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Suspects Go On Trial For Murder Of Dutch Crime Reporter

By
Zoe Maven
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A trial of the suspected gunman and the getaway driver involved in last year’s killing of celebrity Dutch crime reporter Peter R. De Vries opened on Tuesday and the two men could face life imprisonment if convicted.

De Vries was gunned down last July on a busy Amsterdam street. The killing prompted a nationwide outpouring of grief and anger and raised concerns about the ability of the criminal underworld to eliminate a prominent public figure who was considered a threat.

De Vries, was a popular TV personality, well-known for his programmes in which he often worked with victims’ families and tirelessly pursued unsolved cases. He had received threats in the past, but refused security.

Prosecutors outlining their case on Tuesday said the 22-year-old Dutchman and a 36-year-old Polish national faced charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms.

The pair were arrested within hours of the shooting on a Dutch highway in the alleged getaway vehicle. Police said the weapon allegedly used to kill De Vries was found in the car.

The Dutch suspect, Delano Geerman, told judges he did not want to comment on the accusations. The second suspect, identified as Kamil Egiert, told the court he was not responsible for the murder.

The case opening on Tuesday deals only with the hit men who carried out the killing while an investigation into who ordered it is continuing, according to prosecutors.

French Health Workers Protest Over Pay Ahead Of Polls

By
Zoe Maven
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French hospital staff members protest in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on June 7, 2022 to denounce the lack of personnel and bad conditions of work leading to degraded medico-social and social sectors. (Photo by PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP)

Health workers demonstrated in cities across France on Tuesday to demand higher pay and more staff for services stretched to breaking point, just days before the country votes in parliamentary elections.
Although recently re-elected, President Emmanuel Macron has ordered a probe into which emergency units need immediate help with people in the sector warning there is no time to lose.
Head of the CGT union in eastern city Strasbourg Pierre Wach, said not a single department is spared, and that public hospitals are in the process of dying for lack of resources.
Protests began at hospitals in the morning Tuesday and continued at the health ministry in Paris in the afternoon, where staff, some wearing white medical coats, brandished placards with messages such as “Hire more and pay us more, it’s urgent!”.
Casualty workers’ group Samu-Urgences de France found in a May survey that at least 120 accident and emergency departments nationwide had already cut back on work or were preparing to do so after years of Covid-19 strain.
Macron told regional newspapers Friday that his review, led by the group’s chief Francois Braun, would identify “where there is need, emergency department by emergency department, ambulance service by ambulance service, region by region”.
But opposition politicians and unions have accused him of playing for time until after the legislative elections on June 12 and 19 — as some polls show the president’s absolute majority could be at risk.
Some emergency workers have warned that a summer heatwave, which in past years has proved deadly for elderly people, or a new flare-up of Covid could push hospitals into chaos.

Sri Lankan PM Requests Patience As UN Calls For Relief Funds

By
Zoe Maven
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Sri Lanka’s prime minister says the United Nations has arranged a worldwide appeal to help the island nation cope with critical shortages of food, fuel and medicines, but the projected funds barely scratch the surface of the $6 billion it needs to stay afloat over the next six months.

In a speech to Parliament, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the U.N. seeks to provide $48 million in assistance over a four-month period.

Wickremesinghe said it will be tough for the next three weeks to obtain some essentials and urged people to be united and patient, to use the scarce supplies as carefully as possible and avoid nonessential travel.

He urged all citizens to refrain from thinking about hoarding fuel and gas during this period. After those difficult three weeks, they will try to provide fuel and food without further disruptions, adding that negotiations are underway with various parties to ensure this happens.

Sri Lanka is nearly bankrupt, having suspended repayment of its foreign loans. Its foreign reserves are almost spent, which has limited imports and caused serious shortages of essential items including food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas.

It is due to repay $7 billion this year of the $25 billion in foreign loans it is scheduled to pay by 2026. Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt is $51 billion.

Authorities have started discussions with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package, and Wickremesinghe said he asked the IMF to lead a conference to unite Sri Lanka’s lenders.

A decision last year to ban imported agrochemicals and make farming totally organic halved rice production during the main cultivating season, though the ban has since been withdrawn. A lack of funds to buy fertilizer threatens future yields, too, causing fears of a worsening food crisis.

EU Agrees on Single Mobile Charging Port In Blow To Apple

By
faith Jegede
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Apple will have to change the connector on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024 after countries In the European Union and their lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to a single mobile charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras in a world first.

The political intervention, which the European Commission said would make life easier for consumers and save them money, came after companies failed to reach a common solution.

