strengthen its commercial ties with the world’s most populated market as its relations with China have deteriorated.
Tuesday, Albanese served as the host and warm-up act while performing on stage at the Qudos Bank Arena, a large entertainment complex located in the city’s Olympic Park.
“The last time I saw someone on the stage here was Bruce Springsteen, and he didn’t get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got,” Albanese said.
“You have brought the spirit of the world’s biggest democracy to Australia,” Albanese said of his “dear friend,” adding the Indian leader has helped strengthen Australia’s democracy.
“Prime Minister Modi is the boss!” he added, to thunderous applausefrom a crowd dominated by Australia’s Indian diaspora.
Originally planned as a summit for leaders from the Quad, which includes the United States and Japan, Modi’s trip to Australia comes as Canberra is trying to bolster its relationship with New Delhi in a bid to grow economic ties and reinforce their strategic partnership, as the West attempts to thwart the rise of an increasingly assertive China.
“In the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T20 mode,” Modi said during a joint appearance with Albanese. “Our democratic values are the foundation of our ties. Our relations are based on mutual trust and respect. The Indian community in Australia is a living bridge between our countries.”
Modi also met with several “prominent Australian personalities,” according to a statement from the Indian government, including international chef Sarah Todd and Australian singer Guy Sebastian.
In a series of videos published to Modi’s Twitter account, several of these personalities were filmed praising the leader.
“He was so warm and so kind,” Sebastian said of their interaction.
His warm welcome is symbolic of his immense public appeal among many Indians living overseas, as well as his emergence as a key player in the global order.
But the leader and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also come under increasing scrutiny for a clampdown on free speech and discriminatory policies toward minority groups in the secular democracy of 1.4 billion, something Western leaders rarely address publicly when Modi visits.
When asked by reporters whether Albanese will press Modi on some of these issues, the Australian leader skirted the issue, saying he had a “respectful” relationship with his Indian counterpart.
“India is, of course, the world’s largest democracy. Here in Australia, of course, people have a right to express their views in a peaceful way, and people, we all have different views about people in politics,” Albanese said. “Australia, of course, always stands up for human rights, wherever it occurs anywhere in the world.”
India has also repeatedly abstained from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations, instead reiterating a need for “diplomacy and dialogue,” while buying up huge amounts of Moscow’s oil despite western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
Albanese said he respected that India “is responsible for its own international relations” and acknowledged the South Asian nation’s history of non-alignment.
“India is a great supporter of peace and security and stability in our region,” he said.
Modi’s Australia visit caps a busy week of diplomatic activity and travel.
Over the weekend, he was in Papua New Guinea, where he met with Prime Minister James Marape and pledged his support for the Pacific Islands.
Days earlier Modi had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan – the first time they had come face-to-face since Russia’s invasion began.
And next month, US President Joe Biden will host Modi at the White House.
Modi’s diplomatic flurry comes in a pivotal year for the leader.
India has assumed the Group of 20 (G20) presidency this year, playing host to a series of important events in the country, while marketing itself as a leader of the Global South. Modi is also gearing up for an election year in 2024, seeking to secure a momentous second decade in power.
And while India grows increasingly close to the West and its allies, critics have accused Western leaders of turning a blind eye to some of New Delhi’s alleged human rights abuses playing out at home.
Earlier this year, India banned a BBC documentary critical of Modi’s alleged role in the deadly 2002 Gujarat riots, in which more than 1,000 people – mostly Muslims – were killed, in a move lambasted by free speech advocates.
In March, Rahul Gandhi, the former leader of India’s main opposition political party and one of the few figures that has the kind of star power and name recognition needed to challenge Modi, was stripped of his lawmaker status after he was handed a two-year jail sentence for defamation.
Critics of the BJP and Gandhi’s supporters say the case is politically motivated.
Earlier this month, Modi’s party lost its only stronghold in the country’s south after Karnataka state voted in favor of Gandhi’s Congress Party.
Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to Sydney as Australia’s capital. Canberra is the capital.
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Vote of no-confidence against Macron on despised pension measures
After forcing through controversial pension reforms, French President Emmanuel Macron will face votes of no-confidence on Monday, drawing outrage from parliamentarians and nationwide protests.
Whatever of the outcome, Macron’s government is expected to survive the motions, and he will continue to serve as president. Yet, the backlash against the reforms doesn’t appear to be abating.
The contentious law to raise the retirement age for the majority of workers from 62 to 64 was forced through by the French government on Thursday by using special constitutional powers.
On Friday, French lawmakers filed two motions of no-confidence against the Prime Minister – one from a grouping of small parties, and one from National Rally, a far-right party.
In order to be successful, the majority of sitting lawmakers – 287 of them – would need to vote in favor.
If successful, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne would have to resign and the pension reform legislation would be rejected. This would leave French President Emmanuel Macron with the option to either replace the prime minister or dissolve the parliament.
The move to oust Macron’s government is believed to be unlikely to succeed, however, since the pension reforms also have the support of the Republican party, making it harder for the rest of the opposition parties to get the absolute majority needed.
“There will be no majority for these votes of no confidence. Responsibly, we do not want to add chaos to chaos and let our country sink into disorder,” the leader of the Republican group Eric Ciotti tweeted.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also downplayed suggestions that the vote might be successful.
“There will be no majority to bring the government down, but it will be a moment of truth,” Le Maire told local news outlet Le Parisien.
“I understand our countrymen’s fears and anxieties, but we will definitely not improve things by denying economic reality,” he added.
With one of the lowest retirement ages in the industrialized world, France also spends more than most other countries on pensions at nearly 14% of economic output, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation.
The government argues that the current system – relying on the working population to pay for a growing age group of retirees – is no longer fit for purpose.
Yet the protests took aim not only at the pension reform, but the constitutional power used to force it through.
Unable to gain majority support for the bill in parliament, Macron resorted to using Article 49.3, which enabled his government to pass the bill through the National Assembly without a vote.
The move has been widely condemned by protesters and lawmakers as undemocratic.
“We are facing a president who makes use of a permanent coup d’état,” Olivier Faure, leader of the French Socialist Party, told local media Thursday.
Over the weekend, protesters gathered spontaneously in several cities, sometimes clashing with the police.
There were 169 people detained during protests across France on Saturday, according to the Interior Ministry.
In addition, workers in various sectors have been taking industrial action to protest the move.
Authorities in charge of civil air traffic have asked airlines to cancel 20% of their flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Air France has warned of flight cancellations in the upcoming days.
Oil refineries and storage facilities are also impacted, with 39% of TotalEnergie workers on strike Monday, according to a statement from the company, and more than 10,000 tons of garbage are littering the streets of Paris as trash collectors have been on strike for the past two weeks.
And the situation could worsen as unions have called for nationwide strikes and protests this Thursday, hoping to bring the country to a standstill.
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Nurses and NHS staff suspends strike as payment of pay deal reached
In an effort to curtail widespread NHS staff walkouts, nurses and ambulance personnel have been promised 5% wage increases beginning next month.
The Government has announced a new agreement with the nurses’ unions, but the staff must still approve it.
The Government and the Unions have been at odds over pay for more than a week, and it has taken several months of unrest for the offer to materialize.
The final offer has been agreed, according to the NHS Staff Council, which represents nurses, ambulance drivers, and other NHS employees.
Ambulance members of Unison and Unite were due to strike next Monday and physiotherapists were going to walk out later this month, but the action has been called off.
The offer consists of a one-off payment for the current financial year 2022/23 worth between £1,655 and £3,789 for Agenda for Change staff in England and a 5% consolidated pay increase for 2023/24.
In an additional commitment to the nurses and ambulance staff, the government has agreed to create a new pay spine exclusively for all nursing staff with the intention of it coming into force for 2024/25.
Government and NHS unions reach pay offer
NHS Staff have been in a battle over pay for the last few months (Picture: Getty) Mr Barclay has said he thinks it is a ‘fair deal’ (Picture: Sky News) Rishi Sunak and Steve Barclay met with nurses on a thoracic ward, as the Prime Minister told staff the new offer was ‘hot off the press information’.
He said: ‘I hope that you’ve heard the good news.
‘We’ve been working really hard at it, but we’ve managed to find a great agreement with the Royal College of Nursing and all the other unions to make sure you guys all get recognised and rewarded for the fantastic job you do for us.
