Staff

Staff

Police in the US state of Michigan released four videos Wednesday of a police shooting earlier this month that left a Black man dead.

The videos, released by the Grand Rapids Police Department, show an officer fatally shooting Patrick Lyoya, 26, in the back of the head during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids on April 4.

"It’s an absolute tragedy. It’s heartbreaking. It’s been a difficult time internally for the police department," Grand Rapids police Chief Eric Winstrom said at a press conference.

According to one video, Lyoya was on the ground and facing away from the officer, who later pulled the trigger.

The shooting came after a two-minute struggle between the two men. The police officer, whose identity has yet to be released, reportedly stopped Lyoya because his license plate did not match his vehicle.

Lyoya, the father of two young daughters, arrived in the US from Congo as a refugee with his family, fleeing violence.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the Michigan State Police will conduct a transparent, independent investigation of the shooting.

"Justice is foundational to safety, and without justice, we are all less safe," she said in a statement.

“We DEMAND that the officer who killed Patrick not only be terminated for his excessive and fatal force, but be arrested and prosecuted for his violent, reckless, and unjustified killing of this Black man during a misdemeanor traffic stop!” Ben Crump, a lawyer for the family, said on Twitter.

The incident prompted protests in the city./aa

Global natural gas demand is set to fall slightly this year due to higher prices and market disruptions caused by Russia's war on Ukraine, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest quarterly update.

The report revised global natural gas consumption growth for 2022 from the previous 1% forecast to slightly below zero, corresponding to a negative gas demand revision of 50 billion cubic meters compared to the previous quarterly report’s outlook.

The expected contraction in the world's gas demand is equivalent to about half of last year's US liquefied natural gas exports.

Global natural gas consumption grew by 4.5% last year despite increasing natural gas prices, especially in the second half of the year.

However, the war in Ukraine has added further pressure and uncertainty to an already tight natural gas market, especially in Europe, according to the IEA.

'While there are no legal restrictions on importing Russian natural gas to the European Union at this point, the war has pushed EU governments to seek to reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports as quickly as possible,' the IEA said.

Spot gas prices have soared to record highs as Europe’s push for more diversified natural gas supply has intensified demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes, with some being diverted away from Asia.

According to the report, average spot LNG prices in Asia during the 2021-22 heating season were more than four times their five-year average. In Europe, spot LNG prices were five times their five-year average, in spite of a mild winter.

'The prices were also boosted by Russia's moves, even before war, to drastically reduce short-term gas sales to Europe, which had left European storage levels 17% below their five-year average at the start of the European heating season,' the IEA said in the report.

'Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine is above all a humanitarian disaster, but it has also triggered a major energy supply and security crisis,' said Keisuke Sadamori, the IEA director of Energy Markets and Security was quoted as saying in the report.

Sadamori said that while stiffer competition for LNG supplies is inevitable as Europe reduces its reliance on Russian gas, the best and most lasting solution to today's energy challenges would be to accelerate energy efficiency improvements across economies and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels towards low-carbon sources of energy, including domestically produced low-carbon gases.

Russia is Europe’s largest natural gas supplier, meeting 33% of the region’s demand in 2021, up from 25% in 2009.

The flow of natural gas transiting through Ukraine has continued so far since the start of the war, despite Ukraine itself experiencing supply disruptions and damage to its gas infrastructure, the IEA said.

According to the report, natural gas consumption this year is expected to fall by close to 6% in Europe while in Asia it is expected to grow by 3% in 2022, a marked slowdown from growth of 7% in 2021.

Regions such as the Americas, Africa and the Middle East are expected to be affected less directly by gas market volatility, as they principally rely on domestic gas production.

'But they are nonetheless being affected by the wider economic impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine including rising commodity prices, weaker purchasing power and lower investment due to dented business confidence,' the IEA said./aa

The death toll from devastating floods in the eastern coastal South African province of KwaZulu-Natal has risen to 341, a top official announced late Thursday.

“A total number of 40,723 people have been affected, and sadly, 341 fatalities have been recorded,” KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala told a media briefing.

Zikalala said they were still tallying the number of missing people, but so far, 55 injuries have been registered.

The premier said 248 schools have been damaged as well as several water plants, leading to a shortage of drinking water.

“The level of devastation of human life, infrastructure, and the service delivery network in the province is unprecedented,” said Zikalala.

The unusually heavy rains began a few days ago in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, leading to massive floods that have wreaked havoc in the country’s most popular holiday destination ahead of the Easter holidays.

Officials say this is the country’s worst natural disaster in over 30 years./aa

Russian attacks have killed around 14,000 Ukrainians in the last eight years, Ukraine’s president said Thursday.

The attacks did not start on Feb. 24 but have been continuing since 2014, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message.

He argued that Russia had turned Crimea into a large military base and the Black and Azov seas into among the most dangerous areas on the planet.