Brussels has been pushing for a single mobile charging port for more than a decade, prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users about having to switch to different chargers for their devices.

Apples iPhones are charged from a Lightning cable, while Android-based devices use either a USB-B or USB-C connector.

According to a 2019 Commission study, half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector and 21% a Lightning connector,.

“By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU,” the European Parliament said in a statement.

EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the deal would save around 250 million euros ($267 million) for consumers.

“It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and to mature without letting innovation become a source of market fragmentation and consumer inconvenience,” he said.

Apple, has warned that the proposal would hurt innovation and create a mountain of electronic waste.

“We are proud that laptops, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, computer mice, and portable navigation devices are also included,” said lawmaker Alex Agius Saliba who steered the debate at the parliament.

Laptops will have to comply with the legislation within 40 months of it entering into force. The EU executive will have the power in future to harmonize wireless charging systems. Since the deal also covers e-readers, earbuds and other technologies Samsung, Huawei and other device makers will also be impacted.

Lebanese Army Arrests 64 Migrants Trying To Sail To Europe

By
Zoe Maven
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The Lebanese military arrested 64 migrants as they were trying to set sail from northern Lebanon on Tuesday in an attempt to get to Europe, according to the army command.

A statement said the migrants — Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians — were all detained and were being questioned, except for one pregnant woman who was bleeding and was taken to hospital.

The migrants were apparently taken into custody before their boat was able to set sail. They were apprehended near the Sheikh Znad area, a few kilometers from the northern city of Tripoli.

The attempt came weeks after a boat carrying more than 60 migrants capsized on April 23 off the coast of Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest and most impoverished city.

Seven bodies were recovered in that disaster, with 47 people rescued and some still missing. Survivors at the time blamed the Lebanese navy of causing the accident by ramming into the migrants’ boat.

For years, Lebanon had been a country where refugees fled to, but since its economic meltdown began in late 2019, thousands of people have left the country by sea, seeking a better life in Europe.

Lebanon is a small nation of 6 million people, including 1 million Syrian refugees who fled the war in their country which erupted in 2011. Lebanon is also home to tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of them descendants of people displaced after Israel was created in 1948.

Migrants usually pay thousands of dollars for smuggles who promise to take them on boats to European Union member states such as Cyprus, Greece and Italy.

US Sees Heightened Extremist Threat Heading Into Midterms

By
Zoe Maven
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The US Department of Homeland Security says A looming Supreme Court decision on abortion, an increase of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and the midterm elections are potential triggers for extremist violence over the next six months.

In the latest National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin, DHS said the U.S. was in a “heightened threat environment” already, and these factors may worsen the situation,

It said, “In the coming months, we expect the threat environment to become more dynamic as several high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets.”

This is the latest attempt by Homeland Security to draw attention to the threat posed by domestic violent extremism, a shift from alerts about international terrorism that were a hallmark of the agency following its creation after the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The threats from overseas rate only passing mentions in this bulletin. It notes that al-Qaida supporters celebrated the January standoff at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.

And it mentions that the Islamic State group called on supporters to carry out attacks in the United States to avenge the killings of the group’s leader and spokesman.

DHS also warns that China, Russia, Iran and other nations seek to foment divisions within the U.S. to weaken the country and its standing in the world. In part, they do this by amplifying conspiracy theories and false reports that proliferate in American society.

Domestic violent extremists, however, present the most pressing and potentially violent threat, the agency said, citing, for example, the racist attack in which a white gunman killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket in May.

S.Korea, U.S. Showcase Air Power During Official’s Visit

By
Zoe Maven
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South Korea and the United States staged a joint air power demonstration on Tuesday during a visit by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.

The demonstration, which involved 20 warplanes including F-35A stealth fighter jets, came a day after the allies fired eight surface-to-surface missiles off South Korea’s east coast in response to a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea on Sunday.

The South Korean military said in a statement, South Korea and the United States demonstrated their strong ability and determination to quickly and accurately strike any North Korean provocation, adding the allies are closely monitoring and preparing for any further provocation by the North.

The statement came hours after Sherman met with her South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun-dong, in Seoul to discuss North Korea. The reclusive state has staged a series of missile tests recently and some analysts believe it is preparing to resume testing nuclear weapons after a five year hiatus.

In a News Conference after the meeting, Sherman said any nuclear test would be in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions (and) there would be a swift and forceful response to such a test.

Authorities and North Korean experts have been saying for weeks that there are signs of new construction at Punggye-ri, North Korea’s only known nuclear test site.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi on Monday said North Korean building work expanding key facilities at its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon is advancing.