‘And do that in a way that works for us as well and is affordable, so we’re really pleased.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a visit to St George’s hospital in London (Picture: PA) The agreed deal is far from what nurses had originally demanded at the end of last year.
Nurses walked out for the first time in the RCN’s 105-year history because they wanted a pay rise of 19.2% to compensate for huge inflation, back in December.
The government previously indicated it could only afford a 3.5% pay increase for staff.
Earlier this year unions indicated they would settle for a 10% rise.
It is still unclear where the money for the rise will come from, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt didn’t include any funding in his Budget yesterday.
Unions will have to ballot their members before the dispute ends, and would suspend future strikes while that happens.
Last month Members of the Royal College of Nurses (RCN), which represents tens of thousands of nurses, were set to walk out for 48 hours from March 1-3.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the offer amounts to a ‘fair pay rise’.
He said: ‘I hugely admire the incredible work of NHS staff, including during the pandemic and the progress they have made to tackle the resulting backlog.
‘This offer will give nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and other non-medical staff a fair pay rise while protecting our commitment to halve inflation.
‘We have engaged in constructive and meaningful discussions with unions and NHS Employers and I look forward to continuing our work together to make the NHS a better place to work.’
Mr Barclay said that funding for the deal will not come at the expense of patients.
He said: ‘Obviously how these things are funded are a matter for the Chancellor.
‘We have been very clear in terms of the discussions we have had with the trade unions this will not come from patient-facing aspects.
‘Of course we will look at areas of underspend, areas of administrative saving and discuss these things with the Treasury in the usual way.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is ‘really pleased’ that the Government and unions have come to an agreement that will end the strike action.
He said: ‘It is right that we reward our hardworking NHS staff, who showed bravery and dedication throughout the pandemic and continue to make phenomenal progress to tackle waiting lists.’
‘Importantly this deal is also affordable for the taxpayer and continues to deliver on my promise to halve inflation.
‘We have taken a reasonable approach throughout and this offer is good for NHS staff, it’s good for the taxpayer and most importantly it is good news for patients whose care will no longer be disrupted by strike action.’
Downing Street said the Prime Minister did not view the NHS pay deal as inflationary.
Asked whether the deal could lead to a rise in inflation, a spokesman said: ‘We don’t believe so. The two one-off payments for 22/23 we don’t believe will create future inflationary pressures.
‘The award next year for 23/24 is broadly in line with pay growth in the wider economy, so won’t drive significant growth in private sector pay.’
Asked why the UK Government had apparently rowed back on the idea of awarding any pay rise worth more than 3.5%, the spokesman replied: ‘We weren’t prepared to have the talks unless the unions called off the disruptive strike action.
‘You’ll remember when this issue first arose, the ask was for a 19.2% pay rise, which wouldn’t have been affordable.’
He added: ‘We believe it is fair for everyone involved and it ultimately protects the Prime Minister’s promise to halve inflation and ensure patients don’t experience any more disruption (in relation) to these particular strikes.’
Health Secretary has said he wants nurses to suspend strike action. Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton said: ‘It’s a shame it took so long to get here. Health workers had to take many days of strike action, and thousands more had to threaten to join them, to get their unions into the room and proper talks underway.
‘But following days of intensive talks between the Government, unions and employers, there’s now an offer on the table for NHS staff.
‘If accepted, the offer would boost pay significantly this year and mean a wage increase next year that’s more than the Government had budgeted for.
‘This is better than having to wait many more months for the NHS pay review body to make its recommendation.
‘Unison will now be putting this offer to the hundreds of thousands of health members in the union in the next few weeks, recommending acceptance.
‘In the coming days, health workers will have the chance to look at the full detail of what’s on offer and decide whether that’s enough to end the dispute. While that process takes place any planned industrial action will be paused.’
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: ‘The government was forced into these negotiations and to reopen the pay award as a result of the historic pressure from nursing staff.Se
‘Members took the hardest of decisions to go on strike and I believe they have been vindicated today.
‘After tough negotiations, there are a series of commitments here that our members can see will make a positive impact on the nursing profession, the NHS and the people who rely on it.
‘Our members will have their say on it and I respect everybody’s perspective. Each should look closely at what it means for them.
‘As well as the additional money now, we have made real progress with the government on safe staffing measures, a new pay structure for nursing, support for newly qualified staff and pensions too.
‘It is not a panacea, but it is real tangible progress and the RCN’s member leaders are asking fellow nursing staff to support what our negotiations have secured.’
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Greek Prime Minister makes a commitment to address long-standing railway issues
Following the nation’s bloodiest train catastrophe on record, which provoked widespread demonstrations, Greece’s prime minister has pledged to raise the safety standards of the nation’s railway system.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis once more expressed regret for the event from last month, when a passenger train carrying largely university students was involved in a collision with a freight train near the city of Larissa, resulting in 57 fatalities and scores more injuries.
In particular, but also on behalf of everyone who ran the nation for a long time, I reiterate my public apology,” Mitsotakis stated.
“I therefore assume responsibility. And we cannot, we do not want to, we must not hide behind a series of human errors,” he added.
The day after the deadly collision, Mitsotakis blamed “tragic human error,” sparking demonstrations against chronic faults in the railway system and demanding justice for the victims. In a change of tone, on Sunday he emphasized that Greece “cannot, will not, and must not hide behind human error.”
Speaking on Thursday, the Prime Minister promised “absolute transparency” and said that if the installation of digital control systems had been completed “this incident would have been practically impossible to have happened.”
The fact that this system “will be up and running in a few months from now is no excuse,” he added. “It makes my personal pain even greater as we didn’t get to install it before this tragic incident happened.”
Tens of thousands of people participated in protests organized by worker unions and student groups on Wednesday across major Greek cities, calling for government responsibility and better safety standards.
“This crime should not be covered up,” they chanted, holding signs with the names of those killed.
Further strikes are due in Greece to protest the fatal collision.
European Commission experts have met with the Greek government to discuss “the complete reorganization” of the Greek railway.
Mitsotakis said during the ministerial council that he has asked the commission for technical assistance and additional funding.
The Greek government was initially planning to hold elections in early April but is now widely expected to push it back until after Easter. Its term ends in July.
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Two military aircraft collide in midair
Two pilots were killed in an Italian midair collision, which was captured on horrifying video.
According to reports, two military aircraft collided while participating in a “pre-planned training flight” with four other aircraft.
The pilots involved passed away right away.
One jet came down in a field, and the other crashed into a car in a neighborhood close to Rome.
Video of the wreckage, between Longarina and via delle Margherite, shows flames spreading through the street.
One plane landed on a car in a residential area in Rome – sparking a huge fire The crash took place at 11.50am and is being investigated.
RomaToday reports the planes were both U-208 military aircraft who were carrying out ‘manoeuvres in the sky above the suburbs of Rome.’
A resident, Simone, told the publication: ‘I saw them crash before my eyes.
‘There were four planes. One lost its wing behind and started spinning on itself until it crashed and caught fire. It seemed they were doing formation tests.
The second plane landed in a field in Guidonia Both pilots died instantly in the collision ‘It was over my head and I heard the engine stalling after a bang.’
Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s newly elected Prime Minister who came to power in October, paid tribute to the pilots who lost their lives in the tragedy.
She said in a statement: ‘The news of the death of the two air force pilots in the plane crash in Guidonia fills us with sadness.
‘On behalf of the Government, I express my deepest condolences and my closeness to the families, colleagues of the 60th Wing and the entire Air Force corps. Our prayers go out to them.’
Hundreds of firefighters and military personnel rushed to the scene of both planes.
Rescue teams have been pictured assessing the damage.
The U-208 ultralight aircraft can carry up to four passengers, plus the pilot, and have a top speed of up to 177 mph.
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Trudeau’s TikTok ban to curb social media reach of opposition leaders
The leaders of Canada’s two main opposition parties, who have used TikTok more actively than the ruling Liberals to win over supporters, stand to suffer the consequences of the country’s ban on Chinese-owned TikTok on devices provided by the government.
The leaders of the two biggest opposition parties – Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre and New Democratic party leader Jagmeet Singh – are among politicians who actively used TikTok to reach constituents.
But that strategy may be in jeopardy after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government on Monday announced a ban on TikTok on government-issued devices due to security risks, amid fears that user data could end up in Chinese government hands.
