Люди були на поминках: у МВС розповіли про 50 загиблих цивільних на Куп’янщині після удару військ РФ

SocNet Новини, Політика, Суспільство 0 Comment

Під час вибуху в кафе-магазині від ракетного удару військ РФ у селі Гроза Куп’янського району Харківщини усі загиблі були там на поминках, повідомив в ефірі телемарафону міністр внутрішніх справ Ігор Клименко.

«Там були поминки за померлим односельцем. Загалом у селі 300 жителів, по одному з кожного двору були на поминках», – повідомив Клименко.

Також у Telegram від додав, що під руїнами зруйнованих вщент магазину і кафе ще можуть бути люди.

«29 осіб з 49 загиблих ідентифіковано. Мобільна криміналістична лабораторія працює на місці трагедії. Пошуково-рятувальна операція триває», – повідомив міністр.

За даними влади, 5 жовтня близько 13:25 російські військові обстріляли с. Гроза Куп’янського району Харківської області. Удар припав на сільське кафе-магазин. 49 людей загинули, серед яких дитина, а також семеро людей зазнали поранень.

Президент Володимир Зеленський назвав атаку «показово жорстоким російським злочином».

Російські військові регулярно обстрілюють території України, які є в досяжності їхніх ракет, безпілотників, артилерії та РСЗВ, – в тому числі і цивільні об’єкти. Попри наявність доказів, Москва стверджує, що метою цих ударів є лише військова інфраструктура України.
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У Київській області на міні підірвалися троє людей – ДСНС

SocNet Новини, Політика, Суспільство 0 Comment

У Держслужбі з надзвичайних ситуацій повідомили, що у селі Макарів Бучанського району Київської області на протитанковій міні підірвалася аварійна бригада районних електричних мереж.

«Одного громадянина у тяжкому стані доправлено до столичної лікарні, ще двоє – від госпіталізації відмовилися», – йдеться в повідомленні.

Повідомляється, що внаслідок підриву також пошкоджено два автомобілі – «ГАЗ 53» і Volkswagen.

Київщина була звільнена від російських військ у квітні минулого року. У регіонах, які були під окупацією, місцева влада регулярно повідомляє про випадки підриву цивільних на вибухових пристроях.

За даними ДСНС, потенційно небезпечними через замінування є третина від загальної площі України.
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Experts Say Tackling Corruption Key to Stopping Nigerian Crude Theft

CensorBiz Бізнес, Новини, Статті, Суспільство 0 Comment

Nigerian authorities are investigating the deaths of at least 15 people in the explosion of an illegally tapped oil pipeline on Sunday, an often-deadly practice that has been going on for decades.

Police in the Rivers state, which is in the West African nation’s southern delta region, told VOA by phone Wednesday that Iba community locals were scooping crude oil and refining it at an illegal site late Sunday when the explosion occurred.

Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko said authorities removed 15 bodies, including that of a pregnant woman, from the site. Twenty survivors, including the owner of the illegal refinery, were taken to a local hospital with burns.

“We’re investigating,” Iringe-Koko said. “It was this illegally refined product they were scooping that caused this fire explosion. We documented photographs of the incident. Members of the public and parents should warn their wards not to involve in such activities.

“We’re also trying to see if we can deploy more security to that place so that such acts will not continue,” she said.

Crude oil theft is a perennial problem in Nigeria — one of the Africa’s largest producers. The illegal refining of crude, known as “oil bunkering,” is rampant in oil-rich regions.

In April, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative said Nigeria lost about 620 million barrels of crude oil valued at $46 billion between 2009 and 2020.

Nigerian authorities have been trying to address the problem without much success.

Faith Nwadishi, executive director of the Center for Transparency Advocacy, said authorities must take decisive security and legal action to end oil theft.

“The technology around refining of crude is not what the local people themselves are involved in,” Nwadishi said. “It’s a cabal of very knowledgeable people with resources that are able to do that. So, government really needs to look inward — the issues around impunity and corruption. Our legal framework is weak.”

Nigeria is dependent on crude oil for more than 80% of its national revenue.

Authorities say oil theft is detrimental to the Nigeria’s economy and national security, but Nwadishi said widespread poverty in oil-producing regions also plays a role.

“Over the years that we have taken crude oil from these communities, there has been little or no development,” she said. “Those same communities do not have projects, infrastructure. The people don’t have electricity, and every day they’re faced with the issue about degradation that comes from oil production within their communities. So, people around communities now see it as a right to take part of this crude [oil].”

Oil and gas expert Emmanuel Afimia said that without better opportunities for locals, it will be difficult to tackle oil theft.

