Humza Yousaf sworn in as Scotland’s leader as bid for unity falters

Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Humza Yousaf (L), is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on March 29, 2023. (AFP)
Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Humza Yousaf (L), is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on March 29, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 29 March 2023

Humza Yousaf sworn in as Scotland’s leader as bid for unity falters

Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Humza Yousaf (L), is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at the Court of Session.
  • Yousaf is the first Muslim to lead a democratic western European nation
  • Ceremony blended formal tradition with his Pakistani heritage

LONDON: Humza Yousaf was sworn in as Scotland’s new leader on Wednesday in a ceremony blending formal tradition with his Pakistani heritage, then announced his first cabinet in a move that risked deepening the divisions in his governing party.
Yousaf, the first Muslim to lead a democratic western European nation, was dressed in a black sherwani at Scotland’s highest court, the Court of Session in Edinburgh.




Humza Yousaf poses for a photograph after being his swearing-in ceremony at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. (AFP)


His wife, watching with his children and parents, shed tears at the start of the ceremony.
Yousaf, who pledged an oath of allegiance to King Charles, has previously said he wants to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state if he achieves his dream of ending Scotland’s three-centuries-long political union with England.
The 37-year-old then announced his new cabinet of six women and three men, who were mainly close allies of Scotland’s former leader Nicola Sturgeon, who resigned last month after dominating Scottish politics for more than a decade.
But the new lineup could breed disunity as it excluded Yousaf’s leadership rivals or their allies who said they were offered only positions that amounted to demotions.
Shona Robison — a close friend of Sturgeon — will serve as finance minister as well as deputy first minister, while Angus Robertson will continue to have the responsibility for constitutional issues and external affairs.
Announcing his new team, Yousaf said his cabinet, which has a majority of women for the first time in Scotland’s history, should look as much as possible like the voters they represent.
“As we make the case for Scottish independence, we will continue to govern well and demonstrate to the people of Scotland the benefits of decisions about their lives being taken here in Scotland,” he said.
The new leader faces numerous challenges, including uniting his party, charting a new course toward independence from the United Kingdom, and fixing Scotland’s problems with health care and education.
Yousaf narrowly won a leadership race on Monday after a bruising contest that followed the surprise resignation last month of Sturgeon, who had dominated Scottish politics for almost a decade.
The internal disagreements over the future of the pro-independence Scottish National Party and Scotland re-emerged after Yousaf’s main rival, Kate Forbes, quit the government.
Forbes turned down an offer to become the minister for rural affairs and islands, a step down from her previous role as finance minister, according to a source familiar with the talks.
Former health secretary Alex Neil, who backed Forbes, said the proposed post was “an insult and not a real effort to unite” the party.
Yousaf had been expected to offer his leadership rival, whom he defeated by only about 2,000 votes, a more senior role.
During his leadership campaign, Yousaf had said he would depart from Sturgeon’s “inner circle” style of leadership in favor of a “big tent” approach.
Forbes, who questioned Yousaf’s record in government during the leadership campaign, posted on Twitter on Tuesday a reminder of the closeness of the contest, while saying Yousaf had her “full support.”
The business minister, Ivan McKee, who backed Forbes in the leadership contest, also said he quit the government after being offered a job he considered a demotion. 


Ukraine peace plan is only way to end Russia’s war, says Zelensky aide

Ukraine peace plan is only way to end Russia’s war, says Zelensky aide
Updated 14 sec ago

Ukraine peace plan is only way to end Russia’s war, says Zelensky aide

Ukraine peace plan is only way to end Russia’s war, says Zelensky aide
  • Ukraine sees courting Global South as top priority
  • Russia has built ties with the region during war
KYIV: Kyiv’s peace plan is the only way to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and the time for mediation efforts has passed, a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva told Reuters that Ukraine had no interest in a cease-fire that locks in Russian territorial gains, and wanted the implementation of its peace plan, which envisages the full withdrawal of Russian troops.
He pushed back on a flurry of peace initiatives from China, Brazil, the Vatican and South Africa in recent months.
“There cannot be a Brazilian peace plan, a Chinese peace plan, a South African peace plan when you are talking about the war in Ukraine,” Zhovkva said in an interview late on Friday.
Zelensky made a major push to court the Global South this month in response to peace moves from some of its members. He attended the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19, holding talks with host Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iraq and other delegations.
He then flew to Japan where he met the leaders of India and Indonesia — important voices in the Global South — on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit of major economic powers in Hiroshima.
While Kyiv has staunch backing from the West in its struggle against the Kremlin, it has not won the same support from the Global South — a term denoting Latin America, Africa and much of Asia — where Russia has invested diplomatic energy for years.
Moscow has bolstered ties with Global South powers during the war in Ukraine, including by selling more of its energy to India and China.
In response to a Western embargo on seaborne Russian oil imports, Russia has been working to reroute supplies away from its traditional European markets to Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Nairobi on Monday hoping to nail down a trade pact with Kenya, has repeatedly traveled to Africa during the war and St. Petersburg is due to host a Russia-Africa summit this summer.
In a sign of how Ukraine is trying to challenge Russia’s diplomatic sway, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba embarked on his second wartime tour of Africa last week.
Ukraine’s Zhovkva said winning backing in the Global South was a top priority. While Ukraine focused on ties with Western partners at the invasion’s start, securing peace was a matter of concern for all countries, he said.
He played down the prospects of calls for dialogue with Russia made by Pope Francis who described Ukraine’s occupied territories as a “political problem”.
“In this period of open war, we don’t need any mediators. It’s too late for mediation,” he said.