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That prompted lawmakers from both the ruling Liberals and opposition Conservatives to go even further by suspending their accounts on TikTok. Liberal lawmakers were also told to remove the app from personal devices and suspend all related accounts, the party said.
The NDP’s Singh, whose party has an agreement that is expected to keep Trudeau’s minority government in power until 2025, also similarly deactivated his account on Tuesday.
Singh, who made TikTok videos of dance moves in his signature neon turbans in the 2021 election, has used TikTok to post videos of his political plans and his family, helping him accumulate more than 800,000 followers.
By contrast, the ruling Liberal Party had a more modest presence on TikTok – Trudeau, for example, did not have a public account on the app.
“Any limitation on social media is a problem for any opposition politician,” Nik Nanos of Nanos Research told Reuters, saying they do not have the incumbent advantage of being featured regularly on more traditional media outlets.
Singh’s office said it takes “all security concerns seriously and we will comply with any directives issued about banning TikTok from government devices to ensure that information is protected.”
Singh also told reporters that taking a pause to assess how to safely use the social media platform is “something that I feel very comfortable doing and I have no hesitation to do.”
AN OPPOSITION PROBLEM
There is no doubting the reach and appeal of apps like TikTok to target voters: Insider Intelligence projects 9 million Canadians will use the app this year and over 10 million will do so by 2025 – more than a quarter of Canada’s population.
But TikTok – owned by Chinese firm ByteDance – is facing a growing backlash from Western governments worried about whether China’s government could harvest user data or advance its interests. Beijing has repeatedly denied any such intentions.
The European Parliament became the latest EU body to ban the app from staff phones this week and on Wednesday a U.S. House panel approved a bill giving President Biden the power to ban the app altogether.
TikTok has also complained about the Canadian ban, saying it was issued “without citing any specific security concern or contacting us.”
Analysts like Nanos say anything that limits or undermines the role of social media as a platform could be a problem for politicians like the Conservatives’ Poilievre, who has shunned mainstream media in Ottawa.
Poilievre’s account, deactivated this week alongside that of his entire caucus, garnered around 200,000 followers.
Poilievre – who has styled himself as an anti-establishment figure – has relied on a strategy of directly reaching voters through social media platforms such as TikTok, where he frequently attacks opponents and makes parody videos.
“It’s always much more difficult for opposition politicians to insert themselves into the dialogue,” Nanos said.
($1 = 1.3626 Canadian dollars)
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Ursula von der Leyen arrives to complete the Brexit agreement
On Monday, when the head of the European Commission traveled to London to discuss the protocol with the prime minister, Rishi Sunak might reach an agreement on a Brexit settlement involving Northern Ireland.
After months of negotiations, Mr. Sunak is reportedly approaching “final talks” with Ursula von der Leyen, which could result in a breakthrough, according to Downing Street.
Early in the morning, Mrs. von der Leyen arrived in London.Before disclosing the specifics of any reached agreement to voters and Lawmakers, Mr. Sunak intends to brief his Cabinet.
However, if the deal doesn’t meet the requests of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the party could continue to prevent a Northern Ireland devolved government from forming.
The deal could also pit the prime minister against hardline Brexiteers on his own backbenches.
MPs may get to vote on “part of the deal”, according to reports, but Downing Street has not fully committed to giving Parliament a vote.
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UK to lunch new Brexit deal next week after intensive of calls
A fresh Brexit arrangement might be announced by Rishi Sunak as soon as next week.
MPs are anticipated to learn that a three-line whip will be in effect starting on Monday after cabinet ministers were asked to attend an eleventh-hour session on Sunday.
The Prime Minister’s new plan will hinge, however, on the backing of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), with failing talks likely leading to further delays.
Sunak is expected to hold more talks with the DUP and top EU officials before any announcements are made, the Times reported today.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been critical of Sunak’s plans (Picture: Ben Cawthra/LNP) Ever since the UK voted to leave the EU, the question of Northern Ireland’s border with Ireland, an EU member, has plagued ministers.
Boris Johnson’s Northern Ireland protocol re-introduces custom checks on goods entering the country from mainland Britain.
In other words, it effectively leaves half of Northern Ireland inside the EU’s customs union and single market and half inside the British one.
Politicians, though, aren’t exactly eager to have checkpoints back, the kind Northern Ireland and Ireland did away with after joining the EU.
And pro-Brexit politicians see the protocol as a way for the bloc to retain power over the country.
Ever since Johnson’s ‘oven-ready’ deal went back to the drawing board, Sunak has sought to broker revised trade rules for Northern Ireland.
His new Brexit deal would see a prime minister once again gamble with their political career, an issue that cost David Cameron and Theresa May their jobs.
The UK’s exit from the EU has proved divisive, to say the least (Picture: WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto) The premier met with pro-unionist leaders keen to maintain ties with Britain last week in Belfast to get their backing.
Since the protocol, the DUP has refused to return to a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland – so Sunak’s new deal was crucial in tempting the party back.
But Sunak’s new deal was set to be announced this week until leaks of its contents prompted backlash from the DUP and Eurosceptic Tory MPs.
Under Sunak’s plans, almost all checks would have been scrapped and Westminster allowed to set Northern Ireland’s VAT and state aid policies.
It would also have given the Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont, and the UK government the right to hash out new EU laws impacting the territory.
Johnson warned this week that dropping the Northern Ireland protocol would be a big mistake.
‘I think the best way forward is the Northern Ireland bill,’ he told Sky News.
‘It’s a very good bill. It fixes all the problems. It solves the problems that we have in the Irish Sea, it solves the problems of paperwork, VAT and so on.’
‘I’d go with that one,’ he added.
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Chris Hipkins: Uphill battle looms for New Zealand’s next PM
New Zealand MP Chris Hipkins says succeeding Jacinda Ardern as prime minister after her shock decision to resign amounts to “the biggest responsibility and the biggest privilege of my life”.
“The weight of that responsibility is still sinking in,” he told reporters on parliament’s steps in Wellington on Saturday, in his first appearance since being nominated.
An experienced MP and career politician, Chris Hipkins is seen as the safest choice for Labour at the moment. He already has the education, Covid response and policing portfolios under his belt.
Speaking to the Guardian in 2021, he said one of his political strengths was “understanding how the machinery of government operates, which is something that I’ve developed over about 20 years”.
But even with that political pedigree, the incoming leader faces a steep uphill battle to convince New Zealanders that he and his centre-left Labour party are fit to lead the country for another term, when they go to the polls in October.
- Chris Hipkins set to be New Zealand’s next PM
There are two things the party currently lacks: favourable public opinion and Jacinda Ardern’s star power – even though that has faded lately.
Around the world, Ms Ardern is still considered something of a global figurehead, a rock star of international politics.
Image caption,Jacinda Ardern won many admirers worldwide Since taking power in 2017 aged 37 and steering the country through major crises – the Christchurch mosque shootings in which 51 people were killed, the White Island volcanic eruption and Covid-19 pandemic – Ms Ardern has become a symbol of a new generation of female leaders inspiring young women all over the world.
At her peak she was extremely popular here in New Zealand too. But that has significantly changed, with recent polls putting her personal popularity at an all-time low.
New Zealanders are bearing the brunt of a deteriorating economy post-Covid, with inflation that has compounded the cost of living crisis and concern about crime rates.
The contrast between the sentiment towards Jacinda Ardern globally and at home is quite stark. From world leaders to actors and music stars, the reaction to her shock departure was one of sadness.
At home many said how happy they were that she was going. Others described her exit as a political tactic, given how unpopular the Labour Party has become – leaving before being pushed out.
BBC
Unfortunately Covid knocked her. It also knocked the economyTina Watson
Tina Watson, visiting her children in New Zealand, blamed Ms Ardern for separating her from her family during the Covid border closures. Ms Watson is originally from the UK and now lives in South Africa. She told me she was “thrilled” that Ms Ardern had resigned, when I met her and her partner outside parliament in Wellington.
“I was here when they elected her [in 2017],” Ms Watson said. “I was really impressed. I thought ‘wow! this thirty-odd year-old lady – this is a moving country’,” she said.
But she said the Ardern government’s Covid response, including strict lockdowns and long border closures, had changed her opinion.
“Unfortunately Covid knocked her. It also knocked the economy,” she said.
While the country has now opened its borders there’s still a sour taste among New Zealanders about what they had to endure during the pandemic.
