WORLD NEWS FLASH
UNITED STATES
Another mass shooting took place in California, and it was so terrifying, it took eyes off of another one in the South.
On Jan. 21, a man entered the Star Ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park, CA, and began shooting. In all, 11 people lost their lives in the melee. Later on, the shooter attempted to open fire at the Lai Lai Ballroom Studio. However, he was thwarted by patrons there, who managed to wrestle the gun – identified as a Cobray M11 9mm semi-automatic assault pistol with an extended clip – away from him.
After fleeing the scene, police found the Chevy Express 3500 van that was identified as belonging to the shooter. As they approached the vehicle, a gunshot was heard, with the shooter committing suicide.
Amidst the chaos, the shooter has been identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran. According to reports, Tran had initially met his ex-wife at the Star Ballroom years ago. Both locations were in the middle of Chinese New Year celebrations.
The shooting garnered the attention of President Biden and the FBI, who are probing the tragic event.
Meanwhile, another mass shooting occurred in Baton Rouge, LA. At least one shooter opened fire around 1:30 a.m. local time on Jan. 22 at the Dior Bar and Lounge, in what authorities labeled a “targeted” attack. While there were no fatalities, some of the victims were critically injured. As of this posting, the shooter or shooters are still at large.
Days later, Chunli Zhao, 66, committed two shootings in the Half Moon Bay community south of San Francisco in California. He killed three people at a trucking business, and then four others at a mushroom farm. Hours after committing the crimes, he was arrested at a police station without incident. While there was no clear cut motive in the shootings, authorities believe they are workplace related.
Update: Since the original filing of this entry, there has been a shooting at a music video shoot in Oakland. According to reports, seven people were injured in the Oakland incident, with one fatality. As of this writing, there have been 40 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2023. The most recent edition of “Local Talk” came out on the 26th day of 2023.
WORLD
90 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT
The Doomsday Clock was set at 90 seconds to midnight, due largely but not exclusively to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the increased risk of nuclear escalation. The new Clock time was also influenced by continuing threats posed by the climate crisis and the breakdown of global norms and institutions needed to mitigate risks associated with advancing technologies and biological threats such as COVID-19.
Rachel Bronson, PhD, president and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said: “We are living in a time of unprecedented danger, and the Doomsday Clock time reflects that reality. 90 seconds to midnight is the closest the Clock has ever been set to midnight, and it’s a decision our experts do not take lightly. The US government, its NATO allies and Ukraine have a multitude of channels for dialogue; we urge leaders to explore all of them to their fullest ability to turn back the Clock.”
The Doomsday Clock’s time is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board with the support of the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes 10 Nobel Laureates. Previously, the Doomsday Clock had been set at 100 seconds to midnight since 2020.
The Doomsday Clock statement explains that “Russia’s war on Ukraine has raised profound questions about how states interact, eroding norms of international conduct that underpin successful responses to a variety of global risks. And worst of all, Russia’s thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict – by accident, intention, or miscalculation – is a terrible risk. The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high…Russia has also brought its war to the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor sites, violating international protocols and risking widespread release of radioactive materials. Efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency to secure these plants so far have been rebuffed.” The statement has been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.
Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “The Doomsday Clock is sounding an alarm for the whole of humanity. We are on the brink of a precipice. But our leaders are not acting at sufficient speed or scale to secure a peaceful and liveable planet. From cutting carbon emissions to strengthening arms control treaties and investing in pandemic preparedness, we know what needs to be done. The science is clear, but the political will is lacking. This must change in 2023 if we are to avert catastrophe. We are facing multiple, existential crises. Leaders need a crisis mindset.”
Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: “Three years ago, I helped unveil the Doomsday Clock when its hands were last moved. Today they are even closer to midnight, showing how much more perilous our world has become in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events and Russia’s outrageous war on Ukraine. Leaders did not heed the Doomsday Clock’s warnings in 2020. We all continue to pay the price. In 2023 it is vital for all our sakes that they act.”
MIDDLE EAST
REFUGEES FACING HARD TIMES
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) appealed on Jan. 24 for $1.6 billion to fund core operations this year, as the people it helps face hitting “rock bottom.”
