Week 15 - 23/04/2021

Published on 23 April 2021 at 11:28

Russian Troops Retreat from Ukraine Border:

 

After weeks of tension over a build-up of Russian troops close to Ukraine's border, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered several units in the area back to their bases.

 

The EU estimated that more than 100,000 Russian soldiers had amassed near the border as well as in Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014.

 

Speaking in Crimea, Mr Shoigu said units on exercise would return to base.

 

The aims of the "snap checks" had been achieved, he added.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who earlier challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in the conflict zone, welcomed the decision to "de-escalate" tensions at the border.

 

Derek Chauvin Found Guilty for the Murder of George Floyd

 

Derek Chauvin has been found guilty for the murder of George Floyd, unanimously, on second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. 

 

According to CNN, ‘Chauvin, 45, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter’. Second-degree unintentional murder referred to as a charge that ‘alleges Chauvin caused Floyd’s death “without intent” while committing or attempting to commit felony third-degree assault’.

 

The Minneapolis Police Department fired all four of the officers involved in the murder. Following on from that, second-degree manslaughter charges were brought against Derek Chauvin. Mr. Chauvin who is white, kept his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes and 15 seconds. These actions were caught on camera. On June 3, Hennepin County prosecutors added a more serious second-degree murder charge against Mr. Chauvin.

 

The 12-member jury took less than a day to reach their verdict, which followed a highly charged, three-week trial that left Minneapolis on edge. Several hundred people cheered outside the court as the verdict was announced. The Floyd family's lawyer, Ben Crump, said it marked a "turning point in history" for the US.



Biden Commits to Climate Strategy

 

US President Joe Biden has told a major summit that we are in a "decisive decade" for tackling climate change.

 

The US has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by the year 2030.

 

This new target, which was unveiled at a virtual summit of 40 global leaders, essentially doubles their previous promise.

 

But the leaders of India and China, two of the world's biggest emitters, made no new commitments.

 

"Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade - this is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis," President Biden said at the summit's opening address.

 

"We must try to keep the Earth's temperature to an increase of 1.5C. The world beyond 1.5 degrees means more frequent and intense fires, floods, droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes - tearing through communities, ripping away lives and livelihoods."

 

Indian COVID-19 Variant Causes Havoc

 

India's healthcare system is buckling as a record surge in Covid-19 cases puts pressure on hospital beds and drains oxygen supplies.

 

Families are left pleading for their relatives who are desperately ill, with some patients left untreated for hours.

 

Crematoriums are organising mass funeral pyres.

 

On Friday India reported 332,730 new cases of coronavirus, setting a world record for a second day running. Deaths were numbered at 2,263 in 24 hours.

 

Dr Atul Gogia, a consultant at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi, who in a recent interview with the BBC, said that there had been a "huge surge" in patients, leaving no space in the emergency room.

 

"We do not have that many oxygen points. Whatever oxygen points are there, they're full. Patients are coming in with their own oxygen cylinders or without oxygen. We want to help them but there are not enough beds and not enough oxygen points even to supply them oxygen if it is there," he said.

Add comment

Comments

There are no comments yet.