The long-standing restrictions initially helped control the number of infections and fatalities, but led to increased anger and criticism of Jacinda Ardern and her government.
In February 2022 anti-vaccine protesters occupied the parliament grounds in Wellington for more than two weeks, blocking streets in the capital’s central business district with their cars.
It was a clear sign of the darkening mood of the country.
Jacinda Ardern has been on the receiving end of regular misogyny and abuse. In one incident a group of anti-vaccine protesters chased her van down a driveway as she visited a Christchurch primary school, with some in the crowd shouting “shame on you” and “traitor”.
Image caption,A year ago anti-vaccine protesters marched through Christchurch Chris Hipkins, who led New Zealand’s response to the pandemic in 2020, has previously conceded that strict lockdowns should have been scaled back sooner.
As one of the primary architects of the Covid response his association with the Ardern government could now come back to haunt him politically.
He paid tribute to her, saying she had been “an incredible prime minister” who had “provided calm, stable, reassuring leadership, which I hope to continue to do”.
But he also addressed the abuse and misogyny she has had to deal with.
“There has been an escalation in vitriol, and I want to acknowledge that some politicians have been the subject of that more than others,” he said. Ms Ardern “has absolutely been on the receiving end of some absolutely intolerable and unacceptable behaviour,” he added.
In an effort to highlight some of this, video compilations of sexist questions she has been asked have been shared on social media. They include talking about her hair colour and even comments on when her daughter may have been conceived.
In November Ms Ardern was praised for her quick response when a male reporter suggested that she was meeting Finland’s Sanna Marin because both were young female prime ministers.
At the press conference in Auckland, Ms Ardern said she wondered “whether or not anyone ever asked Barack Obama and [former New Zealand PM] John Key if they met because they were of similar age”.
https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.47.2/iframe.htmlMedia caption,
Watch: New Zealand and Finland PMs shoot down ‘similar age’ question from reporter
After announcing her resignation Ms Ardern rejected suggestions by some commentators that experiences of misogyny had played a role in her decision.
She said she had a “message for women in leadership and girls who are considering leadership in the future” that “you can have a family and be in these roles”, adding “you can lead in your own style”.
On Thursday she said she hoped she would leave behind a belief “that you can be kind and strong… that you can be your own kind of leader, one that knows when to go”.
The challenge for Chris Hipkins and the Labour Party is not just whether they can convince New Zealanders that they will be able to turn the economy and public opinion around.
The bigger question is how closely he associates himself with the “Jacinda Ardern brand”. That star quality that delivered a landslide Labour win in 2020 has almost the opposite effect now.
The incoming PM will have to assert his own leadership brand and convince New Zealanders that it’s the one they need going forward.
Source: BBC
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Netanyahu’s hard-line new government takes office in Israel
Image caption, Benjamin Netanyahu said his administration would “restore governance, peace and personal security” The most religious and hard-line government in Israel’s history has been sworn in.
Benjamin Netanyahu returns as prime minister, after his Likud party formed a coalition with ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies.
There is domestic and international concern it will inflame the conflict with the Palestinians, damage the judiciary and restrict minority rights.
Mr Netanyahu has promised to pursue peace and safeguard civil rights.
Addressing a special session of the Knesset (parliament) in Jerusalem before taking office, he stated that his administration would “restore governance, peace and personal security to the citizens of Israel”.
“I hear the opposition’s constant laments about ‘the end of the state’, ‘the end of democracy’, members of the opposition, losing the elections is not the end of democracy – this is the essence of democracy.”
Several hundred protesters gathered outside, waving Israeli flags, rainbow flags bearing the Star of David, and signs reading “shame”, “danger” and “down with racism”.
Mor, a woman from Jerusalem, told the BBC: “I’m here because my country’s falling apart from its democratic values. I’m getting hurt as a woman and my friends are getting hurt as women, LGBTQ [people], Arabs.”
Image caption, Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Knesset ahead of the swearing-in ceremony This is a record sixth term as prime minister for Mr Netanyahu, who was ousted by his opponents 18 months ago, but his coalition partners are pledging to lead the country in a new direction.
They have promised to give parliament powers to overrule the Supreme Court, made anti-LGBTQ statements, and called for businesses to be allowed to refuse services to people based on religious grounds.
The first guiding principle of the new government, published on Wednesday, declares that “the Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel”. It says that includes the occupied West Bank and promises to “advance and develop” settlements there.
About 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
There are also some 100 outposts – small settlements built without the Israeli government’s authorisation – across the West Bank.
In a coalition deal with the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party he signed last week, Mr Netanyahu agreed to retroactively legalise the outposts. He also promised to annex the West Bank while “choosing the timing and weighing all of the State of Israel’s national and international interests”. Such a step would be opposed by Israel’s Western and Arab allies.
Image caption, Far-right politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir (L) Bezalel Smotrich (R) will hold key positions in the new government Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich, a West Bank settler, will be finance minister and also oversee the Civil Administration, which approves settlement building in the West Bank and controls important aspects of Palestinians’ lives.
Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, another settler and ultranationalist politician who has previously been convicted of racism and supporting a terrorist organisation, will be national security minister, responsible for the police.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Thursday that the plans to develop West Bank settlements “constitute a dangerous escalation and will have repercussions for the region”.
Mr Netanyahu’s coalition partners reject the idea of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict – the internationally backed formula for peace which envisages an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank alongside Israel, with Jerusalem as their shared capital.
There have also been expressions of concern both inside and outside Israel about the very rigid views on the application of Jewish law and LGBTQ rights held by incoming ministers in the new government.
Avi Maoz, head of the anti-LGBTQ Noam party, will serve as a deputy minister in the prime minister’s office. He has called for Jerusalem’s Gay Pride event to be banned, disapproves of equal opportunities for women in the military, and wants to limit immigration to Israel to Jews according to a strict interpretation of Jewish law.
Activists, doctors and business leaders have meanwhile warned that discrimination against LGBTQ individuals could potentially be legalised if the anti-discrimination law is changed to allow private businesses to refuse to provide a service if doing so would violate the provider’s religious beliefs.
Although the coalition deal between Likud and the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party calls for such an amendment, Mr Netanyahu has said he will block it and that his government will not allow any harm to the LGBTQ community. He has also chosen an openly gay member of Likud, Amir Ohana, to be parliamentary speaker.
Critics have also expressed concern at the new government’s declared intention to alter the checks and balances of power, giving a parliamentary majority the ability to override Supreme Court rulings.
Mr Netanyahu’s coalition partners have also proposed legal reforms that could end his ongoing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing.
Image caption, Daniel Johnas said he was concerned about future of life in Israel for himself, his husband and children At Thursday’s protest outside the Knesset, a woman from Tel Aviv, who did not want to give her name, said: “I refuse to accept what I feel is the possibility of the beginning of a fascist regime and I want to protect the rights of every citizen living in this country.”
“The problem is that the prime minister is so anxious to stay in power that he will give anything to anyone,” she added.
Daniel Johnas, an activist in the religious LGBTQ community, told the BBC that he was worried for the first time to go on the street with the rainbow flag. He also said he was concerned about future of life in Israel for himself, his husband and children.
In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Mr Smotrich defended his party and its coalition partners.
“They say I am a right-wing extremist and that our bloc will usher in a ‘halachic state’ in which Jewish law governs,” he wrote. “In reality, we seek to strengthen every citizen’s freedoms and the country’s democratic institutions, bringing Israel more closely in line with the liberal American model.”
Source: BBC
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Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict: Flights resume between Addis Ababa and Mekelle
Families wept and kissed the tarmac at the main airport in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region as they reunited after being kept apart by war for more than 18 months.
The emotional scenes followed the resumption of commercial flights between the federal capital Addis Ababa and the regional capital Mekelle.
The city, which has a population of around 500,000, was largely cut off from the rest of the world during a brutal two-year war that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, and displaced millions of others.
The government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) finally signed a peace accord last month, opening the way for passenger flights to resume.
TPLF-controlled Tigrai TV showed footage of passengers dropping to their knees and kissing the tarmac at the airport in Mekelle.
There were also emotional scenes at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport, as people flew in from Tigray.
As telephone services had also been cut, some people had no contact with their relatives in Tigray for more than 18 months, and were anxiously waiting to find out whether they were still at home and safe.
