International
Starmer condemns the far-right riots in England and promises to bring those responsible to justice
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, condemned this Sunday the violent riots of the extreme right that broke out this weekend in several British cities and promised to bring those responsible “quickly” to justice.
“If people are attacked because of the color of their skin or their faith, then that is extreme right and I am willing to say it. This is violence, it’s not protest. It doesn’t matter what the reason is,” Starmer said in a statement, following the outbreaks of violence instigated by anti-immigration and anti-Islam groups registered in the United Kingdom.
The population of the United Kingdom wants to see “their safe streets and that is what I am determined to offer. They will regret it,” added the Labour leader and insisted that the troublemakers will face the full weight of the law and that the judicial response will be “quick.”
“We will do everything necessary to ensure that the message is absolutely clear: if you participate in this violence, you will regret it and you will be brought to justice as soon as possible,” he said.
“The people of this country have the right to be safe and yet we have seen Muslim communities attacked, attacks on mosques,” the prime minister said.
“Other minority communities attacked, Nazi greetings on the street, attacks on the police, unbridled violence along with racist rhetoric, so no, I will not be ashamed to call it by its name: extreme right-wing violence,” he said.
The violence instigated by far-right groups that broke out this weekend in British cities such as Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and Manchester has resulted in the arrest of more than 90 people while several officers were injured after being attacked with stones, beer cans, bottles and chairs.
Some protests continued today in some towns, including Rotherham, in the north of England, where a group of protesters threw stones and chairs at a hotel that houses asylum seekers.
The anti-immigration and anti-Islam protests organized in multiple towns and cities in the United Kingdom, supported by groups such as the English Defense League, ended in riots when many of the attendees assaulted the agents with all kinds of objects while some stores were looted and garbage cans were set on fire.
Although these groups have been organizing protests for weeks, the tension increased as a result of the July 29 stab attack on a recreational center in Southport (northwest England), in which three girls were killed and eight minors and two adults were injured.
The perpetrator of the attack, Axel Rudakubana, 17, born in Wales to Rwandan parents, has been accused of the murder of the girls and the attempted murder of the other ten people, but the discomfort of the far-right groups increased when false information was disseminated on social networks that the aggressor was an asylum seeker who had crossed the English Channel by boat.
The British Government will offer greater protection to mosques in the United Kingdom by virtue of a “quick response” measure for the violence that broke out in several cities in the country this weekend, the Ministry of the Interior reported on Sunday.
The measure is designed to address as quickly as possible the threat of new attacks against Muslim temples, which began in response to the attack in Southport.
In this weekend’s violence, more than 170 people were arrested after the agents were attacked with stones, bottles, beer cans, garbage cans or chairs.
In the town of Rotherham, in the north of England, a group of protesters, some masked and wrapped with the flag of England, today attacked a hotel that houses asylum seekers and also agents who were trying to control the disorder.
The ground floor of the hotel was set on fire when some troublemakers managed to break the police cordon and accessed the building while a police helicopter flew over the place.
Meanwhile, some protesters in Middlesbrough, in the northeast of England, destroyed windows of houses and cars and threw other objects while racist insults were heard.
These incidents followed similar scenes of riots seen this weekend in British cities such as Southport, Belfast, Hartlepool, Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Sunderland, all in reaction to the Southport attack.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International16 hours agoLooting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
-
Central America5 days agoEl Salvador and Chile Mark 150 Years of Relations With Expanded Bilateral Cooperation
-
International4 days agoOAS Secretary General Pledges Regional Assistance Following Venezuela Quake Disaster
-
International4 days agoUnited Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
-
International5 days agoWHO Expects Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship to End by July 2
-
International5 days agoBill Gates Says Jeffrey Epstein Made “Veiled” Threats Over Extramarital Affairs
-
International2 days agoUN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people