The world’s silence over what has been going on in Ukraine since 2014 encouraged Russia to launch an attack on the country on Feb. 24, he added.

At least 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 injured in Ukraine since Russia launched the war, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.

More than 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries , with over 7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency./aa

The UK on Thursday hit two key Russian oligarchs with sanctions worth up to £10 billion ($13 billion).

Eugene Tenenbaum and David Davidovich were the oligarchs targeted by sanctions; the assets connected to them both are worth up to £10 billion, meaning it is the largest asset freeze in British history.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “We are tightening the ratchet on Putin’s war machine and targeting the circle of people closest to the Kremlin. We will keep going with sanctions until Putin fails in Ukraine. Nothing and no one is off the table.”

Their assets cannot be repatriated back to Russia, and this will in turn deprive the Kremlin of further funds for its war on Ukraine.

Davidovich was also put under a travel ban.

He was described by Forbes as “(Roman) Abramovich’s much lower profile right hand man.”

Tenenbaum described himself as one of Abramovich’s closest business associates, and is a director at Chelsea FC.

Earlier this week, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich himself was subject to a formal freezing order by Jersey authorities on assets suspected to be connected to him, valued at over £5 billion.

A British government statement said the sanctions Britain and its international partners have imposed are having “deep and damaging consequences for Putin’s ability to wage war.”

The statement added: “Analysis shows Russia is heading for the deepest recession since the collapse of the Soviet Union with £275 billion – 60% of Russian foreign currency reserves – currently frozen.”/aa

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill Thursday banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, making Florida the latest state to restrict the medical procedure in most cases. 

House Bill 5, the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act, "protects babies in the womb who have beating hearts, who can move, who can taste, who can see, and who can feel pain," DeSantis said in a statement.

"Life is a sacred gift worthy of our protection, and I am proud to sign this great piece of legislation which represents the most significant protections for life in the state’s modern history," he added.

The new law prohibits abortions after a fetus has reached 15 weeks of gestation.

"While other states such as California and Colorado are taking extreme measures against the right to life by passing legislation which denies babies in the womb any rights or protections and provides for unrestricted abortions on demand until the point of birth, Florida continues to move in a pro-life direction," said the governor.

In early March, the Florida Senate approved the bill, which sparked anger among several groups, including Planned Parenthood.

The law does not make exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking but defends abortion only to save a mother’s life.

"Banning abortion is not what Floridians want. Every poll shows a majority of Floridians are against a 15-week abortion ban," said Stephanie Fraim, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida said at the time.

"Floridians want the freedom to make their own private medical decisions, not to be told what to do by politicians,” she said. “This cruel and careless law strips people of the right to control their own bodies and their futures.”

The law takes effect July 1./aa

The Kiev mayor on Thursday accused Russia of committing acts of ethnic cleansing against the Ukrainian people.

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of the capital city of Ukraine, visited a park in Kiev which is planned to be named "Heroes of Mariupol," and participated in a planting program.

He recalled that there once was a sculpture in the park that symbolizes the friendship of Russia and Ukraine.

"How can we talk about friendship when Russia is attacking us, waging a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Ukrainian people, destroying the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian cities," Klitschko said.

The mayor said a vote will be held in the Kyiv City Council to remove "Moscow" and "Minsk" from names of streets, avenues and subways in the capital.

At least 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.

More than 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries since the start of the war, with over 7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency./aa

European stock markets ended Thursday with gains following European Central Bank's decision to keep key interest rates stable. 

The bank did not change interest rates in line with market expectations despite high inflation in an environment of increased uncertainty due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and confirmed its plan to end its bond purchases.

"Russia's aggression in Ukraine is causing enormous suffering. It is also affecting the economy, in Europe and beyond. The conflict and the associated uncertainty are weighing heavily on the confidence of businesses and consumers," it said in a statement.

In other developments, commercial flights in EU countries increased 156% in March compared to the same period last year.

German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen Group increased its profit before special items 77% to €8.5 billion ($9.1 billion) in the January-March period.

The World Steel Association estimated that global steel demand, which increased 2.7% last year, will increase only 0.4% to 1.84 billion tons in 2022 due to the war. 

Giving these, the benchmark index Stoxx Europe 600 increased 0.67% to close at 459.82 points.

The UK's FTSE 100 index rose 0.47% to 7,616.38 points, while Germany's DAX 30 increased 0.62% to 14,163.85 points.

The CAC 40 index in France went up 0.72% to 6,589.35 points and Italy's FTSE MIB 30 index rose 0.57% to 24,862.35 points.

Almost all markets in Europe will be closed tomorrow for Easter holidays./aa

The UK’s main opposition Labour Party on Thursday denounced the government’s plan to implement a controversial immigration plan that would see refugees being sent to Rwanda.

Leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer said the immigration announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson was a desperate attempt to distract the country from his law-breaking and described the contentious plan as “unworkable” and “extortionate” for the taxpayers.