They included 47-year-old Kahssay Hailu, who had been stranded in Addis Ababa since she came to the city to be with her daughter, as she prepared for her exams.
“I lived here, separated from my husband and child whom I love,” Mrs Kahssay told Reuters news agency, as she waited at the airport in Addis Ababa to catch her flight to Mekelle.
“When I heard of the news [of flights resuming], I fell to the ground and cried,” she added.
Another woman, 67-year-old Nigsti Hailemariam, said she had arrived in Addis Ababa in 2020 to help her pregnant daughter give birth.
“I came here to see my daughter who was giving birth. My plan was to stay just two weeks and then everything was shut down suddenly. It has been more than a year-and-a-half. I’m very happy that peace is returning, and excited that I am finally going home,” she told Reuters.
The war started after a massive fall-out between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the TPLF-controlled regional government.
Mr Abiy accused Tigrayan forces of attacking military bases and trying to overthrow him.
He responded by ordering air strikes, and sending troops to Tigray to dislodge the TPLF from power in the region.
The African Union (AU) brokered a deal between the two sides last month to end hostilities and to restore basic services in Tigray.
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UK, Italy and Japan team up for new fighter jet
Rishi Sunak is set to announce a collaboration between the UK, Italy and Japan to develop a new fighter jet that uses artificial intelligence.
The prime minister says the joint venture aims to create thousands of UK jobs and strengthen security ties.
The nations will develop a next generation fighter – due to enter service in the mid-2030s – that will eventually replace the Typhoon jet.
It is hoped the new Tempest jet will carry the latest weapons.
Work on developing it is already under way – with the aim to create a combat aircraft that will provide speed stealth, use advanced sensors and even artificial intelligence to assist the human pilot when they are overwhelmed, or under extreme stress.
It could also be flown without a pilot’s input if required and could be able to fire hypersonic missiles.
But building such a complex aircraft is extremely expensive – developing the F35 jet was the most expensive programme ever undertaken by the Pentagon – so Britain has been looking for partners.
Italy was already on board, and the addition of Japan is a significant move – at a time when Britain is building closer ties with allies in the Indo-Pacific region worried about a more assertive China.
Other countries could still join the programme. France, Germany and Spain are already working together on their own separate design – as is the United States.
For the UK, this agreement is not just about security but also economics. The hope is that developing a new fighter jet could create and sustain thousands of UK jobs and open doors to more arms exports.
Mr Sunak will launch the first major phase of the programme during a visit to RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, on Friday.
Ahead of the visit, he said: “The security of the United Kingdom, both today and for future generations, will always be of paramount importance to this government.
“That’s why we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence technology – outpacing and out-manoeuvring those who seek to do us harm.
“The international partnership we have announced today with Italy and Japan aims to do just that, underlining that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible.
“The next-generation of combat aircraft we design will protect us and our allies around the world by harnessing the strength of our world-beating defence industry – creating jobs while saving lives.”
John Healey, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, said his party backed the partnership but warned about training.
“Ministers must make clear how this fits with wider plans for the RAF’s future, including how they will prevent delays in fast-jet pilot training,” he said.
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Malaysia: After a 25-year struggle for reform, Anwar is sworn in as Prime Minister
After days of haggling and the intervention of the monarch, a veteran politician finally secures the top position after an inconclusive election.Anwar Ibrahim has been sworn in as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister, capping an incredible comeback for a man who was initially groomed for the job in the 1990s before being abruptly fired and imprisoned. The 75-year-old veteran politician took the oath of office in front of King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the palace in Kuala Lumpur shortly after 5 p.m. (09:00 GMT) on Thursday afternoon, just hours after the monarch appointed him to the top job.
PH and the rival conservative Malay-Muslim Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, which had the second-highest number of seats, both began negotiations to form a government, wooing smaller coalitions in the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak as well as Barisan Nasional (BN), the alliance that dominated Malaysia for some 60 years before its historic defeat in the last elections in 2018.
With neither able to make a breakthrough, the king met Anwar and Muhyiddin, as well as newly elected members of parliament to canvas their views on who should lead the new government.
After a meeting of the royal households on Thursday, Anwar was announced as the leader because the king was convinced he had the support of the majority of Malaysia’s 222 members of parliament.
There are “no absolute winners and no absolute losers,” King Sultan Abdullah said in the statement, urging all politicians to work together for the benefit of the country.
Following his inauguration, Anwar said he would shoulder the duties entrusted to him with “utmost humility”.
“With my team, I will carry out this heavy responsibility based on the people’s aspirations,” he said in a Twitter post.
Amanah akan digalas dengan penuh tawaduk dan bertanggungjawab.
Tugas berat ini akan saya pikul berpandukan kehendak dan nurani rakyat bersama pasukan. #DemiPertiwi pic.twitter.com/7zQ2PZTPSx
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) November 24, 2022
“It is a long time coming for Anwar,” Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, the deputy managing director at consultancy BGA Malaysia, told Al Jazeera. “All his struggles and campaigns for reform are now vindicated.”
Sodomy charges
Anwar Ibrahim started his political career as a student activist, founding the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, known by its Malay acronym ABIM, in 1971 and later leading protests against rural poverty and on other socioeconomic causes.
His activism caught the eye of then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who persuaded him to join the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the dominant party in BN, which had ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.
Anwar rose rapidly through the ranks to become finance minister and deputy prime minister, earning a reputation as a charismatic, ambitious and reform-minded politician.
But as the Asian financial crisis deepened, Mahathir turned on the man he had chosen as his successor.
In September 1998, Anwar was sacked and accused of corruption and sodomy, a crime in Malaysia.
Thousands took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur and Anwar, who maintained the charges were politically motivated, was arrested.
His trial veered from the shocking – a black eye later confirmed to be inflicted by the then-police chief while Anwar was in custody – to the absurd – a stained mattress hauled into court as evidence.
Anwar Ibrahim’s sacking in 1998 and then trial on charges of corruption and sodomy kickstarted Malaysia’s reform movement [File: Andy Wong/AP Photo] After being found guilty, Anwar was released in 2004 and a second sodomy trial followed as the reform movement that had begun with his 1998 downfall gathered momentum.
In all, Anwar spent some 10 years in prison before he was finally pardoned and released in 2018.
By that time he had once again joined forces with Mahathir – under the PH banner – in a bid to ensure BN was punished at the ballot box for the multibillion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.
But Anwar’s route to the top was again thwarted when Mahathir wavered on his promise to hand over power and the PH government collapsed amid infighting and pressure from Malay-Muslim conservatives.
Reform agenda
Chants of “reformasi” or reform continued to reverberate around PH rallies in the campaign leading up to Saturday’s election, with PH supporters looking for a government that would tackle corruption, defend democratic freedoms and ensure the independence of key institutions such as parliament and the judiciary.
In the face of a probable economic slowdown, Anwar told supporters that his government would also reduce the size of the cabinet, and cut ministerial salaries and allowances.
Still, any moves to reform could still be stymied by more conservative factions.
Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country where most people are ethnic Malay Muslim, but there are significant numbers of people of Chinese and Indian origin as well as Indigenous communities.
The previous PH government was partly undone by a reform agenda that Malay nationalists feared would undermine the privileges granted to them under the constitution.
Such pressures could also affect the new government, given the surge in support for PAS, Malaysia’s religiously conservative Muslim party, which emerged from the election with the most seats of any single party.
It is also the dominant player in PN.
Wong Chin Huat, a political expert and professor at Sunway University outside Kuala Lumpur, says Anwar needs “to get the politics right” to be able to fix the economy.
“He needs to be PM for 100 percent of Malaysians, not just the 38 percent PH voters and 22 percent BN voters,” Wong explained to Al Jazeera. “He needs to especially assure the 30 percent of voters who support PN that their voices will be heard.”
Official figures from Saturday’s election showed a record number of Malaysians casting their ballots, with PH securing 5.81 million votes, PN 4.67 million and BN 3.43 million.
The electoral roll had been enlarged after a constitutional change to give 18-year-olds the right to vote and for automatic voter registration, which further increased uncertainty over the outcome.
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A defining day for Sunak and all of us
The Prime Minister’s plane from the other side of the world has just landed after a 17-hour shlep from the G20 Summit in Bali in Indonesia.
It’s fair to say none of us are rivalling daisies in the freshness stakes.