‘Peace Summit’
Zhovkva said the reaction to Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan had been extremely positive at the G7 summit.
“Not a single formula had any concerns from the (G7) countries,” Zhovkva said.
Kyiv wanted G7 leaders to help bring as many Global South leaders as possible to a “Peace Summit” proposed by Kyiv this summer, he said, adding that the location was still being discussed.
Russia has said it is open to peace talks with Kyiv, which stalled a few months into the invasion. But it insists that any talks be based on “new realities”, meaning its declared annexation of five Ukrainian provinces it fully or partly controls — a condition Kyiv will not accept.
China, the world’s second-largest economy and Ukraine’s top trade partner before the war, has touted a 12-point vision for peace which calls for a cease-fire but does not condemn the invasion or oblige Russia to withdraw from occupied territories.
Beijing, which has close ties with Russia’s leadership, sent top envoy Li Hui to Kyiv and Moscow this month to encourage peace talks.
Zhovkva said the envoy was briefed in detail on the situation on the battlefield, at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the power grid and the transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, which Kyiv says is a Russian war crime.
“He listened very attentively. There was no immediate response … we will see. China is a wise country which understands its role in international affairs.”

Drones hit buildings in Moscow, several downed on approach to capital — officials

Drones hit buildings in Moscow, several downed on approach to capital — officials
Updated 21 min 43 sec ago

Drones hit buildings in Moscow, several downed on approach to capital — officials

Drones hit buildings in Moscow, several downed on approach to capital — officials
  • It was not immediately clear who launched the drones
  • Several drones were shot down on their approach to Moscow

Drones hit several buildings in Moscow causing “minor” damage and no serious injuries, with air defense systems also destroying several drones on their approach to the Russian capital, Russian officials said early on Tuesday,

“All emergency services of the city are at the scene of incidents,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram messaging channel.

Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, said on the Telegram channel that several drones were shot down on their approach to Moscow.

It was not immediately clear who launched the drones. Several of Russia’s Telegram messaging channels reported that four to 10 drones were shot on the outskirts of Moscow and in its immediate region.

Sobyanin said that some residents were being evacuated.

Russia’s RIA state news agency reported that some residents of a building on Moscow’s Profsoyuznaya Street in the city’s south were being evacuated.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports.


Russia launches third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours

Russia launches third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours
Updated 50 min 44 sec ago

Russia launches third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours

Russia launches third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours
  • In the second deadly assault on Kyiv, one person died when falling drone debris hit a high-rise apartment building

KYIV : At least one person died and four were injured as a result of Russia’s third attack on Kyiv in 24 hours, official said early on Tuesday, with Ukraine’s air defense forces destroying more than 20 drones.
“The attack was massive, came from different directions, in several waves,” Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on the Telegram messaging channel.
In the second deadly assault on the Ukrainian capital in May and 17th since the start of the month, one person died when falling drone debris hit a high-rise apartment building, sparking fire, officials said.
Two top floors of building in the Holosiivskyi district were destroyed, with emergency services continuing to search for people under the rubble. Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that four people were injured and 20 evacuated.
Photos from Kyiv’s officials and Reuters’ witnesses showed flames bursting out from the top floors of the building and smoke rising from the roof.
Russia has launched a series of attacks on the Ukrainian capital in May using a combination of drones and missiles, mostly at night in order to inflict psychological distress on people, Kyiv’s official said.
According to preliminary information, Tuesday’s attacks were carried out only with Iranian-made Shahed drones, Kyiv’s military administration said.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the report. It was not immediately known how many drones Russia launched. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the attack.
“The enemy continues to attack the capital,” Klitschko said in a post on the Telegram message. “This night explosions rang out in many areas of the city.”
Falling debris hit several districts, he added, including the historic Podil and Pecherskyi neighborhoods and the Sviatoshyn district, in addition to Holosiivskyi district in Kyiv’s southwest.
The full extend of the damage is still being clarified, officials said.