“Many of these villages along the pipelines know about these illegal refineries, but as long as the money keeps flowing into the owners’ pockets and then it keeps circulating in the community, they would not want to rat out whoever is operating that structure,” Afimia said. “So, having to depend on communities to report structures will not work.”

The United Nations says that, worldwide, stolen oil accounts for around 5% to 7% of the global crude oil and petroleum fuel market.

Last year, Nigeria awarded a pipeline surveillance contract to former militant Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, and uncovered many large sites where oil was being siphoned.

But experts say that unless the deeper problem of corruption is solved or authorities begin to prosecute offenders, oil theft will continue to be a problem in Nigeria.
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What Are the Next Steps as US House Searches for New Speaker?

PolitCens Новини, Політика, Суспільство 0 Comment

The U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in its history has booted its speaker out of the job, as infighting in the narrow and bitterly divided Republican majority toppled Kevin McCarthy from the position. 

Here is a look at what comes next: 

Is there an acting speaker? 

Immediately following Tuesday’s 216-210 ouster vote, Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, a McCarthy ally, was appointed acting speaker pro tempore. He can serve for only a very limited time — up to three legislative days in this case. 

The acting speaker pro tempore’s duties are vague, according to a guide to the chamber’s rules and procedures: That person “may exercise such authorities of the office of speaker as may be necessary and appropriate pending the election of a speaker or speaker pro tempore.” 

While the speaker sets the overall legislative agenda in the House, it is the House majority leader who schedules specific bills to debated and voted upon in the chamber.   

Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong told reporters that McHenry’s main task will be to “get us a new speaker.” Anything further, he said, would spark a move to oust McHenry.   

A freeze on legislating? 

Until a House speaker is installed, it is unlikely that further action will be taken on bills to fund the government, with lawmakers facing a November 17 deadline to provide more money or face a partial government shutdown. 

Battles over those bills and anger over McCarthy’s failure to win extremely deep spending cuts sought by hard-right conservatives sparked the successful move by Representative Matt Gaetz to unseat him. 

What are House Republicans, Democrats doing? 

The House’s 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats huddled privately to figure out their next steps — both political and legislative. 

Each party was expected to try to settle on a candidate for speaker. That’s fairly easy for Democrats as they are solidly behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who ran for speaker in January against McCarthy and other candidates. 

Republicans, because of their obvious divisions, especially among a small group of hard-line conservatives seeking very deep cuts in federal spending, could have a harder time settling on a candidate. 

McHenry could have an advantage now that he is acting speaker. It was unclear whether he wants the job. McCarthy is not barred from running again, although he said later Tuesday he would not seek it. 

The House finds itself in an unprecedented moment and so it was unclear exactly how quickly an election will be held in the full House. Normally, the elections for speaker are scheduled at the start of the new Congress every two years. 

When will the next speaker election be? 

The leaders of both parties will have to decide when they are ready to enter into the process of electing a speaker. 

The January endeavor was sloppy as McCarthy for days could not get enough votes to win and had to endure 15 ballots. 

It could be at least as chaotic this time around for Republicans, unless they conclude that such chaos is creating a public backlash that could doom their election prospects in 2024 and they unite. 

Who can run for speaker?  

Under the U.S. Constitution, the House speaker does not have to be a member of Congress. That is the reason some Republicans have floated the name of former President Donald Trump for the job, even though he is running for president and has said he does not want the job. 
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Jury Selection Underway in Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX Fraud Trial

CensorBiz Бізнес, Новини, Статті, Суспільство 0 Comment

Jury selection is currently underway in Sam Bankman-Fried’s trail on fraud and conspiracy charges, nearly one year after his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, collapsed.

According to prosecutors, Bankman-Fried, who has been detained since August, is responsible for embezzling money from FTX for the benefit of his hedge fund, Alameda Research, as well as to purchase luxury properties and donate over $100 million to U.S. political candidates. 

The former billionaire is alleged to have committed this embezzlement from FTX’s founding in 2019 until its bankruptcy in 2022. 

Prosecutors and defense lawyers confirmed that there was never any discussion of a plea deal. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy.

The trial could last up to six weeks. The prosecution is intending to bring three people who were part of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle to testify against him. They are cooperating with Manhattan’s U.S. Attorney’s Office and have already pleaded guilty to fraud charges themselves. 

The defense intends to challenge these witnesses by denouncing their credibility and claiming that they are only cooperating to secure lesser sentences.

The defense’s arguments will primarily revolve around their idea that FTX was not able to meet customer’s withdrawal requests because of a series of poor business decisions rather than deliberate fraud. 

Bankman-Fried, 31, was indicted last December. His trial is the highest-profile case that U.S. prosecutors have brought against a former cryptocurrency manager.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
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