Today is likely to be a defining moment for the Prime Minister – as he maps out the contours of his governing strategy.
Rishi Sunak spoke to the Chancellor every day while he was away, despite the time difference, and his back to back appointments with world leaders.
“We will face into the storm,” Jeremy Hunt will tell the Commons later.
Not exactly the “let sunshine win the day” optimism of David Cameron all those years ago.
The brutal truth is that what sounds like good news to the financial markets – that the government is economically credible – will sound like bad news for millions of households.
Bad news is rarely politically popular and Conservative MPs in particular are no fans of tax rises.
But after the near death experience for the Tories in recent months they are – in the most part – likely to swallow it, and hope that being seen as competent, if they are, is the start of repairing their reputation and opinion poll ratings.
Source: BBC
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Trevor Noah: I never said the entire UK was racist comic says, after the Rishi Sunak controversy
After a backlash over a skit he did about Rishi Sunak’s appointment as Prime Minister, comedian Trevor Noah says he did not claim “the entire UK is racist.”
Earlier this week, Noah said on the US news show The Daily Show that there had been a “backlash” over Mr Sunak.
In the UK, many people, including ex-chancellor Sajid Javid, called Noah’s remarks “simply wrong.”
But Noah has now defended his segment, saying he was reacting to racists, and: “That’s why I said. ‘Some people’.”
Mr Sunak is the UK’s first British Asian prime minister and officially took over as Conservative leader and PM on Tuesday, after a leadership process.
In the original comments on the US programme, Noah – who is South African and grew up during apartheid – said: “You hear a lot of the people saying ‘Oh, they’re taking over, now the Indians are going to take over Great Britain and what’s next?’
“And I always find myself going ‘So what? What are you afraid of? I think it’s because the quiet part that a lot of people don’t realise what they’re saying is, ‘We don’t want these people who were previously oppressed to get into power because then they may do to us what we did to them.’”
During his skit, Noah played a clip from radio station LBC during the latest Conservative leadership race a week ago, when a caller falsely claimed Mr Sunak was “not even British”.
Mr Javid tweeted in response that the comments from the comedian were “so wrong” and that Britain “is the most successful multiracial democracy on earth and proud of this historic achievement”.
Former Tory leadership contender Rory Stewart said Mr Noah’s remarks were “completely bizarre” and an example of “lazy stereotyping”.
Downing Street said on Thursday that Mr Sunak did not believe Britain was a racist country.
Presenter Piers Morgan also tweeted that US media was “falsely portraying Britain as a racist country”.
Noah finally responded on Friday evening, saying: “C’mon Piers, you’re smarter than that.
“I wasn’t saying “The entire UK is racist”, I was responding to the racists who don’t want Rishi as PM because of his race. That’s why I said. “Some people”.”
C’mon Piers you’re smarter than that. I wasn’t saying “The entire U.K. is racist”, I was responding to the racists who don’t want Rishi as PM because of his race. That’s why I said. “Some people” 🙃https://t.co/QQgEQ45wJU https://t.co/bhurdPvsE8
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) October 28, 2022
Noah has long spoken about racial equality, publishing a book in 2017 titled Born a Crime, a reference to the fact he was born in South Africa to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a relationship was punishable by imprisonment.
He began his career in South Africa, releasing a string of stand-up specials and hosting a late-night talk show before relocating to the US in 2011.
He has hosted The Daily Show – a late-night talk and satirical news programme – since 2015 but last month announced he would be standing down.
Mr Sunak was born in Hampshire, south-east England, to Indian parents – a pharmacist mother and a GP father – and is married to Akshata Murty, with whom he has two young daughters Krishna and Anoushka.
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Diamond magnate to be sworn in as Lesotho PM
Diamond magnate Sam Matekane is due to be sworn in as Lesotho’s new prime minister at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, following the 7 October parliamentary elections.
His Revolution for Prosperity party, formed earlier this year, won the polls but failed to garner an outright majority in the 120-seat parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government with the Alliance for Democrats and Movement for Economic Change parties.
According to the government website, over 30 heads of state and government have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony.
For a decade, none of Lesotho’s political parties has garnered enough votes to form a government on its own.
The country has, as a result, been run by coalition governments that have proved fractious, and no prime minister has served a full five-year term.
The small Southern African kingdom has experienced political instability since 2012, including a coup in 2014 and three national elections in five years.
He spoke to Bola Mosuro from the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme shortly after his election victory:
Source: BBC
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Body language expert: Sunak ‘came alive’ during PMQs – and was far more ‘confident’ than his Number 10 speech
Earlier in the day, Rishi Sunak asked Sir Keir Starmer his first Prime Minister questions.
Body language expert Darren Stanton says the new prime minister “came alive” in the Commons, and was far more “animated” than his “lacklustre” speech outside Number 10.
He said: “Rishi Sunak was definitely thrown in at the deep end. The pleasantries were short-lived as both the PM and Sir Keir wasted no time in the gloves coming off.
“Sir Keir vigorously challenged Mr Sunak’s decision to reinstate the Home Secretary [Suella Braverman] after she had resigned – Sir Keir was robust, articulate and animated as he challenged Mr Sunak, and it encouraged Mr Sunak to adopt a very different stance to his lacklustre and hollow speech outside of Number 10 yesterday.
“From a non-verbal perspective, Mr Sunak came alive having to deliver information at short notice.
“Responding to rebuttals from his peers, Mr Sunak gave a much more polished and much stronger performance than we have recently seen.
“He was far more animated and his arms weren’t static like they previously were.
“Instead, he used illustrators – like finger pointing – to hammer home his points, proving that his mind and body were congruent with the messages he was sending.
“It suggests his words during PMQs were much more genuine and from the heart.”
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UK: Who got the big jobs?
In British politics, the Great Offices of State refers to the four top jobs in politics: prime minister, chancellor, foreign secretary, and home secretary.
We know Rishi Sunak is the first, so let’s look at who the other three are.
Chancellor
ReutersCopyright: Reuters In a move that many expected, Sunak decided to keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor after he was brought in to undo the mess caused by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s September 23 mini-budget.
His was the first appointment to be announced by Sunak’s team.
Foreign Secretary
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images Another person who stayed in their cabinet role was James Cleverly, made foreign secretary by Truss a few weeks ago.
It was reported that Penny Mordaunt, Sunak’s rival in the leadership race, had made it clear this was the job she wanted – but she instead remained in her current post as leader of the House of Commons.
Home secretary
EPACopyright: EPA A controversial addition was Suella Braverman, who were both appointed and re-appointed as home secretary yesterday.
Braverman was made home secretary by Truss in September, but she later resigned after it was revealed she had broken the rules by sending an official document from her personal email account.
In her resignation letter, Braverman claimed it was “not serious politics” for MPs to make mistakes and carry on. Many saw this as a reference to Truss, who was under intense pressure to stand aside, which she did – the next day.
Stay tuned for a full list of everyone Sunak hired yesterday.
Source: Sky News.com
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‘ Sunak makes dig at previous government: Some mistakes were made
A protester shouts “Rishi out!” as Rishi Sunak arrives at Downing Street.
Standing at the lectern outside his new home, he announces that he has accepted the King’s invitation to form a government.
He takes a solemn approach, saying the country is “facing a profound economic crisis”, the aftermath of COVID “lingers” and Putin is presenting a threat in Ukraine.
Mr Sunak pays tribute to his predecessor Liz Truss, saying she was enthusiastic to create change, but “some mistakes were made”.
He says they were not the result of “bad intentions”, but they were “mistakes nonetheless”.
“I have been made the leader of the party and your prime minister, in part, to fix them, and that work begins now,” he says.
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Liz Truss defends tax-cutting goals as she bids farewell to the Senate
Liz Truss has defended her lower-tax vision for the UK as she prepares to leave office as the UK’s shortest-serving prime minister in history.She urged her successor, Rishi Sunak, to be “bold” in order to boost the economy in an unapologetic farewell speech.
She said the UK “cannot afford” for government spending to take up an “increasing share of our national wealth”.
And she insisted “brighter days lie ahead” for the UK.
Flanked by her husband and children, Ms Truss said she would go back to being a backbench MP for her South West Norfolk constituency.
Mr Sunak will take power later after he is formally appointed by the King following his victory in the Conservative leadership contest.