“I think we need to see these plans for what they are; it is a desperate announcement by a prime minister who just wants to distract from his own law-breaking. They are unworkable, they are extortionate, they are going to cost taxpayers billions of pounds and they just reflect a prime minister who has got no grip, no answers to the questions that need answering and no shame. I think Britain deserves better than this,” Starmer said.

Jeremy Corbyn, Labour’s former head, also criticized the government’s plan, describing the new policy to resettle asylum seekers and refugees in Rwanda as “shameful and beyond cruel.” The former Labour leader made clear that such plans should be resisted.

“The government’s plan to send refugees fleeing conflict, including those where there has been British involvement, to Rwanda is shameful and beyond cruel. We must build a world of peace and compassion. The plans to ‘offshore’ those seeking safety and security must be resisted,” Corbyn said on Twitter.

Zarah Sultana, a prominent Labour MP, described the immigration strategy as “disgusting” and a distraction to the growing crisis surrounding the “partygate” scandal and the prime minister’s refusal to take responsibility for breaking the law.

“It’s just so disgusting. The Tories are going to forcibly transport people who come to Britain fleeing war and persecution to detention camps in Rwanda. And of course it’s announced now to distract from the PM’s lying and lawbreaking. Sickening cruelty, even by their standards,” Sultana said.

Protests against the new policy have also been launched by activists. A demonstration will be held outside the Home Office in London later on Thursday and a number of petitions have been launched to raise awareness on the matter and to persuade MPs to vote against the policy when it is put to a vote in parliament next week.

“This is urgent. On the 13th April, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that his government has signed a contract with Rwanda to build offshore detention camps there, where he will lock up people seeking asylum,” one campaign from ActionStorm said.

“The Rwandan government has a disturbing record of repression and human rights abuses. Rwandan police shot refugees protesting against poor conditions in the camps there. In Rwandan detention centres people - including women and children - have been locked in filthy, crowded cells, and beaten by guards,” it added.

On Thursday Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that thousands of asylum seekers and refugees attempting to enter the UK will be sent to Rwanda for reprocessing in an attempt at what he calls gaining back control of the UK’s borders and putting an end to illegal people smuggling across the English Channel./aa

Rwanda and the UK inked a major deal on Thursday under which Britain will send some asylum seekers to the East African country.

The agreement was signed by visiting UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta in the capital city Kigali.

Britain said it is a plan to end illegal people smuggling across the English Channel.

Under the five-year program, migrants from the UK will be integrated into communities across Rwanda, where they will be entitled to full protection under Rwanda’s law, equal access to employment, and enrolment in healthcare and social care services, according to officials.

“The relocation applies to illegal entries into the UK. Criminal gangs are facilitating people into Europe, resulting in loss of lives. The relocation will help the asylum seekers to resettle and rebuild their lives. Global systems have failed to address the migration crisis,” Patel told reporters at a news conference in Kigali.

Without disclosing the number of asylum seekers to be relocated, she said the deal will help control the UK’s borders, describing it as the “biggest overhaul of our immigration system in decades.”

She added: “This agreement illustrates that we can no longer accept the status quo, people are dying. Last year, more than 28,000 migrants and refugees on boats crossed from mainland Europe to Britain, a very dangerous situation.”

The partnership will disrupt the business model of organized crime gangs and deter migrants from putting their lives at risk, she said.

The UK has earmarked an upfront investment of £120 million ($156.9 million) to facilitate the implementation of the agreement, said Patel, who hailed the deal as “a major milestone.”

The funding will be injected in opportunities for the development of migrants and Rwandans in areas of secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education.

Unique approach to address global migration crisis

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta acclaimed the deal as a truly unique approach to address the global migration crisis.

“The move will address the imbalance in global opportunities which drives illegal migration. The partnership will address the urgent humanitarian crisis by tackling its roots,” he said.

Biruta said Rwanda is committed to international cooperation and partnership on migration, in particular the opportunities that a robust protection system as well as a comprehensive human capital investment program can create for migrants and development of the host country.

“There is a global responsibility to prioritize the safety and well-being of migrants, and Rwanda welcomes this partnership with the UK to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence.

“This is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose,” he said.

Biruta also said asylum seekers from Rwanda’s neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi would not be eligible.

Rwandan opposition criticizes deal

The agreement drew criticism from the Rwandan opposition, though.

Opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda said it supports welcoming refugees who have chosen Rwanda as their first destination but not those who chose to go to the UK or other European countries.

“We think that rich countries including the UK should not shift their international obligation to receive refugees and transfer them to third countries just because they have the money to influence and enforce their will,” the party said in a statement.

It also said the relocation is not a sustainable situation, adding that the UK should own up its international obligation on the migration issues.

“Rwanda has already a high population density in Africa and already land is not sufficient for us all, with a lot of land conflicts and competition for the natural resources. Taking on migrants from the UK will increase the land burden and survival challenges for the limited natural resources available,” the party said./aa

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