Thursday, June 29, 2023

Six in The Morning Thursday 29 June 2023

 

French policeman formally placed under arrest over teenager's killing


A French policeman has been charged with voluntary homicide and placed under arrest on Thursday ahead of trial over the killing of a teenager at point blank range which sparked nationwide protests. Thousands gathered to honour the victim, alongside his family and loved ones, in his Paris neighbourhood. France's interior minister said 40,000 police officers will deployed on Thursday night to quell any fresh outbreaks of violence. 


  • The 17-year-old victim, identified only as Nahel M., was shot at point-blank range by a police officer on Tuesday morning in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. He was driving a yellow Mercedes in Nanterre when he was pulled over for traffic violations.
  • Police initially reported that he was shot after driving his car at police, but this was contradicted by a video that rapidly went viral across social media and was later authenticated by AFP. The footage shows the two policemen standing by the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying, "You are going to get a bullet in the head." The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off before gradually coming to a stop. 
  • The incident has so far caused two nights of violent unrest in the capital and cities across France that have seen protesters clash with police. Authorities said at least 150 people were arrested overnight.
  • France's interior minister said 40,000 police officers will be deployed on Thursday night to quell further outbreaks of violence.
  • A silent march is taking place in Nanterre on Thursday to honour Nahel M.


Many people in Mexico without power as deadly heat leads to strain on grid

Climate change has made high temperatures more common in the country, which has already surpassed peak energy demand of 2022

When Raquel Rubio’s 13-month baby developed a 102F fever last week, she rushed to the doctor. Her son, Liam, had been in Rubio’s apartment without air conditioning for several hours; Nuevo León, the Mexican state where she lives, had reached 109F that day.

The doctor confirmed Rubio’s suspicions that the heat was driving her son’s temperature, and instructed her to bathe Liam and keep him hydrated. But Rubio couldn’t go back home; she had been dealing with power shortages for the past two weeks and didn’t want to take her son back into the blistering heat.


India: Rahul Gandhi stopped by police in Manipur

The opposition leader was on his way to the northeastern state of Manipur, where clashes between ethnic groups broke out in May. Police warned that the highway Gandhi's convoy was traveling along was at risk of attack.


Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped by local police on Thursday while he was on his way to visit the violence-hit northeastern state of Manipur. 

Reports said police fired tear gas near the 53-year old's convoy to disperse a crowd that had started gathering in the area.

Gandhi was traveling to Churachandpur district, one of the areas worst affected by the violence. 

Manipur, which borders Myanmar, has been witnessing heavy clashes between ethnic groups since early May.

Gandhi had planned to visit relief camps to meet people who were displaced by the recent unrest. 

His convoy was stopped by security forces citing safety reasons and the volatile situation on the ground.. 


In blow to Sunak, UK court rules Rwanda deportation plan unlawful

Judges say Rwanda cannot be considered a safe third country, after the scheme was heavily criticised by rights groups.

 

A British court has ruled that the government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful as the African nation cannot be considered a safe third country.

In a major setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged to deter people from arriving across the Channel in small boats, three Court of Appeal judges on Thursday said the “removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda” would be “unlawful”.

“The deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda are such that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment,” judge Ian Burnett said, but added that he, himself, disagreed with the other two judges on this point.


Protestors break into Swedish embassy in Baghdad after Stockholm Quran burning

Updated 10:56 AM EDT, Thu June 29, 2023


Demonstrators breached the perimeter of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad Thursday, a day after a protestor burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden.

The protests in the Iraqi capital were ordered by the powerful Iraqi Shia cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, who also called for the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad.

Videos circulating on social media showed some protesters climbing over a barricaded wall outside the embassy. It is unclear how far into the building they got, before withdrawing.

Sweden said its staff were safe. “We are well informed about the situation. Our Embassy staff are in safety and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is in regular contact with them,” the Swedish foreign ministry’s press office told CNN in an email.


Wagner: Satellite images show activity at military base in Belarus

By Jake Horton & Daniele Palumbo
BBC Verify

Satellite images appear to show activity at a disused military base in Belarus, amid speculation about Wagner forces relocating to the country.

An image from 27 June obtained by BBC Verify, and first reported by Radio Free Europe, shows what could be tents or similar structures appearing at the base.

An earlier image taken on 19 June shows the fields within the military compound largely empty.

The Wagner group, which is made up of mercenaries, had been fighting for Russia in Ukraine until last weekend, when it staged a rebellion.

Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, later called off an advance to Moscow after a deal was struck with the help of the Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.









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