Ms Truss announced her resignation last week after just 45 days in office, after big tax cuts in a hastily-assembled mini-budget prompted financial turmoil.
After initially defending her agenda, she later abandoned almost all of it in a bid to calm markets but saw support from her own MPs ebb away.
But she struck a defiant tone in her speech in Downing Street, adding: “I’m more convinced than ever that we need to be bold and confront the challenges we face.
“We simply cannot afford to be a low-growth country where the government takes up an increasing share of our national wealth,” she added.
Quoting the Roman philosopher Seneca, she added: “it’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that they are difficult.”
She also pointed to her reversal of April’s National Insurance rise and her plan to limit energy rises as examples of successes during her short time in office.
She also urged Mr Sunak to continue British support for Ukraine, adding the country “must prevail” in its “brave fight against [Vladimir] Putin’s aggression”.
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Scotland’s first minister congratulates Sunak and presses for independence
Sunak won the Conservative Party leadership election, and Scotland’s first minister has congratulated him, saying she will do her best “to build a constructive working relationship with him in the interests of those we serve,” but she has also renewed calls for Scottish independence.
“That he becomes the first British Asian to become PM is a genuinely significant moment,” Nicola Sturgeon tweeted.
“As for the politics, I’d suggest one immediate decision he should take and one he certainly should not. He should call an early General Election. And he should not – must not – unleash another round of austerity. Our public services will not withstand that,” she said.
“For Scotland, of course, he becomes another PM we did not and, without doubt, would not vote for even if given the chance. To escape the damage of Westminster governments with no mandate here, and take our future into our own hands, Scotland needs independence.”
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UK: Rishi Sunak to become Prime Minister after Mordaunt steps down
Penny Mordaunt has stepped down at the last minute, paving the way for Rishi Sunak to become the next Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak had over 200 supporters as the two contenders raced to obtain 100 nominations by today’s 2 pm deadline.
Ms Mordaunt said in a statement that it was “clear that colleagues feel we need certainty today.”
“They have taken this decision in good faith for the good of the country…
“As a result, we have now chosen our next prime minister. This decision is a historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party.”
The Commons leader said Mr Sunak now has her “full support” and that now is the time to “unite and work together for the good of the nation”.
“There is much work to be done,” she added.
Ms Mordaunt’s withdrawal means there is only one candidate left in the race – Rishi Sunak – and therefore he will be the new leader.
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Sunak receives two further major endorsements
One of these comes from Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Brandon Lewis, who tweeted…
tweeted…
At a time of acute challenge, we must come together and unite. It is clear that the majority of our parliamentary party support @RishiSunak to be our next PM. He has the necessary expertise and experience to do that, and he will have my absolute backing in doing so.
— Brandon Lewis (@BrandonLewis) October 24, 2022
The other is from Ruth Davidson – the ex-leader of the party in Scotland and now a Tory peer.
She said: “I backed Rishi in the summer and continue to believe he’s the best person for the job.
“The challenges facing the country are significant, but the government has a duty to meet those challenges head-on – to level with the country as to why and to what end decisions are being taken. There are so many people struggling and worried out there.
“Frankly, a return to moderate, grown up, honest, the stable government cannot come soon enough.”
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Former Chancellor Osborne: Sunak will be PM by end of the day
George Osborne, who was chancellor during the David Cameron years, doesn’t have much expectation of Penny Mordaunt persuading 100 backers and taking this to a vote of Tory members…
Rishi Sunak will be Prime Minister by the end of the day. Some think,like me, he’s a solution to our problems;others think he’s part of the problem.But whatever your politics,let’s all celebrate the first British Asian becoming PM and be proud of our country where this can happen
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) October 24, 2022
Further, Mr Osborne thinks Ms Mordaunt should stand aside this morning.
He said: “Penny Mordaunt should drop out this AM.
“She can’t command the support of a majority of MPs.
“An uncontested election of Rishi Sunak today would reinforce the return of market credibility and show the Tories have rediscovered a will to win.
“She should then be part of his top team.”
Mr Osborne said that Mr Johnson’s decision to not run in the campaign was a “very welcome and sensible judgment”.
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Labour: Starmer rules out new oil and gas licences
Sir Keir Starmer has said that a Labour government would not issue further gas and oil licences.
It comes after his party helped clinch Liz Truss’s doom last week with a vote to outlaw fracking. Tory whips transformed it into a confidence vote in the government, and while Ms Truss survived the vote, the pandemonium that followed – with reports of MPs being abused – meant she was gone within 24 hours.
Speaking to LBC this morning, Sir Keir said: “We accept there’s got to be a transition, so where there is oil and gas already being yielded that needs to continue as part of the transition, but no new sites, no new fields to be opened.
“We need to transition to renewables. We can do it … we can double our onshore wind, we can triple our solar energy and we can quadruple our offshore wind – and the sooner we do that, the better.
“I do think that new nuclear, as well, and hydrogen is part of the equation.”
Sir Keir was asked about a number of topics.
He said, “it was a straight no” when asked if the UK would rejoin the EU if Labour took power.
And he said the only way to get people a “sustainable pay rise” is to grow the economy.
Sir Keir said to do this institutions like the OBR and Bank of England need to be respected.
He also said that there was “not a great deal” between Labour and the Conservatives on immigration – although he did say he would scrap the Rwanda scheme.
Sir Keir said: “Now we don’t have free movement anymore, then you either have a pure numbers game or you have a points-based system that says ‘well, for certain types of jobs, certain types of roles here, you would get a number of points. I think that makes sense.
“So, in that sense, not a great deal between the major parties on immigration.
“We would have a slightly different approach and I would particularly want to welcome really good students.”
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Meet the two Ghanaian prophets who prophesied the resignation of UK Prime Minister
On Wednesday, October 20, 2022, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss announced her resignation from the role.
Liz Truss stepped down as Prime Minister of the UK after just 45 days, setting a record as the shortest-lived PM of the UK.
Her resignation came on the back of a series of U-turns on her economic plan which led to the axing of the Chancellor of Finance, Kwasi Kwarteng.
It does however appear that there were some spiritual anglings to her short reign as the PM of the UK which is currently experiencing an economic meltdown.
Two Ghanaian prophets, Badu Kobi of the Glorious Wave Chapel International and Prophet Amoako Attah of the Parliament Chapel International prophesied the resignation of Liz Truss four days before she made it public that she was stepping down.
In separate videos published on their social media handles, the two prophets disclosed that Liz Truss had days in the spiritual realm and was not going to last long in office.
Amoako Attah said “this woman will not spend a year in office. She has days, weeks and months but not a year. Other people will prefer the return of Boris Johnson.
Prophet Badu Kobi said, “Liz Truss will be the shortest serving Prime Minister. He cannot be in the shadows of a failure. Liz Truss will be the shortest in the history of Great Britain”.
Speaking at a press conference at No 10 Downing Street on Thursday afternoon, Truss said she came into office at a time of “great economic and international instability”.
“I recognize…given the situation I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party,” she noted.
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Who are Tory MPs backing so far?
As we said earlier, we’ve been keeping an eye on the number of Conservative MPs who have declared their support for potential contenders in the leadership election so far.Take a look at our latest tally:
- Rishi Sunak – 56
- Boris Johnson – 33
- Penny Mordaunt – 17
No one has publicly said they’re running yet.
Our tally is based on MPs telling the BBC who they’re backing, or publicly declaring for a potential candidate, as compiled by the BBC.
You may say see different counts online – as others may be including MPs who‘ve privately told them who they’re backing.
We’ll bring you updates on the numbers as we get them.
Other names being floated as potential contenders are former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and international trade secretary Kemi Badenoch. Defence Secretary Ben Wallaceearlier ruled himself out of the contest.
Candidates need the support of at least 100 MPs by 14:00 on Monday – a much higher threshold than the last leadership race.
Source: BBC.com
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44 days in office: Liz Truss resigns as UK prime minister
Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister just 44 days after succeeding Boris Johnson.
She will be the prime minister with the shortest tenure in modern British political history.
In a statement read outside Downing Street, Ms Truss said: “I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability.
“Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills.”
She said she was elected “with a mandate to change this”, adding: “We delivered on energy bills.”
” I recognise, though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party,” she said.
“I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.
“This morning, I met the chairman of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady. We’ve agreed that there will be a leadership election to be completed within the next week.”