Head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told journalists in Geneva that competing global crises, and skyrocketing levels of poverty and unemployment among Palestine refugees, have put immense strain on them – and the agency – which started the year some $70 million in arrears.
“On the one hand we are asked to deliver public-like services to one of the most under-privileged communities in the region. We obviously are a UN agency (and) abide by UN values, but in reality, we are funded like an NGO, meaning that we depend on voluntary funding from Member States.”
Most Palestine refugees now live below the poverty-line and many depend on humanitarian assistance, including cash and food, from UNRWA.
“I thought that they had reached rock bottom some time ago, but I discover each time that this misery people are confronted with is getting worse and worse,” the UNRWA Commissioner-General said, of his recent visit to meet Palestinian refugees in Syria. “I witnessed first-hand indescribable suffering and despair.”
The desperate situation of Syria’s Palestine refugees is mirrored in Gaza and Lebanon – where more than nine in 10 live below the poverty-line – and in Gaza. “Many told me that all they asked for was a life of dignity, that’s not much to ask for,” the Commissioner-General explained.
“We have seen increased poverty in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon …there has been a stiff increase compared to previous assessments, which means again, we are the only lifeline for this community. The same happened in Gaza; in Gaza, we have more than one million people who are also dependent on our food assistance.”
Highlighting the vast scope of UNRWA’s work, Mr. Lazzarini explained that the agency provided services, much as a small government would. “We act in reality as a Minister of Education, a Minister of Primary Health, a Minister of Municipalities, a Ministry of Social Services for this extraordinarily vulnerable group of Palestinian refugees,” he said.
“We are also providing emergency humanitarian assistance and hence my appeal this morning for a total of $1.6 billion.”
In response to a renewed escalation of violence, a Palestine refugee family find refuge at the UNRWA Beit Lahiya Preparatory Girls’ School in northern Gaza.
Amid chronic funding shortfalls, UNRWA has expanded e-health access and telemedicine and launched a digital learning platform. “In the last three years, we had a ‘zero growth’ budget, which stayed at the same level,” Mr. Lazzarini said.
“Obviously, it didn’t meet all our needs, and that forced the agency to put in place austerity measures. And austerity comes at a cost; today, for instance, we regularly have up to 50 children per teacher attending class.”
Similarly tough conditions apply in healthcare provided by UNRWA, which provided seven million medical consultations in 2022. “On average, the doctor spent no more than three minutes with each patient, so it’s a bit quick, too,” the Commissioner-General said.
EUROPE
REMEMBERING THE TROUBLES
Proposed amendments to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill should adequately ensure respect for the rights of victims, survivors and their families, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Jan. 19.
“I recognize that addressing the legacy of the Troubles from the 1960s to the 1990s is a hugely complex and sensitive matter. But the draft legislation as it stands appears to be incompatible with the UK’s international human rights obligations,” Türk said.
The High Commissioner has previously communicated his observations to the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Among these are the fact that the Bill foresees the provision of conditional immunity from investigation and prosecution for those accused of having committed serious human rights violations and other international crimes, other than sexual offenses.
“Introducing conditional immunity in this manner would likely be at variance with the UK’s obligations under international human rights law to investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute and punish those found responsible for serious human rights violations,” Türk said.
There are also concerns about whether the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, which the Bill would establish, would be able to work independently and undertake human rights-compliant reviews and investigations.
“Concerns remain that the Bill would obstruct the rights of victims, survivors and their families to effective judicial remedy and reparations, including by prohibiting most criminal prosecutions and civil actions for Troubles-related offences,” Türk added.
The Bill is set for further review at the House of Lords committee stage.
“The actual text of the proposed amendments has been made public only one week before the House of Lords committee stage. This gives the public and relevant stakeholders, including victims and survivors, insufficient time to scrutinize the amendments and participate meaningfully in this hugely significant legislative process,” the High Commissioner said.
“Respect for rights of victims, survivors, and their families to truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence is essential for reconciliation. Their rights must be placed at the heart of all attempts to address the legacy of the Troubles,” he stressed.
“I urge the UK to reconsider its approach and engage in further meaningful and inclusive consultations on how best to advance a human rights-centered way to address the legacy of the Troubles,” Türk said.