9 injured in shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida

9 injured in shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida
Updated 58 min 11 sec ago

9 injured in shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida

9 injured in shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida
  • The nine people hurt included 6 adults and 3 children
  • Victims in stable condition

HOLLYWOOD, Florida: Nine people were injured Monday evening when gunfire erupted along a beachside promenade in Hollywood, Florida, sending people frantically running for cover along the crowded beach on Memorial Day.
Several of the wounded were taken to a children’s hospital, police spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said.
The nine people hurt included six adults and three children, according to Yanet Obarrio Sanchez, a spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System. All of the victims were in stable condition, she said.
Bettineschi said four children between the ages of 1 and 17 were hit, along with five adults between 25 and 65. One was in surgery late Monday while the others were stable, she said. It was not immediately clear if the hospital was counting a 17-year-old as an adult.
Bettineschi said the shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. A fight broke out, at least one gun was pulled and shots were fired. At least one person was in custody, but police were looking for more suspects.
Police Chief Chris O’Brien said thousands of people were in the area and dozens of police officers responded, including some who were nearby.
“It’s unfortunate we have law-abiding citizens who come to our beaches and that gets interrupted by a group of criminals,” he said.
The shooting happened on the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk near a convenience store, a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store and a Subway sandwich shop.
Alvie Carlton Scott III said he was on the beach when he suddenly heard numerous gunshots. He said he hid behind a tree and then fled the area after a police officer told people to run.
Jamie Ward, who was also on the broadwalk, said several young men were fighting in front of the stores when one pulled a gun and started shooting.
Videos posted on Twitter on Monday evening showed emergency medical crews responding and providing aid to multiple injured people.
Police said there would be a heavy presence of officers as the investigation continues. Officials also set up an area for family members to reunite.
“Thank you to the good samaritans, paramedics, police and emergency room doctors and nurses for their immediate response to aid the victims of today’s shooting,” Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said in a statement.
Hollywood Beach is a popular beach destination about 11 miles (17 kilometers) south of Fort Lauderdale and 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Miami. The beach was expected to see more visitors than usual because of the Memorial Day holiday.


North Korea confirms June launch of military spy satellite

North Korea confirms June launch of military spy satellite
Updated 30 May 2023

North Korea confirms June launch of military spy satellite

North Korea confirms June launch of military spy satellite
  • Announcement came a day after Japan said it was informed by North Korea that a satellite launch could happen imminently

SEOUL: North Korea said Tuesday that it would launch a spy satellite in June, claiming it was necessary to monitor the “dangerous” military movements of the United States and its allies.
Criticizing US-South Korea joint military exercises, including the ongoing large-scale live-fire drills, a top North Korean military official confirmed that “military reconnaissance satellite No. 1” would be launched next month.
The announcement came a day after Japan said it was informed by North Korea that a satellite launch could happen imminently, with Tokyo warning it would likely violate United Nations sanctions.
Satellite launch technology overlaps significantly with that used in ballistic missiles, which Pyongyang is explicitly prohibited from using under UN sanctions.
The official Korean Central News Agency cited Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the ruling party’s central military commission, saying the satellite was “indispensable to tracking, monitoring... and coping with in advance in real time the dangerous military acts of the US and its vassal forces.”
Citing “reckless” acts by Washington and Seoul, Ri said North Korea felt “the need to expand reconnaissance and information means and improve various defensive and offensive weapons.”
The official also accused the United States of conducting “hostile air espionage activities on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity,” according to the KCNA dispatch.
Pyongyang, which typically does not give advanced warning of missile launches, has been known to inform international bodies of purportedly peaceful satellite launch plans.
It told Japan Monday it would launch a rocket between May 31 and June 11.
“Even if it’s described as a satellite, a launch using ballistic missile technology would be a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions” and would threaten people’s safety, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.
In 2012 and 2016, Pyongyang tested ballistic missiles that it called satellite launches. Both flew over Japan’s southern Okinawa region.
“North Korea is giving justification and legitimacy to the upcoming launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, by blaming the ongoing US-South Korea joint drills,” Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP.
He said that although satellites and ballistic missiles differ in their missions, the technology was effectively identical.
“If North Korea launches a satellite, it will be a violation of UN security resolutions, as it bans all launches using ballistic missile technology.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this month inspected the country’s first military spy satellite as it was prepared for launch, and gave the green light for its “future action plan.”
In 2021, Kim had identified the development of such satellites as a key defense project for the North Korean military.
Japan’s defense ministry issued an order to shoot down any ballistic missile confirmed to be on course to fall into its territory.
South Korea’s foreign ministry condemned the launch plan, saying the “so-called ‘satellite launch’ is a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning all launches using ballistic missile technology.”
South Korea and Japan have been working to mend long-frayed ties, including through greater cooperation on North Korea’s military threats.