Ms Truss will remain as PM until her successor has been chosen.
Image:Liz Truss’ husband Hugh O’Leary stood nearby as she resigned as PM Sir Graham said they expect to conclude a leadership election by Friday 28 October with a new PM in place in time for the 31 October fiscal statement.
He said Tory members are expected to be able to vote but the candidates could be whittled down to just one.
Ms Truss’ resignation came just a little over 24 hours after she told MPs she was a “fighter, not a quitter”.
There has been much speculation about who could replace Ms Truss, with new chancellor Jeremy Hunt one of the main names being suggested.
However, Sky News deputy political editor Sam Coates said he has been told Mr Hunt will not stand.
Other Tory MPs being suggested are Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch, and even Boris Johnson.
Former leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat has ruled himself out.
Image: Graham Brady said the leadership campaign will be over by next Friday Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a general election “now” as he said the British public “must have a chance at a fresh start“. He added: “The Tories cannot respond to their latest shambles by yet again simply clicking their fingers and shuffling the people at the top without the consent of the British people.
“They do not have the mandate to put the country through yet another experiment; Britain is not their personal fiefdom to run how they wish.”
The start of Truss’ downfall
Ms Truss’ downfall started when her former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced his mini-budget a month ago, which prompted weeks of economic turmoil and eventually led to him being sacked last Friday.
Mr Hunt, who voted for Rishi Sunak during the leadership campaign, then took over as chancellor and U-turned on the majority of the unfunded mini-budget tax cuts on Monday – further undercutting Ms Truss’ authority.
On Wednesday afternoon, her home secretary, Suella Braverman then quit after saying she had breached security rules by sending a policy message to a colleague over her personal email by mistake.
It only got worse on Wednesday evening after confusion over whether Labour’s opposition day vote was actually a confidence vote in the government or not – which resulted in allegations of “manhandling” of Tory MPs by colleagues.
Some Tory MPs had publicly called for Ms Truss’ resignation before that but in the hours before she quit, a flurry of Tory MPs revealed they wanted her to go.
Conservative Party rules prevent a leader from a confidence vote in the first 12 months of their tenure but it is understood after a significant number of MPs wrote to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, calling for her to go, a decision was made that she could not stay.
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Chadian PM resigns to pave way for new government
Chad’s Prime Minister, Albert Pahimi Padacke, has resigned to pave way for a new government after the Central African country pushed back elections by two years.
His resignation was announced by the presidency on Tuesday.
Padacke, a civilian politician, was named prime minister of a transitional military government last year after President Mahamat Idriss Deby seized power following his father’s death.
The military council, led by President Deby, was originally meant to rule for 18 months, but this month the country announced it would push back democratic elections until around October 2024.
President Deby was sworn in on Monday as president and is expected to appoint a new Prime Minister.
Padacke also served as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2018, and was seen as an ally of former President, Idriss Deby, who ruled Chad for 30 years until his death in 2021.
The elder Deby’s death paved the way for talks between rebel groups, some headed by relatives of the former president, and the military council.
Hundreds of rebel groups met in Doha for talks this year at the request of the Qatari government. The talks dragged on for months due to bickering between the groups who at some point accused the government of insincerity, but they paved the way for negotiations to be held in Chad next year.
Source:ghanaiantimes.com
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Mahama bags Global Leadership Award from Liberty University
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has been honoured by Liberty University, Virginia, USA with a Global Leadership and Economic Impact Award.
The award, presented after his keynote presentation at the Official Opening Dinner of the 2nd 500 CEO Summit, is to celebrate President Mahama for governing wisely, “advocating and achieving a consistent track record on economic development, women’s participation in education, and enhancing economic growth.”
Dean of the Liberty University School of Business Dr. Dave Brat says, “President Mahama was chosen for this award because he demonstrates all of the successful traits of Christian leadership under the greatest pressure and responsibility of governing and being the Chief Executive for a Nation, Ghana.”
Amidst applause from the audience of global CEOs attending the Networking the Nations CEO Summit, Dr Brat said, President Mahama exhibited a warmth and joy that resonated with everyone at the summit.
Under Mahama’s presidential oversight, the School of Business Dean noted, Ghana saw massive infrastructure development drive in all sectors of its economy, including education, health, ports and harbors, rail, oil, and gas.
Liberty University, the world’s largest Christian university is hosting over 600 chief executives, political leaders, athletes, and faith leaders at the 2nd 500 CEO Summit.
President Mahama and the Lt. Governor of Virginia on Wednesday addressed a Convocation of the student body.
The former President also took part in an Africa Orientation panel and interacted with with students from Africa.
On Thursday, President Mahama participated in a Doing Business with Africa panel together with the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo HE Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge, Finance Minister of the DRC Nicolas Kazadi Kadima Nzuji, US Congressman, The Build Act Ted Yoho, and USAID’s former Acting COO Max Primoric.
Source:citinewsroom.com
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Shinzo Abe: A divided Japan sends its dead former prime minister farewell
Akie, the widow of Shinzo Abe, walked slowly while wearing a black kimono and carrying a silk-covered urn containing her husband’s ashes.
She set it on a sizable shrine that was decorated with white chrysanthemums.
Above it hung a huge photo of Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.
Only once before in Japan’s post-war history has a politician been given a state funeral – and Tuesday’s event to honor Abe has stirred huge controversy.
It drew thousands of guests – local and global leaders, notably from Japan’s closest allies. But it also faced a backlash as protesters marched against the decision to hold the funeral.
It’s a day and an event that appears to have cut Japanese society down the middle. And it’s a sign of Abe’s complicated and often divisive legacy.
The 67-year-old politician was assassinated in July – shot twice by a homemade gun. The killing shocked a country unused to gun crimes or political violence, triggering an outpouring of grief for a leader who had never been that popular.
“Abe-San, thank you so much,” mourners shouted when they gathered to pay their respects in July – with his death, many of his countrymen realized he had given Japan a sense of stability and security.
That mood changed with the announcement of a state funeral. But it has gone ahead despite growing opposition from the Japanese public with opinion polls showing around 60% opposed it.
Outside the Budokan – the arena in Tokyo where the funeral was taking place – the queue of mourners carrying flowers stretched for well over 3km (1.8 miles). They wore black and carried flowers to pay their respects for one last time.
“I love Abe and everything about him, that’s why I am in line,” one 19-year-old said. Another mourner, a woman, said she was there to “show my gratitude for his long service as PM”.
But a short distance away in front of the Japanese parliament thousands more gathered to noisily and angrily demonstrate their opposition.
Abe was widely admired abroad, but he was a divisive figure at home. Many of the protesters outside parliament were furious about the $10.7m (1.6bn yen; £10m) cost of the funeral. Others simply said Abe did not deserve the rare honour of a state funeral.
“I am frustrated and angry that we let the government do whatever they want without consulting the people,” said 25-year-old Iori Fujiwara. “Us younger generation needs to speak out more for our own future, that’s why I am here.”
“I could not stay at home while they are spending so much money and inviting so many guests while there are Japanese people suffering from the typhoon last week,” said 25-year-old Ayaka Uehira.
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Noisy protesters were kept away from the arena where the funeral took place Many of those who oppose the funeral – and Abe’s political legacy – are older Japanese. In a country traumatized by war, the older generation has long favored a “pacifist” constitution that has kept Japan from heavily investing in its military.
Abe, however, sought to change that – not by a referendum or parliamentary process, but by reinterpreting the constitution.
This move was controversial and unpopular but has increasingly been welcomed by Abe’s supporters – many of whom are younger Japanese. Untroubled by memories of war, they are also increasingly reacting to China’s aggressive claims on Japanese territory.
For them, Abe was an extraordinary politician who put Japan back on the international map as a significant player.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Liberal Democratic Party certainly made the decision to honor Abe without considering how the country might react.
But there is no denying the fact that Abe was also a man greatly admired by Japan’s allies.
He pushed for stronger relations among what he called “like-minded democracies”, including India and Australia. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Quad – an alliance between the US, Japan, India, and Australia.
So it’s no surprise that the US vice-president, and sitting and former Australian prime ministers traveled to Tokyo to pay their respects. Or that India’s PM Narendra Modi made the journey after skipping the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London last week.
They perhaps recognize that in some ways, Abe was well ahead of his time.
He had always been wary of a rising threat from China – a concern Japan’s allies now share.
