UNITED STATES: Elsa Strikes U.S.
The latest agent of chaos from mother nature has made its way to American shores after wreaking havoc in the Caribbean.
Elsa, an Atlantic tropical system that has seen time as both a hurricane and tropical storm, hit the gulf side of Florida on July 7. The storm brought the trademark winds, rain, and storm surge associated with such storms, included some spun-off tornadoes.
After finishing off its run via the Florida panhandle, the weakened storm is expected to trek through Georgia and the Carolinas before heading out to sea. However, waters off the coasts of the Delmarva area and New Jersey are expected to be choppy, so boaters and swimmers are advised to take caution.
In anticipation of the storm, President Biden declared a state of emergency exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Elsa beginning on July 4 and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.
CARIBBEAN: Haitian President Murdered
Perpetrators behind the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse must be brought to justice, the United Nations said on July 7, 2021.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the incident in the strongest terms, according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.
“The Secretary-General calls on all Haitians to preserve the constitutional order, remain united in the face of this abhorrent act and reject all violence,” it said.
President Moïse, 53, was shot dead in an overnight attack in his private residence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine, was also injured and is receiving treatment, according to media reports. The entrepreneur and politician was elected in November 2016 and began serving the following February.
Mr. Guterres has extended his deepest condolences to the people and Government of Haiti, and to the family of the late President. The UN will continue to stand with the Government and the people of Haiti, the statement continued.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and has experienced serious political, economic and humanitarian challenges in recent years. Six prime ministers have been appointed since the late President took office, with a seventh appointed this week who has yet to be sworn in.
Last month, the top UN official in Haiti, Helen La Lime, briefed the Security Council on the worsening socioeconomic conditions in the country, rising gang violence, resurgence of COVID-19, and the “ever-growing polarization of Haitian politics.”
She said despite several Haitian-led mediation efforts, “the deep-rooted political crisis which has gripped the country for the better part of the last four years, shows no sign of abating,” while the rhetoric used by some political leaders was growing increasingly acrimonious.
Speaking at the outset of its meeting, Security Council President Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière of France said members were saddened by the death of the Haitian leader.
“The members of the Council express their deep shock at the assassination of President Moïse, which occurred earlier today in Port-au-Prince, and their concern at the fate of the First Lady, Martine Moïse, who was also shot in the attack,” he said.
The heinous act also got the attention of America’s president.
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the horrific assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the attack on First Lady Martine Moïse of Haiti. We condemn this heinous act, and I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moïse’s recovery. The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti,” said President Biden.
CANADA: Delta Variant Worsens
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged leaders to push back against daunting new COVID surges through increased vaccination efforts and public health measures, warning that with Delta quickly becoming the dominant strain in many countries ‘we are in a very dangerous period of the pandemic.’
“In those countries with low COVID-19 vaccination coverage, terrible scenes of hospitals overflowing are again becoming the norm. But no country is out of the woods yet,” said Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, during his biweekly press conference.
Tedros explained that the Delta variant is ‘dangerous’ and continues to evolve and mutate, and this requires constant evaluation and ‘careful adjustment of the public health response.’
“Delta has been detected in at least 98 countries and is spreading quickly in countries with low and high vaccination coverage,” he warned.
In the United States, the Delta variant accounts for roughly 20 percent of cases now.
During journalists’ questions, WHO’s technical leader for COVID-19 response, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, reminded that the virus has been evolving since it first emerged.
“It is what viruses do. The variants of concern that we are tracking are currently four: Alpha, Beta, Gama and Delta. They will continue to evolve: there will be more mutations, there will be more variants detected, and some of those will be variants of concern,” she predicted.
Dr. Van Kerkhove said there were ‘sub lineages’ of the Delta variant that experts are currently tracking and urged countries to expand their genomic sequencing efforts.
WHO is calling on leaders to vaccinate at least 10% of people as soon as possible, in all countries, to ensure that health workers and those most at risk are protected.
According to Tedros, ensuring this would effectively end the acute stage of the pandemic and save a significant number of lives.
“It’s a challenge but we know it’s possible because already three billion vaccines have been distributed. It is within the collective power of a few countries to step up and ensure that vaccines are shared, manufacturing is increased, and that the funds are in places to purchase the tools needed,” he urged.
Although there is some vaccine-sharing happening now, it is still ‘only a trickle’, and being outpaced by variants.
“In those countries whose hospitals are filling up, they need vaccines and other health tools right now,” he underscored.
EUROPE: Drug Smugglers Nabbed
In a major operation, coordinated via Eurojust, 38 suspects belonging to a large-scale drug smuggling network have been arrested by the authorities in Italy, Albania, Montenegro and Spain. Amongst the arrested persons are representatives of the Albanian law enforcement and judiciary, suspected of corruption and money laundering.
The operation is the culmination of an Italian-Albanian joint investigation team (JIT), which in 2018 had been set up and funded with the support of the Agency. In June 2020, 37 arrests took place regarding members of the same organized crime groups (OCGs), and most of them have already received sentences in Italy of up to 20 years.
During the most recent action against the criminal networks, several million EUR worth of cash, 11 properties, four companies in the hotel and tourism sector, and a large plot of land in a seaside resort were seized. The arrested persons are formally suspected of corruption, abuse of office, money laundering and international trafficking of huge quantities of drugs.
The suspects are linked to four OCGs, with connections to organized crime in and around Bari. As of 2014, they transported large quantities of various illicit drugs from Albanian ports to the Puglia region in Italy, using powerful inflatable small boats. Investigations into the OCG started in 2016 and have since led to the seizure of approximately six tons of marijuana, cocaine and hashish, with an estimated revenue of more than EUR 55 million and about 14 million individual doses of illicit drugs.
Eurojust enabled close cooperation between the Anti-Mafia District Directorate (DDA) of Bari and the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) of Tirana, which led to the setting up of the JIT. The investigations were facilitated by the Albanian Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust, who took up duties in January this year.
Liaison Prosecutor for Albania Ms. Fatjona Memcaj said: “This joint investigation team and its success is a demonstration of the efficiency and synergy between EU Member States and Western Balkan countries in the fight against complex and sophisticated criminal organizations. Albanian judicial authorities are willing to enhance the operational and strategic cooperation, not only with neighboring countries but also with any other country interested in the fight against transnational crime.”
National Member for Italy at Eurojust Mr. Filippo Spiezia stated: “The setting up of the joint investigation team and collaboration, in this case, is a flagship model for cross-border judicial cooperation. If we can enable this more at EU level, this will speed up the fight against organized crime and money laundering.”