North Korea has been suffering from its first-ever outbreak of COVID-19 in the past month, with the country reporting a total 4,198,890 people with fever symptoms as of Monday. North Korea has not confirmed the total number of people testing positive for the coronavirus.

UK PM Johnson Rallies Party After Surviving Leadership Test

By
Zoe Maven
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to shore up his leadership on Tuesday by setting out a raft of new policies to ministers after he narrowly survived a confidence vote that revealed the scale of the threat to his position.

Johnson won the ballot of Conservative Party law-makers on Monday evening by 211 votes to 148 – enough to avoid having to immediately resign.

However, a larger than anticipated rebellion within his party leaves him wounded and battling to win back the confidence of his colleagues and the general public.

Analysts say his first challenge is to convince his most senior allies, some of whom would have been likely to run to replace him if he had been forced out, that he will be able to move on from questions about his leadership.

Johnson thanked cabinet ministers for their support as he urged them to push through reforms to lower costs for consumers, businesses and government.

Lawmakers in Johnson’s party called the confidence vote after months of scandal over lockdown-breaking parties at the heart of government and criticism of his response to an inflation-fueled surge in the cost of living.

At issue is Johnson’s integrity. His opponents accuse him of being a habitual liar and he faces an investigation into whether he mislead parliament in his explanations over the series of parties held in Downing Street – his office and residence – while Britons were following strict lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson’s office said he would use the cabinet meeting to set out his vision for the coming weeks, including new policies to reduce the cost of childcare and to help more people buy their own homes.

Sudan Protesters Blockade Roads To Key Red Sea Port

By
Zoe Maven
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0
Sudanese demonstrators take the streets in Khartoum on June 3, 2022 to demand justice for scores of pro-democracy protesters killed during the suppression of a 2019 sit-in against now ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir. - A protester was shot dead in the Sudanese capital, medics said, as UN human rights expert Amada Dieng urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force" against demonstrators. (Photo by - / AFP)

Sudanese protesters have blocked main roads leading to the crucial Red Sea port to protest a 2020 peace deal, demanding parts relating to their eastern region be scrapped.

In October 2020, several rebel groups signed a landmark accord with a military-civilian transition government which came to power shortly after the April 2019 ouster of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

But Sudan’s eastern Beja people have criticised parts of the fragile peace deal, saying it does not represent them.

Since last week, hundreds of Sudanese protesters have staged a sit-in demanding the dismissal of the Red Sea state governor, accusing him of supporting the 2020 peace deal.

Protest leader Abdalla Obshar told Newsmen that security forces have sought to break up the sit-in Port Sudan but vowed that they would not leave.

In September last year, protesters from eastern communities had led similar demonstrations against the same agreement.

That blockade worsened Sudan’s already struggling economy by exacerbating fuel and wheat shortages, heaping pressure on the transitional government of then-prime minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The following month, in October 2021, Sudan’s fragile transition to civilian rule was upended by a military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Port Sudan, the country’s main seaport and vital trade hub, was reopened in November.

In December, Sudan’s sovereign council suspended parts of the 2020 peace deal relating to the east pending discussions, but protesters in Port Sudan want the deal abolished.

S’African State Corruption: Two Top Suspects Arrested In UAE

By
Zoe Maven
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0

The South African government has announced the arrest of two high-profile suspects from the Gupta family at the heart of a massive state corruption scandal involving former South African President Jacob Zuma.

South African justice ministry in a statement on Monday said the Department of Justice and Correctional Services confirms that it has received information from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities that fugitives Rajesh and Atul Gupta have been arrested.

The statement continued that Authorities in both countries are discussing the procedure to be followed, adding, “The South African government will continue to cooperate with the UAE”.

The arrest of Atul and Rajesh Gupta, who had lived for years in the sheikhdom, was the latest major extradition arrest by authorities in the United Arab Emirates.

South Africa is seeking to bring to justice the three Indian-origin brothers and businessmen, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, accused of looting public resources during the Zuma era (2009-2018).

An Interpol international wanted person notice was issued in July against Atul and Rajesh Gupta.

A damning report published in 2016 detailed how the siblings, who are close to Mr Zuma, won lucrative public contracts and participated in the management of state affairs, including the appointment of ministers.

The Gupta brothers fled South Africa shortly after a commission was set up in 2018 to investigate widespread corruption during Zuma’s nine years in power.

The cases contributed to Zuma’s downfall and he was forced to resign. Sentenced to jail in July for contempt of court and now on conditional release for health reasons, his corruption trial is still ongoing.

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