WORLD NEWS FLASH
EUROPE
With the time period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday longer than his predecessor’s tenure, one man is set to make history in new job.
On October 24, lawmakers in the UK held a vote and named Finance Minister Rishi Sunak as the new Prime Minister of Britain. He replaces Liz Truss, whose time as PM lasted only 45 days. Despite the short period in office, Truss has the rare distinction of being a UK PM who served two monarchs, being appointed just before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the installation of King Charles III.
The next day, it was made official, with the King formally recognizing Sunak as the Kingdom’s first Prime Minister of color and South Asian descent. Not long after, Sunak made his first speech in his new position:
“Right now our country is facing a profound economic crisis. The aftermath of Covid still lingers. Putin’s war in Ukraine has destabilized energy markets and supply chains the world over.
“I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss, she was not wrong to want to improve growth in this country, it is a noble aim. And I admired her restlessness to create change. But some mistakes were made. Not borne of ill will or bad intentions. Quite the opposite, in fact. But mistakes nonetheless.
“And I have been elected as leader of my party, and your Prime Minister, in part, to fix them. And that work begins immediately.
“I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda. This will mean difficult decisions to come. But you saw me during Covid, doing everything I could, to protect people and businesses, with schemes like furlough.
“There are always limits, more so now than ever, but I promise you this. I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today.
“The government I lead will not leave the next generation, your children and grandchildren, with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay ourselves. I will unite our country, not with words, but with action. I will work day in and day out to deliver for you.
“This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level. Trust is earned. And I will earn yours.
“I will always be grateful to Boris Johnson for his incredible achievements as Prime Minister, and I treasure his warmth and generosity of spirit. And I know he would agree that the mandate my party earned in 2019 is not the sole property of any one individual, it is a mandate that belongs to and unites all of us. And the heart of that mandate is our manifesto.
“I will deliver on its promise. A stronger NHS. Better schools. Safer streets. Control of our borders. Protecting our environment. Supporting our armed forces. Levelling up and building an economy that embraces the opportunities of Brexit, where businesses invest, innovate, and create jobs.
“I understand how difficult this moment is. After the billions of pounds it cost us to combat Covid, after all the dislocation that caused in the midst of a terrible war that must be seen successfully to its conclusions I fully appreciate how hard things are.
“And I understand too that I have work to do to restore trust after all that has happened.
“All I can say is that I am not daunted. I know the high office I have accepted and I hope to live up to its demands.
“But when the opportunity to serve comes along, you cannot question the moment, only your willingness.
“So I stand here before you ready to lead our country into the future. To put your needs above politics. To reach out and build a government that represents the very best traditions of my party.
“Together we can achieve incredible things. We will create a future worthy of the sacrifices so many have made and fill tomorrow, and everyday thereafter with hope. Thank you.”
CARIBBEAN
HAITIAN GANGS CATCH SANCTIONS
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved a sanctions regime for Haiti, targeting gang leaders and those who finance them, in the hope of easing months of violence and lawlessness which has fueled a major humanitarian crisis.
Criminal gangs have been blocking access to the main fuel terminal in the capital Port-au-Prince, bringing critical services to a standstill, as Haiti grapples with a widening cholera epidemic, amid political and economic meltdown.
“Catastrophic” levels of hunger have been recorded this month for the first time, in the gang controlled Cite Soleil neighborhood, and 4.7 million people are facing acute hunger, with many losing access to jobs, markets, health and nutrition services.
Resolution 2653, drafted by the United States and Mexico, is the first sanctions regime adopted since that of Mali, just over five years ago. It establishes a committee which will be responsible for designating the individuals and entities to be sanctioned.
The resolution specifically sanctions notorious gang leader, Jimmy Cherizier, an ex-police officer who is reportedly the most powerful gang boss in the country, known by his alias “Barbeque.”
He heads the so-called “G9 Families and Allies,” and the annex notes that he has engaged in “acts that threaten the peace, security and stability of Haiti,” having planned or directed acts that amount to “serious human rights abuses.”
Sanctions include an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, against those engaging in or supporting criminal activity and violence, involving armed groups and criminal networks.
Designated activity includes recruiting children, carrying out kidnappings, trafficking, murder and sexual and gender-based violence.
Crucially, the resolution also designates the obstruction of humanitarian assistance to and inside Haiti, and any attacks on personnel or premises, of UN missions and operations.
AFRICA
NIGERIA UNDER FIERCE FLOODS
More than 2.8 million people have been impacted by Nigeria’s worst floods in a decade, with 1.3 million displaced and hundreds of lives lost, said the UN chief on Friday, expressing his sadness at the devastation.
Infrastructure and farmland have also been damaged, said the statement issued on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres, worsening the cost of living across the country.
He extended his deepest condolences to the Government of Nigeria and to the affected families, reiterating the UN’s continuing “commitment to supporting the Government of Nigeria in this challenging time.”
UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said that 60 percent of those in need were children, who are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition.
The floods have affected 34 out of the 36 states in the country, and over 600 people have lost their lives, with 200,000 houses either partially or fully damaged.
In the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of Oct. 12, and rains are expected to continue for several weeks, along with rising humanitarian needs.
“Children and adolescents in flood-affected areas are in an extremely vulnerable situation,” said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
“They are particularly at risk of waterborne diseases and emotional and psychological distress. UNICEF is working closely with the Government and other partners to provide life-saving assistance to those who are most in need.”
Immediate priority needs for children include health, water, sanitation, and hygiene; as well as shelter and food.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, ended a short fact-finding mission to nearby Burkina Faso, saying it was a critical time for the landlocked West African nation.
“Humanitarian needs are rising fast. A quarter of the population, or some 4.9 million people need emergency assistance, a staggering 40 percent more people than at the beginning of the year,” he said. “One in ten Burkinabe is displaced from their homes by devastating conflict and climate shocks.”
Griffiths said he’d met some displaced in the town of Djibo, who had eaten “only leaves and salt, for weeks.”
“The situation is so bad that women are risking their lives, crossing lines of control at night in search of food. I spoke with community leaders who urged those in charge to open roads for food, water, and vital medicine to reach them, to save lives. There are peaceful initiatives to find solutions and there is still hope. The people of Djibo deserve our respect, admiration and much more support in this hour of dire need.”
